YouTube

[Softus]

Anyone familiar with "The Dead Past", by Isaac Asimov?

 

[JohnD]

possibly

remind me of the plot?

do you know when it was written?

As one time I read all his stuff, but no more.

 

[Softus]

possibly

remind me of the plot?

Failed attempt by government agency to suppress Time Viewer research led to loss of privacy debacle.

do you know when it was written?

I would have a stab at 1955.

As one time I read all his stuff, but no more.

Oh. Did you go off him?

 

[JohnD]

yes, I stopped being a teenager.

I remember it now,

When did the past begin?
Just now.
So the Chronoscope can see what happened half a second ago more clearly than what happened in ancient Carthage. So I could use it to look at the lady next door taking a bath half a second ago (which is to all practical purposes real-time).

The institute published occasional boring papers on long-dead history to keep the public thinking history and the machine are boring, and prevent anyone being interested enough to think about it or build one.

But the person in the story has a mate who builds one and discovers it is useless for ancient history but good for nosepoking.

I have an idea they distributed how-to-build-it plans before realising what a bad idea it would be.

 

[Softus]

yes, I stopped being a teenager.

Big mistake. I bet you regret it now.

I remember it now,

When did the past begin?
Just now.
So the Chronoscope can see what happened half a second ago more clearly than what happened in ancient Carthage. So I could use it to look at the lady next door taking a bath half a second ago (which is to all practical purposes real-time).

You memory is astounding. Although it does seem to hinge around voyeurism.

The institute published occasional boring papers on long-dead history to keep the public thinkig history and the machine are boring, and prevent anyone being interested enough to think about it or build one.

Indeed, yes. The Institute. Your recollection of the story couldn't be better if you were reading it right now.

But the person in the story has a mate who builds one and discovers it is useless for ancient history but good for nosepoking..

And how similar to YouTube is that?

 

[JohnD]

yes, I stopped being a teenager.

Big mistake. I bet you regret it now.

No, I remember it now, I met Maria from Billericay, my first Essex Girl, and gave up SF. And it was before I stopped being a teenager.

Don't regret it at all.

memory is still good
(I wasn't "reading it right now")

but where did I put my keys?

Try me on another.

Remember Flowers for Algernon?

Also Heinlein (sp?)

edited: I have just looked it up on Wiki. I had forgotten about the wife and the dead baby. Can't remember what he found when he looked back at the events, but I think he saw something upsetting. Was it the wife's fault?

 

[Softus]

I'd hesitate a long time before trying to cram Asimov rather awkwardly into the category of SF. Robert Heinlein, yes, but many IA stories had an incisively philosophical core to them.

Flowers for Algernon? It wasn't the drains bloke, was it? Hm, probably not. It's in there somewhere, but I'm going to have to look it up while you find your keys.

Another one? Er, um, what say you about YouTube?

Edit - yes. From memory, the upsetting thing was that she had caused the death (by fire?).

 

[clf-gas]

Wish I was cultured in books and that like yous is

 

[JohnD]

Thick bloke, brainy mouse, nothing lasts forever, sad sad sad.

another one "Moon threatens to throw rocks"

another one "it was the only grave I dug, and it was a very small one"

 

[billyo]

when you look back, are you sure u are still travelling forward, or is back travelling away from u

 

[inaugust]

You memory is astounding. Although it does seem to hinge around voyeurism.

In retrospect, that sounds a lot like the opening scenes of that movie "Deja Vu", where Denzel Washington and some eggheads were watching a woman taking a bath 4 days in the past.

 

[tim west]

In retrospect, that sounds a lot like the opening scenes of that movie "Deja Vu", where Denzel Washington and some eggheads were watching a woman taking a bath 4 days in the past.

Im sure i've seen that movie somewhere before??