Stable Tech. vs. Stale Tech

In posting 2578, Steve Higginbotham points out the absurdity of assuming
that hi-tech societies (at least, those which haven't stagnated) continue
to make wide-spread use of 'century-plus' old technology.

Virtually every SF RPG (and most future SF fiction) artificially 'freeze'
some aspect of technology.  Indeed, most SF futures assume more-or-less
'current' technology with a small number of exceptions (which are usually
part of the 'plot device').  In his novel _Marooned_In_Realtime_, Vernor
Vinge points out that that, given the current rate of technological
advance (which is exponential), the rate at which the human race advances
technologically should 'go vertical' in less than 300 years.  Even he
was forced to introduce a global war in the mid-21st century to slow
the pace for another 200 years.

By the time of the Imperium, the human race (and the technology it relies
on), should be so alien, we would be unable to recognize, let alone
comprehend, it.

As an aside, it should also be pointed out that language and social
evolution follow a similiar (if less accelerated) pattern.  Even assuming
we understood the technology, we would probably be unable to interact
with the culture.

Later,

        Mark F. Cook

USMail: User Interface Technical Support
        Hewlett-Packard - Interface Technology Operation
        [address removed]

INTERNET: [email removed]
          [email removed]