Tim O’Reilly recalls a remarkable prediction:
I remember, must be 20 or 25 years ago, hearing a talk given by Nick Negroponte of the MIT Media Lab, in which he made a prediction … Everything that today goes through wires will go through the air, and everything that goes through the air today will go through wires.
From an interview with John Donovan, CTO of AT&T.
I find it interesting that Negroponte didn’t just predict a move to wireless but that there would be an exchange, wireless things becoming wired.
Electricity, radio..
Interesting! It does seem to make sense though, no? Wires are more capable over long distances and wireless connections more convenient and cost-efficient over short distances. Remarkable that Negroponte saw this* so far in advance.
*Assuming that’s actually the rationale—I have no idea.