We Are Not Time Travelers(behance.net)
behance.net
We Are Not Time Travelers
http://www.behance.net/Gallery/ALT1977-WE-ARE-NOT-TIME-TRAVELERS/545221
11 comments
I've heard this argument made about a person time-traveling back to, say, the year 1000. You would be so cut off from the infrastructure you know and depend on, and so i'll-prepared for the alien culture you landed in, that your knowledge of the future would be useless.
But 1975? That is taking it too far. I was alive in 1975! It was different from today, but not so different that you couldn't figure it out.
Yeah, you might be hard pressed to build an iPhone. But do not underestimate the awesome power of hindsight. The great thing about hindsight is that you know which ideas are likely dead ends and which are likely to pay off. Just knowing, say, that mammalian cloning is physically possible would make it a lot easier to do. You know that if you keep trying the reward is out there.
I think a lot of web technology could have been built earlier if people had only known it was worth building.
But 1975? That is taking it too far. I was alive in 1975! It was different from today, but not so different that you couldn't figure it out.
Yeah, you might be hard pressed to build an iPhone. But do not underestimate the awesome power of hindsight. The great thing about hindsight is that you know which ideas are likely dead ends and which are likely to pay off. Just knowing, say, that mammalian cloning is physically possible would make it a lot easier to do. You know that if you keep trying the reward is out there.
I think a lot of web technology could have been built earlier if people had only known it was worth building.
I like how everybody's most important task seems to be building an iPhone if they've traveled back 30 years in time.
> I think a lot of web technology could have been built earlier if people had only known it was worth building.
Well... The web browser was there in the 70's - we called it the 3278.
Now, on a more serious tone, in computing we see the worst solution gaining share over better ones on a regular basis. It's only a half-joke when I say Smalltalk 80 beats Java (or C#) 2010...
Well... The web browser was there in the 70's - we called it the 3278.
Now, on a more serious tone, in computing we see the worst solution gaining share over better ones on a regular basis. It's only a half-joke when I say Smalltalk 80 beats Java (or C#) 2010...
I'd just bring the world map back to 1200, a print out of the wikipedia article for ingredients in gunpowder and 100 UK pounds* . It'd make me rich enough already. :D iPhone? pssh.
* I don't think they'd accept my money but its worth a try; reversing 3% inflation for a eight hundred years make 100 pounds in those days worth a lot.
* I don't think they'd accept my money but its worth a try; reversing 3% inflation for a eight hundred years make 100 pounds in those days worth a lot.
You are aware that money does change along time, right? It would be hard to make someone from 50 years ago to accept the current currency, forget about 810 years ago.
Hint: Take gold instead.
Hint: Take gold instead.
Take diamonds back to before diamonds were plentiful. Hell, take flawless synthetic diamonds back to before when flaws where the thing to have in your diamonds.
The solution is to take a modern-day invention that isn't that complicated technically -- a lot of fad items fit the bill. Would the snuggie have sold as well in 1975? How about crocs?
In regards to Crocs, wasn't plastic prohibitively expensive until the late 80s?
I'm not quite sure why I'm being modded down.
One of the reasons I mentioned that is that toys from the early 80s avoided the use of Plastic as it was a cost center.
Are crocs not made out of some kind of plastic compound? Or is it because the plastic is easily replaceable, and people are referring to the form factor?
One of the reasons I mentioned that is that toys from the early 80s avoided the use of Plastic as it was a cost center.
Are crocs not made out of some kind of plastic compound? Or is it because the plastic is easily replaceable, and people are referring to the form factor?
The best approach would be to write a book, comic book or novel "predicting" this stuff. In 30 years or so you'll be recognized as the most accomplished 'futurist' in the history.
Oh I almost can hear the interviews:
-- How did you managed to describe the exact interface of the iPhone more than 30 years before its release ?
-- Well, I actually came from the future.
-- LOL! Let's make sure you don't get anywhere near the LHC then.
Oh I almost can hear the interviews:
-- How did you managed to describe the exact interface of the iPhone more than 30 years before its release ?
-- Well, I actually came from the future.
-- LOL! Let's make sure you don't get anywhere near the LHC then.
But futurists in no small part shape the future by writing about it. Those sci-fi fantasies we reveled in as children are what drives us to create technology today. I smell a paradox.
I saw it being called "Star Trek Effect". I think it's a very nice name.
Futurists and predicting stuff always made me twitch. Seriously. Check out any old movies or series and you will see that any technology is either obsolete or so vague that it can't be built.
Using this line of thinking I came to the algorithm necessary to predict the future with a higher chance of success:
First Step: Do it like we always do, predict the future. Spaceships, gadgets and so on. Second Step: Now get in the shoes of someone from that "time" and do the first step again.
You now have, what I believe, a good prediction. Using this simple algorithm I now think that any spaceship with a single forward view screen (eg: star trek) is plain silly and it would make more sense to have view screens in every face of the bridge (with holographic floating screen or something) to have more freedom.
Using this line of thinking I came to the algorithm necessary to predict the future with a higher chance of success:
First Step: Do it like we always do, predict the future. Spaceships, gadgets and so on. Second Step: Now get in the shoes of someone from that "time" and do the first step again.
You now have, what I believe, a good prediction. Using this simple algorithm I now think that any spaceship with a single forward view screen (eg: star trek) is plain silly and it would make more sense to have view screens in every face of the bridge (with holographic floating screen or something) to have more freedom.
I dunno, the idea of open-source software and good interpreted languages would get you pretty far. I wouldn't mind being Larry Wall - and I'll bet at this point I could re-implement Perl from memory pretty well.
A decent knowledge of things like unit testing could also make you pretty damned effective in the then-burgeoning market of custom software. You might be able to pull a Google or a Netscape with a small team you hired from your consulting profits.
With a decent knowledge of what tech was coming down the pike next year or so, I'm pretty sure you could do pretty well any time back to 1975 or so.
Beyond that, I'd need research, because I didn't live through it - but if you know which year you're going for, check the patent database for anything invented about five years later than your target. That takes you back to the 1700's.
Further back than that, you're talking about agriculture (crop rotation, for instance) or stirrups or something. Give me a target year and six months of prep time, and I'm virtually positive I could put together a killer business plan that would leave me or at least my children owning the world.
A decent knowledge of things like unit testing could also make you pretty damned effective in the then-burgeoning market of custom software. You might be able to pull a Google or a Netscape with a small team you hired from your consulting profits.
With a decent knowledge of what tech was coming down the pike next year or so, I'm pretty sure you could do pretty well any time back to 1975 or so.
Beyond that, I'd need research, because I didn't live through it - but if you know which year you're going for, check the patent database for anything invented about five years later than your target. That takes you back to the 1700's.
Further back than that, you're talking about agriculture (crop rotation, for instance) or stirrups or something. Give me a target year and six months of prep time, and I'm virtually positive I could put together a killer business plan that would leave me or at least my children owning the world.
> I dunno, the idea of open-source software and good interpreted languages would get you pretty far.
Hey -- go back to 1975 and out-Stallman Stallman. Then when a crafty dork fresh dropped out of Harvard comes along with a cranky letter -- you do realize that you are stealing software, don't you? -- he would have gotten what he deserves: a fuck you and the mother of all wedgies.
Hey -- go back to 1975 and out-Stallman Stallman. Then when a crafty dork fresh dropped out of Harvard comes along with a cranky letter -- you do realize that you are stealing software, don't you? -- he would have gotten what he deserves: a fuck you and the mother of all wedgies.
Surely being a patent troll is the ideal business model for a time traveler? No need to go to the bother of actually selling any products, just patent things you know will be wildly successful, wait until the right time and then unleash your lawyers.
I think the problem here is that these are mostly incremental improvements of things that were already around in 1977, at a fundamental technical level. It wouldn't be so hard to "invent" the transistor in 1900, for example.
But the transistor, the thing that makes most of these gadgets possible, was already around in 1975, its only that people have gotten so damn good at making them by now. This happens through a long series of small improvements.
Same would go for other tech... Not so difficult to build a battery or a steam engine in any age really, but making it highly efficient as we know it now, different story.
But the transistor, the thing that makes most of these gadgets possible, was already around in 1975, its only that people have gotten so damn good at making them by now. This happens through a long series of small improvements.
Same would go for other tech... Not so difficult to build a battery or a steam engine in any age really, but making it highly efficient as we know it now, different story.
I find it fun to think back to the 1970s and try to guess which products would get bigger and which products would get smaller..
eg (UK-centric list, maybe):
* TVs - they were supposed to get smaller, they're huge now
* HiFi - bigger surely, and they did for a bit during the 1980s ("when you die they'll bury you in it")
* Womens' cars - are now bigger than mens' cars by far
* Men's underpant - bigger
* Women's underpants - smaller
etc
eg (UK-centric list, maybe):
* TVs - they were supposed to get smaller, they're huge now
* HiFi - bigger surely, and they did for a bit during the 1980s ("when you die they'll bury you in it")
* Womens' cars - are now bigger than mens' cars by far
* Men's underpant - bigger
* Women's underpants - smaller
etc
Men and women have different cars? Where is this? The US?
I see this in a small sector of the rich middle classes here in the UK - a rich wife, often a mother, has a huge SUV for the school run whilst the husband has a town car for parking at the railway station or has a sales rep standard issue.
Bradbury predicted much bigger TV's in the 1950's.
You might not be able to change the world but time travel can certainly make you rich. Just buy some stock from Intel, Microsoft, Google and Apple.
Wow. Someone besides me has fantasized about bringing modern tech to the past.
Has anyone else thought what, say a nexus one (with my handy hp-48 emulator, plus shell scripting) would do to say, ww2? I'm pretty sure whichever side got their hands on it would just win.
Instant artillery calculations, speeding up the nuclear program by about a factor of 1000, and some serious encryption capabilities. All in the palm of my hand. I'm not even talking about bringing the cell phone network or the internet with me. Just perhaps a few cached wikipedia articles.
Has anyone else thought what, say a nexus one (with my handy hp-48 emulator, plus shell scripting) would do to say, ww2? I'm pretty sure whichever side got their hands on it would just win.
Instant artillery calculations, speeding up the nuclear program by about a factor of 1000, and some serious encryption capabilities. All in the palm of my hand. I'm not even talking about bringing the cell phone network or the internet with me. Just perhaps a few cached wikipedia articles.
>Someone besides me has fantasized about bringing modern tech to the past.
Many, many, many times over the decades. Anybody remember Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court". Or more recent movies like the one around 1980 about the USS Nimitz going back in time and keeping Pearl Harbor from being totally destroyed.
Many, many, many times over the decades. Anybody remember Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court". Or more recent movies like the one around 1980 about the USS Nimitz going back in time and keeping Pearl Harbor from being totally destroyed.
I think the simplest way to use a computer in the pre-PC era to profit would be to apply the computational power to calculations that nobody else could afford to make - so things like stock trading could be very exploitable, as you would be applying arbitrage methods that the market literally could not keep up with.
If your intent is to accelerate research, on the other hand, obvious candidates would be CAD systems and simulations. A lot of lighter/cheaper machine designs have come from finding better minima of cost/weight/strength, and microprocessors themselves are beneficiaries of CAD technology. If you're in the pre-industrial era, being able to transport back blueprints of modern designs would still be of benefit, even if the economy isn't ready for all of them.
If your intent is to accelerate research, on the other hand, obvious candidates would be CAD systems and simulations. A lot of lighter/cheaper machine designs have come from finding better minima of cost/weight/strength, and microprocessors themselves are beneficiaries of CAD technology. If you're in the pre-industrial era, being able to transport back blueprints of modern designs would still be of benefit, even if the economy isn't ready for all of them.
I think you'd need two to have an impact in ww2 for crypto purposes..
Wouldn't even just one be insanely useful for decryption? I've been lost by pretty much every description of what they actually did at Bletchley Park (anyone have recommended links?) but it seems like they could do a lot with some decent computing power.
Poking through Wikipedia's entry on Colossus led me to http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/news/docview.rhtm/487682 , which has this quote: "My laptop digested ciphertext at a speed of 1.2 million characters per second – 240 times faster than Colossus. If you scale the CPU frequency by that factor, you get an equivalent clock of 5.8 MHz for Colossus. That is a remarkable speed for a computer built in 1944."
It should be pointed out that a linear scaling is inappropriate, though, because Colossus was not Turing complete, which makes direct comparisons very tricky. The very oldest things we today call "computers" tended to do a lot of stuff in very, very specialized hardware, and converting that into a modern-day, very general-purpose "clock cycle" is not trivial. It might be better to understand this as a glorified GPU-like processor. Only even less powerful, as it was even more special-purpose than a modern GPU.
(Or at least it will be better, if you understand the intrinsic limitations of GPU-like processing. If you're a Cell fanboy who bought the Sony's PS3 gibberish about performance hook line and sinker and still haven't worked out why Cell-based computers haven't destroyed Intel without invoking some sort of paranoid theory, that might not be as helpful a way of understanding things as I'd like.)
It should be pointed out that a linear scaling is inappropriate, though, because Colossus was not Turing complete, which makes direct comparisons very tricky. The very oldest things we today call "computers" tended to do a lot of stuff in very, very specialized hardware, and converting that into a modern-day, very general-purpose "clock cycle" is not trivial. It might be better to understand this as a glorified GPU-like processor. Only even less powerful, as it was even more special-purpose than a modern GPU.
(Or at least it will be better, if you understand the intrinsic limitations of GPU-like processing. If you're a Cell fanboy who bought the Sony's PS3 gibberish about performance hook line and sinker and still haven't worked out why Cell-based computers haven't destroyed Intel without invoking some sort of paranoid theory, that might not be as helpful a way of understanding things as I'd like.)
Yes, especially if you had Mike Koss's Enigma simulator: http://startpad.org/blog/diving-android-development-the-pock...
On a side note: I'm glad you mentioned that there's an HP-48 emulator available for Android, because somehow I'd never thought to look for one and now I'm in nerd heaven.
If by "my handy hp-48 emulator" you mean to say you're the one who wrote it, then thanks and mad props; this is fantastic.
If by "my handy hp-48 emulator" you mean to say you're the one who wrote it, then thanks and mad props; this is fantastic.
+1. There's nothing like running an emulation of a 2 MHz 64/20-bit CPU (with a 4-bit programming model) implemented in a language that compiles to a virtual machine, running on a 1 GHz processor in your pocket. It's just awesome.
This guy has done an admirable job of appropriating the visual style of Scott Hansen, of iso50.net / Tycho, who has been making design in a similar vein for many years.
Here are two designs I was immediately reminded of; both because of the style and, for these two in particular, the subject matter.
http://www.merchline.com/iso50/productdisplay.3969.p.htm / http://www.merchline.com/iso50/categorydisplay.2586.c.htm
I enjoy Scott's work and have purchased a few of his posters. This one is my favorites:
http://blog.iso50.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/iso50-north...
Even further back in the aesthetic pedigree of this work you'll note similarities to the work of Shepard Fairey, who created the OBEY giant phenomenon and, more recently, the iconic, 3-color HOPE poster for Obama's presidential campaign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepard_Fairey
Here are two designs I was immediately reminded of; both because of the style and, for these two in particular, the subject matter.
http://www.merchline.com/iso50/productdisplay.3969.p.htm / http://www.merchline.com/iso50/categorydisplay.2586.c.htm
I enjoy Scott's work and have purchased a few of his posters. This one is my favorites:
http://blog.iso50.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/iso50-north...
Even further back in the aesthetic pedigree of this work you'll note similarities to the work of Shepard Fairey, who created the OBEY giant phenomenon and, more recently, the iconic, 3-color HOPE poster for Obama's presidential campaign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepard_Fairey
I don't think you can say someone is "appropriating" the style of a modern artist by virtue of using the general design aesthetic of the late 1970s. I followed your links and I don't see any particular borrowing beyond the general idea, which can hardly be said to belong to anyone in any sense.
The 1970s belong to us all†. For better or for worse.
(†: Certain aspects of the 1970s may not be available until 2065 or later, assuming no further modifications of the copyright act. Consult your representative for more details.)
The 1970s belong to us all†. For better or for worse.
(†: Certain aspects of the 1970s may not be available until 2065 or later, assuming no further modifications of the copyright act. Consult your representative for more details.)
I remember real ads in similar style (for a Commodore machine!) from the mid 80s, much less the 70s.
Anywhere I can buy that Pocket Hi-Fi? Honestly, if it pumped out epic audio quality, I'd be more than happy with that interface (with more pixels in the text fields, I've got some other-language-named songs). iPods have been noticeably insufficient for my Grados, and that'd be a perfect complementary style.
Commercial pluggery is not usually one of my hobbies, but you might want to take a look at what the good people at HeadRoom offer: http://headphone.com/
I like Grados myself, but anything beyond the '60s needs more amp than the players have built in (and the crossfeed makes a huge difference if the recording wasn't originally binaural). No need to go overboard unless you are a can fanatic and have a better source than an iPod (or other portable); the AirHead/BitHead is better than you can imagine. Bonus: the BitHead is an excellent USB "sound card" as well.
I like Grados myself, but anything beyond the '60s needs more amp than the players have built in (and the crossfeed makes a huge difference if the recording wasn't originally binaural). No need to go overboard unless you are a can fanatic and have a better source than an iPod (or other portable); the AirHead/BitHead is better than you can imagine. Bonus: the BitHead is an excellent USB "sound card" as well.
Great idea brilliantly executed.
Not only is this guy a fantastic designer he's also a very strong copy writer. The advert headline and copy is really nicely crafted.
I think a company copy style where they constantly profess things like "our company definitely was started by time travellers 33 years in the future" is a wonderful idea to actually use in real life for some high tech firm. Cheeky and playful it would get a lot of attention.
Not only is this guy a fantastic designer he's also a very strong copy writer. The advert headline and copy is really nicely crafted.
I think a company copy style where they constantly profess things like "our company definitely was started by time travellers 33 years in the future" is a wonderful idea to actually use in real life for some high tech firm. Cheeky and playful it would get a lot of attention.
Oops that was meant to be 'definately wasn't started by time travellers' obviously!
Were these "hand" illustrated? Or is there some easier way to make graphics look this awesome?
No, they're computer graphics (some elements are "verbatim quotes" from other items in Alex's portfolio, like the LED spectroscope on the 'pod), and no, that doesn't mean they're easier than, say, a one-off airbrush & pencils piece. Except, that is, that once a model has been created, it can be manipulated and duplicated (as in the six-Laptron "star").
It looks like there was a lot of back-and-forth between something like Illustrator, Photoshop and (probably) 3DSmax (the hooks to the Adobe stuff make it a good workflow tool). The lighting and shaders are well beyond anything I've ever been able to do, but there are little -- really tiny -- mistakes in some details (physical dimensions of real-world things us old folks are intimately familiar with that kids wouldn't notice) in his work that tell me these aren't physical mockups (the way we used to do it in the good old days). Still, there's a lot of work represented here.
It looks like there was a lot of back-and-forth between something like Illustrator, Photoshop and (probably) 3DSmax (the hooks to the Adobe stuff make it a good workflow tool). The lighting and shaders are well beyond anything I've ever been able to do, but there are little -- really tiny -- mistakes in some details (physical dimensions of real-world things us old folks are intimately familiar with that kids wouldn't notice) in his work that tell me these aren't physical mockups (the way we used to do it in the good old days). Still, there's a lot of work represented here.
So like the cassettes are just like 3D models of boxes with a skin applied?
And the phone and laptop are also rendered in 3D, and then rotated and skinned?
It seems like it would be quite a bit of work to make that cell phone in 3D max (mostly the keys would be annoying to produce).
There isn't any clever way of doing the background though right?
And the phone and laptop are also rendered in 3D, and then rotated and skinned?
It seems like it would be quite a bit of work to make that cell phone in 3D max (mostly the keys would be annoying to produce).
There isn't any clever way of doing the background though right?
Ah, the '70s, the age of orange. (Although complaining about that on HN seems a bit ironic)
And if someone makes a window manager theme for the laptop interface, tell me. Meanwhile, I'm hunting for some basic interpreters...
And if someone makes a window manager theme for the laptop interface, tell me. Meanwhile, I'm hunting for some basic interpreters...
It could help if you take an sports almanac and become rich gambling (BTTF!). You know, to be able to fund those projects, or you're gonna sound like crazy to potential investors.
This is entertaining. I have never been able to figure out why there was so much faux wood on seemingly everything made in the '70's. Why did everyone feel compelled to use it?
Fashions come and go. Why are Apple compelled to use clean, aluminum and glass based designs? Why did the Web 2.0 crowd use rounded corners and gradients? Styles come and go. Most don't look particularly confusing at the time - just in hindsight :-) (Yep, current products will look out of date and retro in 2025!)
I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Some products will look out of date. Some won’t.
Here is a record player from 1956: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickwade/4130988683/in/pool-464...
And a tape deck from 1975: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8944091@N08/2068062385/in/pool-...
The technology is obsolete but I don’t think the design is.
Here is a record player from 1956: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickwade/4130988683/in/pool-464...
And a tape deck from 1975: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8944091@N08/2068062385/in/pool-...
The technology is obsolete but I don’t think the design is.
Because the fake wood paneling and wood-grained contact paper was cheap, ubiquitous and (trust me on this) looked better than the equally prevalent pink-n-purple color scheme. To wit, the PDP-11/45: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jef/422559909/
Because Faux-wood panelling is awesome. I've got a faux wood faceplate for my XBox that is love.
Panic did something similar last December:
http://www.panic.com/blog/2009/12/panic-retro-art/
http://www.panic.com/blog/2009/12/panic-retro-art/
Say you're in 1975 and know exactly how to build an iPhone. It simply wouldn't be possible to do. Technology tends to come into existence pretty soon after it becomes possible for it to exist.
Right after an achievement becomes possible, there is a window (say, 2-3 years) where people compete to create the definitive implementation. But it's not certain that knowledge from the future would help you beat the others. It would probably help, but that advantage could easily be wiped out by the same things that wipe out any other technology project (bad hacking, bad management, etc.)