IBM Think on the Future of Computing (1)

Dr. John Kelly, Senior Vice President and Director, Research, IBM discusses the future of computing - augmenting intelligence, at the 2014 IBM THINK Forum.

Simple mission is of course a tongue-in-cheek remark from Kelly about the thrust of IBM Research: To see the future of IT and its impact on the world, and more importantly to create the future (rf. Part 2 - Making the Future).  Our ability to do this may be limited by our technology, specifically that which manages, stores and analyzes an exponentially ballooning data set.  Also, that we have to give IBM Watson eyes, for example, to work with data as images, is testament to the fact that both volume and variety are the challenge for technology. 

That said, what Kelly speaks to reminds me of this inspiring, jazzy hit from Steely Dan:

IGY stands for International Geophysical Year from (1 July 1957--31 December 1958) of geophysical observations by about 30,000 scientists and technicians representing more than seventy countries.

I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)" is a track on Steely Dan founding member Donald Fagen's 1982 album, The Nightfly. The song is sung from an optimistic viewpoint during the IGY, and features references to then-futuristic concepts, such as solar power (first used in 1958), Spandex (invented in 1959), space travel for entertainment, and undersea international high speed rail.The song peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 27 November - 11 December 1982.