Published 29 years ago in the book Tomorrow's Home by Neil Ardley

Caption: Christmas in the future is an exciting occasion. Here the children have been given a home music and video system that links into the home computer. They are eagerly trying it out.

The eldest boy is using the video camera to record pictures of the family, which are showing on the computer viewscreen. However, someone else is playing with the computer controls and changing the images for fun.

At the same time, another child is working at the music synthesizer, creating some music to go with the crazy pictures.

Sounds like a perfect Christmas Gizmo

Back in my day only the squids (nerds) stayed inside.

All the normal kids ran around outside and did so without videoing every move.

The world has changed. The normal people are becoming the minority.

I know of adults who claim they enjoy doing their wind or water sport outside, but actually spend most of the time by themselves inside in front of a computer screen each day reading what their peers have typed on the subject.

I think it's amazing how much everybody writes/types now compared to 30 years ago. It's the default form of communication. Imagine how much is being published to the web right now.

Pen is mightier than the sword. The internet has the potential for creating seriously enormous groundswell movements the likes of which have never been seen before in human history. Bad/good I don't know.

I'd go outside and play but IT'S @#$%ING RAINING. STILL. IT'S BEEN RAINING NEARLY EVERY SINGLE DAY, ALL DAY, SINCE SEPTEMBER. IT'S AWFUL OUT THERE. AAARrrrgh!!!

...perhaps some wind tomorrow.

</rant>