[Darth-Apple]

Things have changed far more drastically than we ever imagined possible. In an era where we are more connected than ever, we feel more alone. And in a time where we ought to be less tribal and more united, we become even more tribal, more separated, and more angry at those who do not think as we do. 

That being said, it has huge advantages. In a global pandemic, we can stay in touch with people in ways that would have never been possible in 1918. We can stay connected with people who live across the world, and we can have conversations on this very forum itself, which would not have been possible 20 years ago (technically it was, but forums back then were nothing compared to what we see today). 

Never before, in the entire history of the world, have we been this inundated with technology at the rate for which we have developed it. We have access to almost all of the world's information at our fingertips. Even "secret" information is not-so-secret when it can be found, leaked, or hacked into. We simply have access to information at a rate we have never before seen. 

And all of that is to say that those of us alive today will change the world forever. We will see the world shift in unimagineable ways through the remainder of our lifetimes, and 20 years from now, the world will not be recognizable compared to what we see today. 

What do you expect for the future when the internet is among our hands?

[Guardian]

Just how things went from the '80s to 2000, and then from 2000 to 2020... the next 20-year period may be hard to exactly predict. The beginning of each of those periods, no one had ANY idea where it was going. So, hard to say exactly where it can go in the next 20, but I'm hoping it will be good for us all!

[Kyng]

Yeah, it's impossible to predict. I imagine we'll eventually 'get used to' the internet as it exists today... but, who's to say it's going to continue to exist in the form that it exists today? We're aiming at a moving target - and we're expected to get used to each new technology as quickly as they're introduced.

Surely, at some point, things are going to stagnate, and we'll have plenty of time to get used to whatever exists then. But, there's no knowing when or what that might be...

[Darth-Apple]

I agree with both of you guys. I think that there are certain key events that are pivital for what happens next. Facebook, for example, was most certainly one of those things. As was the launch of iPhones, and as was Windows Vista/Dual Core CPUs pushing computational limits at the time.

Right now, it's difficult to tell what the next "Big" thing is, but having Macs run the same programs on phones and computers in upcoming releases will be huge. Social media is likely to change pretty dramatically too, especially with the situation that we're seeing in the US currently. Virtual meetings and food/grocery delivery services also took off very nicely.

[Thomas]

Nope.

[tc4me]

what will surely come is artificial intelligence, from that what will really be good? no idea


lg Tc4me

[SpookyZalost]

Honestly? yes and no.

it's already kind of gotten used to it as far as a communications and information distribution medium but as a concept I don't think people are able to truly adapt to it.

you need only look at the insane lack of privacy and lack of consideration for other people's privacy on the net compared to real life as a great example of their inability to truly adapt to it.

IRL, enjoy a meal at home.
Internet, OMG look at this awesome food I made with my best friend and omg is that my dog here's a picture of them too and- etc etc etc.