Posts Tagged: ‘DeLorean’
The 2038 Problem and the Office of the Future on TechStuff
by Jonathan Strickland | November 25, 2009
Greetings from the World of Tomorrow TechStuff! This week, Chris and I fired up the DeLorean, set the time circuits to The Future and blasted off for another pair of exciting podcasts. We have to take a moment to thank Liz, our amazing editor. It’s Liz who adds in all the special sound effects that make our shows even better (in this host’s humble opinion, at any rate). She’s also the person responsible for trimming out mistakes. Not that we make mistakes often. Ahem.
On Monday, we answered a listener request to explain the 2038 problem. Do you remember the hysteria surrounding 2000 and the dreaded Y2K problem? The 2038 problem is similar to that. It all hinges on the way Unix-based systems keep time. The whole story is both bizarre and interesting. For example, did you know that according to Unix, time began on Jan. 1, 1970?
Then on Wednesday, we take all our listeners on a field trip to the future to see how offices will take advantage of emerging technologies. We also learn that the TechStuff Time Machine can get mighty stuffy.
Once in a while, Chris and I will put together a pair of podcasts that carry a common theme. For example, our Steve Jobs and Bill Gates podcasts had close ties. This week, we decided to give a quick overview of some theoretical computers that could revolutionize the way we process complicated computations as well as the devices that led to the development of the modern computer we know and love.
Monday’s episode was all about the future. We took a look at three potential approaches to computing. Quantum computing depends upon the strange laws of quantum mechanics to process information. Next, we talk about DNA computers, which will use DNA to encode and store data. The third approach uses photonic computers — machines that use light instead of electricity. I read in Discover Magazine recently that new developments in optical technology may bring these computers closer to reality.
Yeah, I know … but how many chances do we get to talk about Irish car production? Or for that matter, how many opportunities do I get to mention the short-lived, stainless steel-bodied, gull-wing door-equipped DeLorean? So anyway, here’s a bit of Irish automotive history for you today.
The DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) was founded by former General Motors executive, John DeLorean, in Detroit, Mich., in 1975. After a long search for a suitable place to build his dream car, DeLorean settled on Northern Ireland. By 1978, construction had started on the assembly plant in Dunmurry, Ireland, a suburb of Belfast.
Now, here’s something that I found surprising, especially given the number of DeLoreans that I’ve seen on the road over the years: Production of the Irish-built DeLorean DMC-12, the only model built by DMC, lasted for a very brief amount of time.
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