Radical Ideas that will never happen because of money or power.

Radical Ideas that will never happen because of money or power.

“I have a dream.” Martin Luther King’s famous speech was about freedom and equality. My dream is partly about that too. I want freedom from the bonds of old computer “rules.” I know that most of this cannot come true because we are a capitalist society and things cost money. Also, we know that the “Powers that be” would never let us have some of these things because they would lose their hold over all man kind. But still, I do have a dream. I dream that one day...

•All files use the same format: I call it Universal Computer Format, or UCF. Text would be compressed so much that a document might take up less than one K. You can get a complete illustrated Bible and the complete works of William Shakespeare on a 256mb flash drive.

•All electronic appliances must run on the same voltage or amperage or whatever. So all power bricks are compatible. In fact, you cannot even have a brick any more. Just make the stupid cord a little thicker. I know, I know... then it won’t fit through the hole in your computer desk. The brick doesn’t now!

•Everyone who sells computers and parts has to take back old ones for recycling. I have to do that now with tires. I am not a chemist, but I suspect there is more toxic material in a computer in a landfill than a tire in a landfill.

•It is illegal for people to donate computers to schools that will cost them more than $100 to make usable. When schools take this stuff in we have to pay to get rid of it. Also, it makes it difficult to ever get anything new because we have so many computers that are, “Good enough for the kids.” If you don’t want it because it is junk, we don’t either. Let’s move on people.

•Printers have so few moving parts that they cannot get jammed. It becomes cool to only use recycled paper. This results in extra trees. I am on record as being “pro tree.”

•Laptop computers have built in solar cells that constantly keep them charged. Perhaps the keys/cover could be where the solar cells are. For $50 you can have a hand crank that will give you 2 hours for every 10 cranks. This is not far fetched at all. I recently read an article about using the chlorophyl from spinach to generate electricity to make cell phone batteries last longer. Finally, a use for spinach...

•Battery technology gets to the point where they can make them in any shape and they last virtually forever. Also, they are very light weight. This causes cars to get great mileage. The price does not drop however...

•Homeland Security decides that all operating systems in the United States must be able to stop spam and viruses. Microsoft protests. Steve Jobs testifies before Congress. If you thought Watergate and the Iran-Contra hearings were exciting to watch...

•Homeland Security also decides that insufficient technology in schools puts us at a long term security risk. The government decides all school age children should have a computer. They pay for this by canceling 3 missile and 2 tank programs. The military gets the missile and tank programs back by buying cheaper MRE’s. Think soy...

•Telephone calls become free to everyone. There is no such thing as long distance. Also, cell towers have to look like trees. Trees are good. In a related story, the price of a telephone jumps to over $1,000...

•The major car companies design vehicles that run on sea water. I was going to say sand, but it just gets into everything...

•Apple makes an iPod Micro that is so small it fits in a watch. Or a hearing aid. It holds every song ever recorded, including some that shouldn’t have been. Wal Mart refuses to carry the product unless it carries a Parental Guidance sticker for the naughty songs. Steve Jobs thumbs his nose at them. Wal Mart reconsiders when Steve points out how many Pixar videos they sell each day.

•In an attempt to boost market share, Apple produces a G5 Powerbook and decides to give them away as a free trade-in to anyone who owns a laptop of any kind. You have to pay for shipping. For an additional $50 (plus shipping) you get an iPod Micro. It comes loaded with the complete works of William Shatner. Hey, there is no such thing as a free lunch here people...