Future Blind

Every now and then someone comes along with a comment or a decision that suggests they are blind to the future… and in some cases, blind to what’s going on right now.

Well, in a blindingly stupid move, VicRoads, the Victorian Government’s roads and traffic authority, are intending to ban the use of mobile phones as navigation devices.

As reported in The Age, a Vic Roads spokesperson has proclaimed:

“A phone will only be allowed to be used for its primary purpose… If it’s a phone, it’s a phone.”

Mmm… is this an April Fools Day Joke in September?

This unbelievable situation represents a complete misunderstanding of digital technology.

When a device incorporates digital technology, it can effectively be any device you want it to be, eg. the iPhone with a few apps loaded.

That’s one of the basics of digital technology compared to mechanical technology. We’re no longer bound by the physical requirements of a device.

I’m going to add this to my list of famous future blind examples. Like when Bill Gates said:”640K ought to be enough for anybody.”