Sunday, January 18, 2009

The Home Computer In 2004 (As Imagined In 1954)


Please click on the image to see this in all its glory and to read the caption. Yep, that teletype interface sure makes it easy to use, doesn't it?

Thanks to WinDoze on the Vector Linux forum for digging up this gem.

12 comments:

Spluloacle said...

IIRC, this is actually a submarine console, and the picture has been variously labeled and captioned many things it was not. Maybe on Snopes.com or such, I'll have to check.

A Thousand Violins said...

every now and then this pops up on the net, presented as a real picture from 1954. it's not. there are many pages documenting it, though. for instance, check out http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/computer.asp

Joseph Nell said...

Uh...what are the giant dials for? Is this for mobile homes?

Alan Mead said...

Why the steering wheel?

It's apparent that these 1950's predictions were as pessimistic about information technology as they were optimistic about energy technology. I, personally, feel that energy technology is what will make a difference in 2054.

Tu Eşti said...

This image is well-known on the Internet and is a fake. The wheel that can be seen near the man is the steering wheel for a submarine. The man himself is an admiral. I read about it a few years back when the text below the picture was also radically different :)

Eric Ferris said...

I've seen that picture before. It's a submarine command center. I believe I saw it in the Submarine museum in Grotton, CT, but I wasn't able to find the picture on the museum's web site.

Nevertheless, it has noting to do with a prediction of the future home computer.

Richard said...

When the photo was created, I vaguely recall that it was intended as a joke. Any other oldster remember the particulars?

Vikas Bhat said...

wow! thats a huge one! we can't really predict how things would be :)

Thanks for the photo!

Korikkar

Unknown said...

Unfortunately, it's a Photoshopped hoax.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/hoaxes/computer.asp

Caitlyn Martin said...

OK, I had never seen it before. I didn't find it any more ridiculous than 1950s or 1060s predictions that we'd routinely be living on space stations or a lunar or Martian colony, have flying cars or jet packs, and so on. I accept that it's a hoax. It's still really funny.

Vikas Bhat said...

@concertedrxn, @jeff

initially I felt that it might be an edited one. Then again had a second thought, people do have a habit of predicting what would happen in say 50 years down the line!

but thanks for educating all of us.

cybormoron said...

yup, definitely a gimped (photoshopped for you non-linux types) image.
the answer machine or google as predicted in 1964 is a better story and true.

http://web-owls.com/2007/06/25/google-as-predicted-in-1964/