In the Doctor Who episode Silence in the Library, The Doctor takes Donna to the 51st century where humans have built a library “so big it doesn’t need a name” — an entire planet filled with books. Throughout the episode, he finds himself checking The Library’s computer system via a terminal that looks suspiciously familiar:
A 51st Century Keyboard
That’s right, it’s Apple’s current model of wireless keyboard, which I was touching with my own hand at the very moment the image came on the screen. Apple’s design is so flawless that it will last fully 3,000 years.
My personal library is “so little it doesn’t need a name”.
I’m considering whether to buy an e-book reader (Kindle or Sony). At that point my library will have a name (“Kindle” or “PRS505 with 1.1 firmware update”). Either one will hold at least 4GB of data. Assuming a 50,000 word book needs 1MB storage space, I’ll have capacity for 4,000 books. Assuming further that I can read one book a week, I’ll have a 77 year supply.
What will my last book be in the year 2088? I predict “Waitbot Rant: Tales from the Bistromatic”.
(Perhaps my first book should be “How to add 2009 + 77”?)
Apropos of Macs on TV, I saw an ad for a PC clean-up tool called “Finally Fast”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3YRBzz_4Hg
The visuals start by showing people frustrated — in that exaggerated TV ad kind of way — by their slow PC. But the computers they’re using are Macs, probably because Macs look good on TV. Right, Dr Who?