Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by mmirate 2817 days ago
Show it to the people who designed the PDP11 at the time they designed it, and chances are they won't.

The uneducated masses of soldiers and workers are much easier to dazzle and fool than technical personnel; and I apologize for not qualifying my previous comment enough to convey the idea that the Star Trek replicator, if it were to exist and be transported to the present day, would indeed be magic to any sane scientist or engineer.
2 comments
snaky 2817 days ago
To impress the people who designed the PDP11 at the time they designed it, you better just tell them we still use C and UNIX.
link
gaius 2817 days ago
The uneducated masses of soldiers and workers are much easier to dazzle

Time Traveler: look at this iPhone!

WW2 soldier: that’s a flimsy looking walkie-talkie, wouldn’t last a day fighting the Waffen SS. Do you mind? I got work to do.

link
mmirate 2817 days ago
Superficial; after, at worst, a brief demonstration, a stereotypical Nokia would elicit a different response.
link
bluGill 2817 days ago
No, you would be very disappointed. The vast majority of usefulness from a smart phone happens because it is connected. Since there would be now towers for the phone to connect to, most of the things you want to show couldn't be done.

You could use it as a personal organizer - but without connectivity it can be argued that a paper organizer is easier to use. There are a few other programs that will also work in a fashion, but again lacking connectivity the paper equivalents are as good if not better.

There are also a few games that will work: you can really impress them with the games you can play.

The only thing impressive will be the camera - a full color picture that you can zoom in on and save is interesting. Having 10000 photos (plus some videos) in your pocket will get attention. Of course once the phone breaks you lose all that, but still it will be impressive.

link
gaius 2816 days ago
Of course once the phone breaks you lose all that, but still it will be impressive

You would also have no way to charge it, it’s not like any modern phone has simple inputs for 5v or whatever.

link
ceejayoz 2815 days ago
If only they had the sun back then.

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Cell-Phones-Accessories-...

link