Which prediction do you think has been the most accurate of all time?

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
-- Thomas Watson (1874-1956) The Chairman of IBM, 1943

OR

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
-- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

reply to post by YourPopRock

Daniel ch 12 v4
"...until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase."
Isn't that a very accurate statement of what has been happening over the last couple of centuries?
Railways, cars, aircraft, and an explosion of "increasing knowledge"?
And it would have been competely meaningless at any time before then.

Originally posted by MrRed
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
-- Thomas Watson (1874-1956) The Chairman of IBM, 1943

OR

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
-- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

edit on 6/10/10 by MrRed because: spelling

Well I know that one came true....

My laptop weighs less than 1.5 tons... (not that much less I am afraid...)

Do we have anyone on record as having predicted all of these mass animal die-offs?

That would be one that you would think they would have seen coming.

reply to post by YourPopRock


These are more common than you might think. That would be like predicting that there is going to be a riot in some city next year.

I'm getting a vision here. It is going to be in a French speaking city.

Hold on ... the vision is also showing me a coastline.

I am seeing something. I've got it!

A riot will occur in Normandy in 2011.

That's my prediction. I guarantee it.

I have to admit, the bible telling of the return of the Jewish back to there homeland is a pretty fulfilled prophecy.

It's just too bad that the Christians only made this happen because they need Israel and the Jewish to get destroyed again in order for there prophecies to keep becoming true.

I think the best prediction of all time was bill gates' vision (which was very unpopular at the time) of a future in which every household owns a computer.....of course, he became the richest man in the world because of that prediction.

or even leonardo da vinci's visions as expressed in his art about humans one day conquering the air as a means of travel...

reply to post by punctual

I think the best prediction of all time was bill gates' vision (which was very unpopular at the time) of a future in which every household owns a computer.....of course, he became the richest man in the world because of that prediction.

Even before Gates was alive there was a famous story called "A Logic Named Joe". You might even be able to download this story from the internet. It was done as a radio show a few times. The basis of the story is that computers, called logics in the story, are networked together and people buy them as household appliances. When one, that a kid has nicknamed Joe is added to the network, all of the computers become intelligent and override their safety settings telling people what they want to know. This allows a few people to commit the perfect crimes.

This is an interesting story which has home computers and all connected into a worldwide network.

Another story that might be of interest is "Child's Play". This story is also from 1950. It is about a man that accidentally receives a package delivered as a gift. The delivery service gets the year wrong and delivers the package the wrong year. The futuristic child's toy allows you to create life from nothing and to also clone life. The man decides to clone himself and allow his clone to fill in for him at work and other places so that he can live a life of leisure.

These and other stories were based on 1940s short stories. Bill Gates' prediction was not so new. Besides IBM had the same prediction before Gates. The makers of the Altair computers had the same goal before Gates.

Long time lurker, recent poster....

I haven't seen any real predictions lately on here. Are people scared off? Or has everyone's perceptions gone cold?