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[Funk]

i kind of feel like it is happing to me now.
TV used to have 5 channels, a VCR and 10 buttons on the remote
now it has 500+ channels a dvd player(that stops me skiping the adds and cant tape stuff)and a 30 buttons on the remote.

[Guardian G.I.]

About rapid technological progress:
I remember the times when a computer built from second-hand hardware running Windows 3.1 was a rare and extremely expensive toy. It was around the end of the 1990s (note: I live in Belarus, a former Soviet republic, in a town with the population of 300 000 people far away from the capital).
Then, the 2000s came. Suddenly, cell phones appeared. Suddenly, computers became affordable. Suddenly, Internet appeared (dial-up, 56 kbit/s, and very expensive). Suddenly, satellite television (and cable television) appeared. Over the years, computers became more powerful and more widespread, mobile phone network expanded into the rural countryside (eventually to cover most of the country), satellite dishes (and cable television) appeared at every building, the Internet became faster (from dial-up to 16 mbit/s ADSL), more reliable and (more importantly) cheaper, LCD (and later HDTV) television sets became widespread, etc. etc. etc.

Despite such rapid appearance of previously unknown technologies and devices, everyone learned how to use them very quickly and without any problems (even in government offices, where there are a lot of people working since the Soviet times).

[Itnetlolor]

It depends. I'm 16, but the rate of technological change,  specifically in the technology's which seem to have the focus worry's me. As Kaleb702 Games said, anything can be hacked, and privacy is already disappearing fast enough as it is. Of course we couldn't have vacations on the moon. No, it had to be bloody facial recognition technology being used by governments in cctv's, at least according to this http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/15/new-totalitarianism-surveillance-technology, which further worry's me in how easily i can believe that.

This has become my worry as well.

Is control over this little rock more important than taking control over the entire star system or any nearby constellations? These guys are going at it completely in the wrong direction. I mean, let's master space flight before enslaving everyone in our territory. I mean, if we're going to do something as stupid as enslaving ourselves, then let's at least be smart about it, and not screw ourselves in the long-run.

By then, after controlling enough systems, we can then plant an impenetrable slave shield over a planet where we don't want anyone even daring to escape. I call it the Ur-Quan Plan.

[Leafsnail]

Just something about the "spore reproduction" topic.
I think that its unlikely that intelligent species will reproduce using spores, as that really limits your natural selection (i think).

Ofcourse, that doesnt mean that other intelligent species dont have 4 different genders.

They would probably have to exchange or mix DNA in some way, as that is necessary for genetic variety, but there's no reason to think their method of doing it would be remotely similar to ours considering their environment would be different and there's something of an element of chance involved.  Even on earth there are species with completely bizarre reproductive methods (see: anglerfish) that would not be remotely compatible.

[Frumple]

Not so sure lack of compatability will stop all humans from giving it the, uh... old college try, so to speak. Our species (or at least a subset of it) seems to have a fairly, um. Inspired? Or something. Proclivity toward fornicating with the ostensibly unfornicatable. People get inventive.

[kaijyuu]

So long as it moves! And moving it yourself still counts.

[Armok]

You guys are silly and cute. It's like you're all stuck 20 years in the past! And half of you are thinking of accepting a few simple extrapolations you've gotten used to since childhood and than go around being all proud and thinking you are so future proof! It's hilarius.

Meanwhile, I'm already doing and being, or know somone who is, half the things you are planing for decades I the future at best. And some stuff even the best of you haven't dared imagine. Stuff you'd think I were crazy if I told you.

You can't outrun the future, for it is already here. :cueballeyes:

I've given up on the jetpack. Any sort of flight that doesn't have me inside a vehicle magnitudes larger than my person is good enough for me. I want to fly around town someday, and if it has to be super powered magnets or something, so be it.

There's a fairly decent chance somehting actualy BETTER than jetpacks are going to work out, and might even be coming soon: ornithocopters. Know a goy who's working on one, and there is no real reason why it wouldn't work,  electric engines and batteries have finally gotten light and powerful enough for it.

[Criptfeind]

You heard it here first. Armok reproduces with spores. This explains... Nothing. And yet everything.

[Sensei]

I though ornithocopters (copter-packs) were an idea that kinda died out, for whatever reason? In the public eye at least. But it sure would be cool to see a resurgence in that.

[Loud Whispers]

You can't outrun the future, for it is already here. :cueballeyes:

Yessss... Embrace it.... Embrace the future....

[Blacksmith]

And yet I still don't have a personal jetpack, flying car, robot buddy sidekick or vacations on the Moon. You lied to me, future! 

Wait... since when are not supposed to have jetpacks, flying cars, and robot buddies?

Should I... should I put these back? For later, maybe?

And actually, the newest Flyboard jetpack that is making the rounds is pretty amazing, and I want it something fierce. Don't get me wrong, the Jetlev is sweet, but the Flyboard breaks out propulsion into a separate thruster for each arm and leg, letting you pull some ridiculously cool shit, it's a hell of a lot quieter, and I don't really mind the 30ft ceiling - all the interesting stuff I'd want to do is under that height anyway.

I probably won't be able to justify dropping 10k on a new jetpack until at least next year, though. Ah well... 7 months isn't so long to wait...

If you really want your own personal jetpack, it's probably the most enjoyable one on the market at the moment.

[Sensei]

Y'know, being stuck to a boat is a pretty big downside. I guess you could say the future isn't here... it's on a boat. 

And of course a 30ft ceiling means you really ought to stay over water in the name of not hurting yourself. In flying model airplanes, we like to estimate height in being "X mistakes high".

[Scelly9]

 * Will you be comfortable having brain implants to allow you "telepathic" communcation with the devices in your home?
Yep

 * Will you be comfortable when primitive things like email and cellphones have been replaced with real-time global telepathy?
Oh, god yes.

 * Will you be comfortable when your son or daughter wants to marry an alien? Or a robot? Or a non-human genetic construct?
Sure

 * Will you be comfortable having friends invite you to neighboring solar systems for lunch?
That would be amazingly fun.

 * Will you be comfortable having your physical body destroyed and your consciousness uploaded into a machine? Will you be comfortable interacting with others who have done so?
Yes, and yes.

 * Will you be comfortable having sex with people who were the opposite gender of a different species a few hours ago and simply had a new body constructed to wear for the night?
Definitely.

[RedKing]

Know a goy who's working on one

I never knew Armok was Jewish... 

[MaximumZero]

Not so sure lack of compatability will stop all humans from giving it the, uh... old college try, so to speak. Our species (or at least a subset of it) seems to have a fairly, um. Inspired? Or something. Proclivity toward fornicating with the ostensibly unfornicatable. People get inventive.

Hey, so long as it won't injure me too badly or kill me, I'd probably be game.