[geoelectric]

Stephenson has some roots in tech too. Second Life, arguably the most successful modifiable MMO-environment, was based on his vision of the Metaverse. One Laptop Per Child was influenced by his ideas in The Diamond Age (and a side project, Nell, was directly inspired by it). In the Beginning was the Command Line was an excellent non-fiction work of his surveying OS evolution. His books in general have a heavy technological focus.

I mean, I hear you, but this is more like Arthur C. Clarke joining a spaceflight organization. Yes, he's coming at it from a different direction, but plainly he's got some valid ideas because other people keep implementing them, directly or otherwise.