Life as a Seer
(draft) The times I've spotted what's coming.
In the more innocent days of the early Web, Newsweek Magazine named me a "Software Seer," a description I've always treasured.
1981: After Playing Gomoku Online and Exchanging a File with a Reporter with my Apple II+, I Smelled the Internet. Then Faxes Arrived. In 1985, I Foresaw the Cellular Market in Argentina (1990 = privatization) In 1990, My IDM Service Described the Web In 1991, My CIE Service Described Smartphones (iPhone = 2007) In 1992, I Saw the Unification of Messaging Services In 1993, My Issues of Release 1.0 about Online Community Presaged Social Media — Optimistically In 1994, Visiting Kaplan at OnSale, I Asked “What if your customers could run their own auctions?” (eBay = 1995) In 1995, “What’s a Zine?” Showed Up as Weblogs in 1997 In 1997, I Saw Buddy Lists as the Future of Interpersonal Communications In 1997, My “Fridge Door” Showed up as Wikis and Family Apps Later
This article is cross-posted on Substack here, Medium here and LinkedIn here. It's also here in my Brain.