I used to think that cyberspace was fifty years away. What I thought was fifty years away, was only ten years away. And what I thought was ten years away... it was already here. I just wasn't aware of it yet.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- He reflects that his predictions about cyberspace being far off were repeatedly too early; what he thought was decades away arrived within years.
- In plain terms
- His forecasts of cyberspace were always too early; it arrived sooner than expected.
- What can you take from it?
- Technology often progresses faster than imagined.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How can you improve forecasting accuracy?
- What signs indicate a technology is nearing maturity?
Another view
Over‑optimistic timelines can cause missed opportunities.
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