Really, the original vision 20+ years ago (i.e. Rainbow's End), was that the user would have an overlay of the world they wanted to live in.
Where your pub might appear to you to be swords and sorcery world, with an orc for a bartender, the bartender would be in a sci-fi world and you would be a robot.
The cameras were needed to keep track of the real world.
I agree though, and this whole pervy use case wasn't really envisioned as much then.
My understanding was that they don't shut immediately upon touch to avoid false positives (leaves, water droplets). They only close up a second touch (something alive). They actually count.
Also, talks about the cells softening, but fails to mention what I think is most interesting: those cells contain water under super high pressure.
Was on a team that was trying to sell AltaVista a social media presence (before facebook/myspace/etc). Our people were mostly using Google, but we still wanted the client. One of the "moderation experts" on our side (i.e. - not tech or busniess) who evidently didn't understand what AltaVista was about asked them "Why don't you just use Google? It's better".
As the owner of a Juno 106, I can't disagree. In the 90's, to me, it was Panasonic video gear that I found amazing. Had to take apart a couple of toughbooks tonight, and they are great little machines.
Although, to me, what I've always loved about Japan is how they will take every medium that arrives on the scene and treat it with loving craftsmanship. From jazz to skateboarding to yo-yos.
What I remember is the big box book stores coming to town and putting the independent and smaller stores out of business. While I did appreciate having access to stacks of modern computer manuals, it didn't last long: once the mom-and-pops were out of business, the big box stores pivoted to converting half of their floor space to selling candles and pillows.
The only Apple product I still have is a 2010 ipad 1. Only use it as a clock, violin tuner, and workout timer, but am amazed it's still going like an old volkswagen.
I wonder if Paul remembers that his company (Apple Corp.) had several trademark lawsuits[1] against Apple Computer over the name. Which is why System 7 had a alert sound called "sosumi".
I thought the AR UI in "Rainbow's End"[1] made more sense than hand gestures: with digital clothing, all of our movements become controls. And we each train our inputs according to our own slight tweaks and movements. Also, pretty sure this book was a big impetus for Google, Meta, etc to get started with AR, drones, and self-driving cars.
I only use authenticator with an old phone next to my work computer. No sim card, minimal apps. Don't do work apps on my main phone, especially InTune.
>> Abstractions often really do speed up production, but you pay the price in maintenance later on.
> What? I don't know what this means. Good abstractions allow us to better maintain code. Maintaining something that hasn't been structured into appropriate abstractions is a nightmare.
100% agree with this. Name it well, maintain it in one place ... profit.
It's the not abstracting up front that can catch you: The countless times I have been asked to add feature x, but that it is a one-off/PoC. Which sometimes even means it might not get the full TDD/IoC/feature flag treatment (which aren't always available depending upon the client's stack).
Then, months later get asked to created an entire application or feature set on top of that. Abstracting that one-off up into a method/function/class tags and bags it: it is now named and better documented. Can be visible in IDE, called from anywhere and looped over if need be.
There is obviously a limit to where the abstraction juice isn't worth the squeeze, but otherwise, it just adds superpowers as time goes on.
Funny story, the lead on our Eastern European team told me a while back that he had to tell his team:
When the North Americans ask at the beginning of a meeting "How's it going?", they do NOT really want to know how you are doing. It's just social lubrication before getting to work.
Before that, we were getting to learn that their mother in-laws in town or different medical issues.
I've had my domain and some business ideas ready for 20 years now (since Rainbow's End).
Still waiting for the ecosystem to mature a little more and the "early" movers to consolidate the APIs. Also, I love my job so not super motivated.
The only business "secret sauces" I know are creativity (market value depends on what you're selling) and implementation (if what you're selling works). Customers will follow.
IMO: Go For It! The more the space matures, the better for all of us.
Where your pub might appear to you to be swords and sorcery world, with an orc for a bartender, the bartender would be in a sci-fi world and you would be a robot.
The cameras were needed to keep track of the real world.
I agree though, and this whole pervy use case wasn't really envisioned as much then.