Is that a chip your shoulder?

I remember 1995. One of the things I particularly remember was having a conversation with a journalist who really, really hated the idea of the Internet. What the hell would happen to quality journalism if any old Joe could set up a website and start ranting?

Now, after stumbling across Predicting the Internet’s Catastrophic Collapse by a bloke called Bob Metcalfe, it seems he wasn’t the only Internet Luddi^H^H^H hater wishing the blasted web away.

Of course hindsight is 20-20, but Metcalf would have seemed pretty pessimistic even in 1995. His comment on digital money is half right (it’s a stupid idea), but the consensus is strong against the idea of micro payments now. The rest of his points seem oddly naive in various ways, but maybe that’s from this distance.

Still time for it all to happen, eh Bob?