Comments on: The future of transport — debunked! http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html Tech' views that are 667% more interesting than the tech' news itself... Wed, 23 May 2012 08:51:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Wayne Smallman http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html#comment-5526 Wayne Smallman Fri, 15 May 2009 06:56:16 +0000 http://www.blahblahtech.com/?p=746#comment-5526 Rob, those are exceptionally poor examples. First of all, the great wall of China was a barrier to the tribal people of the north. Given the engineering technology of the day, that was the only way a wall could be constructed. Also, the portions of the wall that we see in print, on post cards and publicity shots represents only a small section, the rest is quite plain and not built from such fine stone bricks. As for the Eiffel and the Pyramids, they are architectural edifices, with absolutely zero practical purpose. So quite how you hope to draw a comparison between them and a system of mass transit is beyond me, or how you manage to come up with the idea that a city-spanning monorail system would, over time, become a "treasure". I'm sure the tax payers of which ever city such a thing should reside in would be the first to disagree with you. Rob, those are exceptionally poor examples. First of all, the great wall of China was a barrier to the tribal people of the north. Given the engineering technology of the day, that was the only way a wall could be constructed. Also, the portions of the wall that we see in print, on post cards and publicity shots represents only a small section, the rest is quite plain and not built from such fine stone bricks.

As for the Eiffel and the Pyramids, they are architectural edifices, with absolutely zero practical purpose. So quite how you hope to draw a comparison between them and a system of mass transit is beyond me, or how you manage to come up with the idea that a city-spanning monorail system would, over time, become a “treasure”.

I’m sure the tax payers of which ever city such a thing should reside in would be the first to disagree with you.

]]> By: Rob http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html#comment-5525 Rob Fri, 15 May 2009 06:09:41 +0000 http://www.blahblahtech.com/?p=746#comment-5525 Now tell me why we shouldn't build the Eiffel tower and the Pyramids or the wall of China. These and many others like them are now great treasures of the world. A monorail would be the same Now tell me why we shouldn’t build the Eiffel tower and the Pyramids or the wall of China. These and many others like them are now great treasures of the world. A monorail would be the same

]]> By: Wayne Smallman http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html#comment-3818 Wayne Smallman Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:10:42 +0000 http://www.blahblahtech.com/?p=746#comment-3818 Hi Randolph and thanks for the comment! When it comes to sudden and dramatic change, there are some fundamental forces at work, society itself being one of them. In an earlier article, I discussed how <a href="http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/future-of-mankind-predictions-of-a-new-world.html" rel="nofollow">sudden change is often either prevent or absorbed by society</a>. But that itself has nothing to do with either flying cars or monorails. As I outline in my article, neither concepts are at all practical now or in the near future. And that's not because of technology, but because of people — the very basis or society itself. The computer is a poor example for comparison, since it is a logical progression from earlier systems and methods, whereas superficially flying cars and monorail systems might seem that way, but they really aren't at all. They're no more a logical next step than personal rocket ships or personal air balloons... Hi Randolph and thanks for the comment!

When it comes to sudden and dramatic change, there are some fundamental forces at work, society itself being one of them.

In an earlier article, I discussed how sudden change is often either prevent or absorbed by society.

But that itself has nothing to do with either flying cars or monorails. As I outline in my article, neither concepts are at all practical now or in the near future. And that’s not because of technology, but because of people — the very basis or society itself.

The computer is a poor example for comparison, since it is a logical progression from earlier systems and methods, whereas superficially flying cars and monorail systems might seem that way, but they really aren’t at all.

They’re no more a logical next step than personal rocket ships or personal air balloons…

]]> By: Randolph Lalonde http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html#comment-3817 Randolph Lalonde Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:45:09 +0000 http://www.blahblahtech.com/?p=746#comment-3817 I think the writer here is correct if you're thinking about the next 10-20 years, but beyond that history has proven without a doubt that in times of drastic change anything could happen. Science fiction explores this very well if it's shed the burden of short sighted thinking. I don't think the flying car or personal monorail car is just around the corner, but I do believe that similar technologies could be a commonality in the next century. Doubting that at all is shortsighted thinking, just like saying such technologies are debunked. Just look at what advancements the computer revolution brought? Who knows what's next. Randolph Lalonde I think the writer here is correct if you’re thinking about the next 10-20 years, but beyond that history has proven without a doubt that in times of drastic change anything could happen. Science fiction explores this very well if it’s shed the burden of short sighted thinking.

I don’t think the flying car or personal monorail car is just around the corner, but I do believe that similar technologies could be a commonality in the next century. Doubting that at all is shortsighted thinking, just like saying such technologies are debunked. Just look at what advancements the computer revolution brought? Who knows what’s next.

Randolph Lalonde

]]> By: Wayne Smallman http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html#comment-3772 Wayne Smallman Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:42:45 +0000 http://www.blahblahtech.com/?p=746#comment-3772 Ah, right. Yes, there have been many such proposals, but they're all progressively more daft and more expensive than the last... Ah, right.

Yes, there have been many such proposals, but they’re all progressively more daft and more expensive than the last…

]]> By: Chris http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html#comment-3771 Chris Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:06:34 +0000 http://www.blahblahtech.com/?p=746#comment-3771 Sorry - I probably misunderstood! I thought someone had actually proposed the kind of monorail system you were writing about... it wouldn't surprise me, to be honest. Sorry - I probably misunderstood! I thought someone had actually proposed the kind of monorail system you were writing about… it wouldn’t surprise me, to be honest.

]]> By: Wayne Smallman http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html#comment-3769 Wayne Smallman Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:00:29 +0000 http://www.blahblahtech.com/?p=746#comment-3769 Hi Chris, I'm not sure I follow. I'm not proposing anything. I'm explaining how these two ideas are utterly impractical, despite being technically possible... Hi Chris, I’m not sure I follow.

I’m not proposing anything. I’m explaining how these two ideas are utterly impractical, despite being technically possible…

]]> By: Chris http://www.blahblahtech.com/2008/08/the-future-of-transport-debunked.html#comment-3768 Chris Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:46:32 +0000 http://www.blahblahtech.com/?p=746#comment-3768 Well, it would certainly be something to go and see when I visit my friends in Wombwell! This isn't a serious proposal, though, is it? Well, it would certainly be something to go and see when I visit my friends in Wombwell!

This isn’t a serious proposal, though, is it?

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