From 1982, a NY Times article on a study from the Institute for the Future commissioned by the NSF that made predictions about how internet-like technology would transform life in the US. They got the details wrong but many of the broad strokes were spot on:
- The home will double as a place of employment, with men and women conducting much of their work at the computer terminal. This will affect both the architecture and location of the home. It will also blur the distinction between places of residence and places of business, with uncertain effects on zoning, travel patterns and neighborhoods.
- There will be a shift away from conventional workplace and school socialization. Friends, peer groups and alliances will be determined electronically, creating classes of people based on interests and skills rather than age and social class.