David Brin is going to speak at MS on the 26th. Here is a blerb from the MS's Intranet (I think). The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, along with a sudden change in the world economic climate, have people anxiously pondering the future. From weather reports to stock analyses, from strategic planning to sports betting, we devote a considerable amount of time and money to predicting the future. The challenge of forecasting interests David Brin, an astrophysicist and an author of several science-fiction books, including Heaven's Reach, Foundation's Triumph and the recently published Kiln People. He also has written for numerous scientific journals on topics ranging from astronautics to optics. He'll speak about "Probing for Quicksand: How We Peer a Bit Ahead Into Tomorrow's World" on Feb. 26 on Microsoft's Redmond campus. His talk is part of the Visiting Speakers Series, hosted by Linda Stone. Brin provided insight into his background during a special MicroNews interview.
Q: What do you expect to find when you visit Microsoft? A: A vibrant community of people committed to helping bring on the future. Q: Who is your favorite historical figure and why? A: Benjamin Franklin. We named our first-born after him. If anyone ever gave me a time machine, the first thing I'd do is go back and ask Ben's advice about what to do with a time machine. Q: What book should every Microsoft employee read? A: Out of Control by Kevin Kelly, and Edward Tenner's Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended Consequences. Under fiction, look up John Brunner's amazing Stand on Zanzibar. It's a marvel that it was written in the 1960s. It inspired my own novel Earth. Q: What future technology do you wish for most? A: A way to do more and be in two places at once. It's why I spun out such a fantasy recently. We don't need more lifespan. We need ways to do more with what we've got. Q: If you could give to only one charity, what would it be and why? A: A charity that stimulates people to invest in the future that their children will inherit. Brin will speak from 3:30 to 5 P.M. Feb. 26 in Room 1021 of Building 113.
