I think one thing that always fascinated me was how anchored Asimov was in reality. I began reading 'The Gods Themselves' which Asimov wrote as a response to another writer (whose name escapes me) using a Isotope which couldn't exist and ignoring the science related ties that it would mean.<p>His science fiction was always speculative, but in as many places as possible it was anchored to the reality he knew.<p>Simple amazing.<p>Oh, and yeah, Google is scary how big, powerful, and... omnipresent it has become.
Actually MultiVac sounds closer to Wolfram|Alpha, especially the data being curated by civil servants, and only subsequently analyzed/interpreted/correlated by the computer.
> <a href="http://neil.fraser.name/news/2009/multivac/patrol.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://neil.fraser.name/news/2009/multivac/patrol.jpg</a><p>I have to wonder - is this guy wearing headphones because:<p>a) Google's a hip and groovy place to work and he is allowed to listen to whatever music he wants as long as he gets his job done.<p>b) It's noisy in there and he needs ear defenders.<p>c) <a href="http://www.marshallbrain.com/manna1.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.marshallbrain.com/manna1.htm</a> begins at Google, and that's a wireless headset connected to a Google automated manager/instruction system. <i>Please take one server unit from repair area D2. Thank you. Go to Server container N14. Thank you. Please identify yourself and enter. Thank you. Please locate rack 8, on your right. Thank you. Please identify the red and black power lead, and unplug it. Thank you. Please locate the network lead and unplug it. Thank you. Please slide the server out and replace it with the repaired one. Thank you. Please reconnect the network and power leads. Thank you. Please take the removed server back to repair area R2. Thank you. Please report to task room 3 for your next task. Thank you.</i>