Author and Futurist Ray Kurzweil writes "The Law of Accelerating Returns", an analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense "intuitive linear" view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century â€" it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate).
Most of us, however, spend little time looking at the future. Instead we concentrate on avoiding the obstacles in our current path. The relationship economy wave of technology-driven change is fast approaching.
A Revolution is in Progress
Jonathan Richards writes "Google may eventually be displaced as the pre-eminent brand on the internet by a company that harnesses the power of next-generation web technology."
"The search giant had developed an extremely effective way of searching for pages on the internet, Tim Berners-Lee said, but that ability paled in comparison to what could be achieved on the "web of the future", which he said would allow any piece of information â€" such as a photo or a bank statement â€" to be linked to any other."
"Mr Berners-Lee said that in the same way, the "current craze" for social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace would eventually be superseded by networks that connected all types of things â€" not just people â€" thanks to a ground-breaking technology known as the "semantic web".
"The semantic web is the term used by the computer and internet industry to describe the next phase of the web's development, and essentially involves building web-based connectivity into any piece of data â€" not just a web page â€" so that it can "communicate" with other information.
Whereas the existing web is a collection of pages with links between them that Google and other search engines help the user to navigate, the "semantic web" will enable direct connectivity between much more low-level pieces of information â€" a written street address and a map, for instance â€" which in turn will give rise to new services.
"Using the semantic web, you can build applications that are much more powerful than anything on the regular web," Mr Berners-Lee said. "Imagine if two completely separate things â€" your bank statements and your calendar â€" spoke the same language and could share information with one another. You could drag one on top of the other and a whole bunch of dots would appear showing you when you spent your money.
"It's about creating a seamless web of all the data in your life."
Compare the comments above with Doc Searls VRM initiative and the handwriting is on the wall but few can see it. So be prepared for change and embrace it. It is just around the corner and evidence suggest "we won't be in Kansas anymore Totto". Are you ready? Click your (heels) mouse and everything will change.
Stay tuned for more on Monday.
What say you?