True Names

Once in a great while a science fiction story is so visionary, yet so close to impending scientific developments that it becomes not only an accurate predictor, but itself the locus for new discoveries and development. True Names by Vernor Vinge, first published in 1981, is such a work.Here is a feast of articles by computer scientists and journalists on the cutting edge of the field, writing about innovations and developments of the Internet, including, among others:Danny Hillis: Founder of thinking machines and the first Disney Fellow.Timothy C. May: former chief scientist at Intel--a major insider in the field of computers and technology.Marvin Minsky: Cofounder of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab.Chip Morningstar and F. Randall Farmer: Codevelopers of habitat, the first real computer interactive environment.Mark Pesce: Cocreator of VRML and the author of the Playful World: How Technology Transforms Our Imagination.Richard M. Stallman: Research affiliate with MIT; the founder of the Free Software Movement. Vernor Vinge, author of several popular SF novels and stories, has twice won the Hugo Award. He is also a professor of computer science at San Diego State University. Once in a while a science fiction story is so visionary, yet so close to impending scientific developments, that it is not only an accurate predictor, but is itself the locus for new discoveries and developments. True Names is exactly such a work. This classic novella, which first appeared in the early 1980s, all but invented cyberspace.Here we find not only Vernor Vinge's classic tale but also several essays on its lasting influence and import, as well as its sturdy and ongoing ties to the Internet more generally. These articles are the work of computer scientists and journalists at the cutting edge of the field, including, among others: Danny Hillis, founder of Thinking Machines and the first Disney Fellow; Timothy C. May, former chief scientist at Intel, and a major insider in the field of computers and technology; Marvin Minsky, co-founder of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab; Chip Morningstar and F. Randall Farmer, co-developers of Habitat (the first real computer interactive environment); Mark Pesce, co-creator of VRML and the author of The Playful World: How Technology Transforms Our Imagination; and Richard M. Stallman, research affiliate with MIT and founder of the Free Software movement. Many Net veterans cite True Names as a seminal influence that shaped their ideas about Net policy. It became a cult classic among hackers and presaged everything from Internet interactive games to Neuromancer., Kevin Kelly, Wired[True Names] is still a testament to SF's power to shape the future and give us advance warning of the rocky issues ahead., Publishers Weekly