Today we’re discussing Bill Gates’ 1994 speech, “Information at your fingertips”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fJWMsgxzvA

The speech was delivered at the Comdex trade show.

Gates describes his vision for the "information highway," a future where computers and networks will enable pervasive communication and information access.

He paints a picture of a world where people use mobile displays, collaborate remotely, and access information on demand.

Gates discusses the crucial role of digital convergence and the emergence of object-oriented databases.

He outlines the potential benefits of these advancements for education, healthcare, commerce, and entertainment, and he emphasizes the need for broad industry collaboration to make this vision a reality.

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Here are some scenarios Bill Gates presented during his 1994 COMDEX speech to highlight the potential of the "information highway":

● Mobile Payments: Gates envisions a world where people use a "wallet PC" to make purchases. He gives the example of a woman using her wallet PC to buy a coffee from a small business owner.

● Collaboration and Information Access for Mobile Workers: Gates suggests that flat-panel displays in vehicles would allow mobile workers to collaborate with colleagues worldwide and access information like videos and databases on demand. He uses the example of police officers accessing a map with real-time traffic conditions and the locations of other police cars.

● Personalized Home Entertainment: Gates imagines a world where people interact with wall-mounted displays to manage their homes and access personalized entertainment. He describes a scenario in which a family uses their display to control their home's lighting, watch on-demand television shows, and access a personalized menu of their favourite programs.

● Interactive Education: Gates envisions a future where students like Jackson use the internet to research topics like pre-Columbian art, accessing information from various sources such as libraries and museums. Students can then use this information to create interactive presentations, sharing their work and learning from others.

● Remote Healthcare: Gates presents a scenario in which paramedics use technology to share real-time patient data with doctors and nurses, receiving immediate advice and accessing relevant medical information to provide the best possible care. He highlights how this technology can improve healthcare quality and efficiency.

● Object-Oriented Databases and Business Applications: Gates highlights the potential of object-oriented databases to revolutionize business operations. He uses the example of an art gallery owner interacting with a database containing pictures of his suppliers and their order statuses.

● Enhanced Law Enforcement Collaboration: Throughout his presentation, Gates weaves a story about police officers investigating a crime. He highlights how technology like facial recognition, voice recognition, mobile computing, and access to centralized databases can improve law enforcement's ability to solve crimes and apprehend criminals.

Gates emphasizes that these scenarios represent a future where technology empowers people by providing access to information, fostering collaboration, and streamlining daily tasks. He believes this will be driven by high-speed networks, a variety of hardware devices, new software applications, and innovative online services.

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