My theory on technological advance

[Asterix]

It came to me yesterday, while watching an old episode of Star Trek. Captain Jean-Luc was in the Holo-deck (the virtual reality deck) fooling around. I thought that it would be so cool if something like that existed. And then I thought, that deep down, all future technological advances are based on only one thing: Storage of information. If there was a way to store...hmm...say, a billion TerraBytes in the size of a 1x1 mm chip, then we could store enough visual/audio information to create such an environment (of course when the proper playback and software would be available).

What do you think? Do you agree that it all comes down to how much information in the smallest possible space?

[aquatus1]

You need to emphasize the considerable task of moving the data back and forth from storage at a fast enough rate to make it worthwhile a bit more than you did. As an example, I recently transferred about 7 GB of picture files from one computer on to an external HD. It took about 45 minutes for the transfer on a 2.2 USB port. When I transfered it to another computer, with a 1.1 USB, it took 93 minutes.

No matter how much data you have, it is the use of it that creates reality. That applies to computers, and to life in general.

[Asterix]

This is very true, indeed, and it did cross my mind as well. Having storage capacity without fast access capability is like having a giant box where inside there's all the books and all the knowledge of the world, only you can't dig out anything from it...