Without wanting to sound like a broken record, I am continually amazed at many people’s inability to understand how certain technological advances will make some things that sound “impossible” today imminently possible tomorrow. A case in point is this article from today’s Technology Review which has many computer and educational professional questioning the feasibility of a $20 laptop. According to the article, the idea has met with “widespread skepticism” and one official is quoted as saying “I don’t understand how anyone can build anything for real at that price.”
I understand completely that the vision of a $20 laptop may not be achievable today but, as Moore’s Law continues to progress and as software development continues to be improved through open-source mechanisms, does that mean the vision will never be achieved? Of course not.
When reading the words of such naysayers I am reminded of that old quote: “Those who say it is impossible should just get the hell out of the way of those who are making it possible.” Or another quote, which my good friend Mark jenkins recently brought to my attention:
”It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.”—Robert Goddard, Space Pioneer
Interested in other “impossible” thoughts by America’s leading futurist, Jack Uldrich? Check out these past posts:
