BARATUNDE R. THURSTON'S Tech Talk

Well folks, here it is--my 25th and final Tech Talk.

Over the past two years, this column has been host to many a topic, from the introduction of MMX in Intel's processors to the introduction of repetitive strain injury to my arms. It's been the best of times and the worst of times.

The past has been full of knowledge and truth, although most of that truth has been made obsolete by the rapid technology development cycle.

But this is a preview page with thoughts toward the future, so a preview column is in order!

Enough of the past--let's take a look at the exciting world to come.

I see at least two ways to preview the technological future. First, we'll need a big black cauldron with eye of newt and all that jazz. But seriously, the technology future for graduating seniors will differ significantly from that of the remaining classes.

We seniors will be leaving the protective shelter of high speed Internet access, subsidized software and pre-paid, door-to-door computer assistance.

We prepare to enter a savage and cruel world full of smaller mail quotas and busy signals, $400 Microsoft Office and inadequate warranties. How ever will we survive?

Our future consists of questions from what to do with that now useless but expensive Ethernet card to how to unsubscribe from all those mailing lists. For most of us, watching streaming video over the Internet will be considered a brief luxurious memory of the Golden Age at Harvard.

For us, the future sucks.

For the remaining classes, you guys have the good life. You spoiled rugrats will experience the thrill of roaming Ethernet, which enables you to connect your computer to any network jack in any room on campus.

You can look forward to your own customized Harvard web page. And cold fusion is just around the corner.

These differences are significant, but the stratification--like that between society's richest and poorest citizens--occurs on a continual basis.

Three years ago, for example, I was a member of the first class to find pre-created e-mail accounts when we arrived on campus. Before that the kids had to actually call one another. Oh, the barbarism.

There is some common ground between these two worlds of the future, though. I can think of at least three major technology topics that will affect both sides of the commencement line.

First, buying a computer. For many people, this process consists of waiting eternally for the price to drop just a few more bucks. Rather than getting a computer when it reaches the "perfect price," my advice is to buy one when you need it.

You could be waiting forever if price is your only reason to hold out. Just resign yourself to the fact that in one week your new 50-kajillion-dollar computer will be worth the value of one floppy disk and deal.

Next up, Linux. There's been a great hoopla around this operating system from in-depth trade magazines to clueless television news reports. Linux has been hot news because it is a low-cost, and sometimes free, version of the Unix operating system that compete with Microsoft's Windows 2000 (or should I say 2001?).

The recently announced support for Linux by major players like IBM has boosted confidence in the OS.

Other than just hearing people talk about it, Linux will probably have a real impact on all of our lives.

For the outbound seniors, we may use a Linux-based system to share one cable modem Internet connection among many impoverished roommates. For the remaining students, many of you will opt for Linux as your primary operating system.

And finally, we have the year 2000 (aka Y2K). This pseudo-millennial marker has caused quite a stir for something that has yet to happen.

Will the world end? Will El Diablo himself manifest in your Crimson Cash? The catch here, of course, is that no one can really know so all bets are off.

I tend to believe that Armageddonistic forecasts are extreme, but then again, with the little amount of money in my bank account, it would hardly be a loss if the institution tanked.

Well, I believe that's all folks. I hope these past two years were as good for you as they were for me.

Baratunde R. Thurston '99 is The Crimson's former online-technology chair and a member of HASCS's advanced support team. While this is his final TechTalk, you can continue to read his new column on the editorial page every other Tuesday.