With all of the recent posting of retro catalogs and other novel items from the 1970's, The Usborn Book of the Future really jumped out at me when it showed up on my newsfeeds late last month. First published in 1979, this book offered "A trip in time to the year 2000 and beyond. See the robots, machines and cities of the future, and then travel to the stars."

Of course, at this point we can only review the inaccuracies of the authors' high tech predictions for the 1980's and 90's. Skimming through the timeline page, it appears that the biggest factor they neglected to consider was the political one. Some of the programs they expected to be developed by the turn of the millennium would probably be further along if not for the fact they the concepts have met pretty strong social resistance. And then there's the anticipated invention of the replicator, which can create anything you desire provided that the necessary raw materials are nearby. That one, of course, still only exists in Star Trek reruns.

At least our homes are more secure now that we all have those fingerprint locks that became popular in the 80's and 90's, right? And thank goodness television has changed from "a box to stare at into a useful two-way tool."

They did get one thing very right: the proliferation of electronic gadgets we have in use. And they did better than some futuristic looks in predicting the effects of miniaturization on those electronic devices.

The worst failure, of course, is in style. Well, yeah, I guess one-piece zippered jump suits almost made it in the 80's, but I really think it's time for us to give up on expecting them as a lasting fashion trend.