In a Rational World
By Michael Swaine
As a card-carrying computer columnist (and putative pundit), I have been falling down in my obligations. I am required by union rules to write up an Annual List. This can be either (1) a list of resolutions for the industry, (2) a list of predictions for the coming year, or (3) a Letterman-style countdown list. In any case, the list must run in January. These are the rules. As usual, I forgot to make my list this year. I'm making a resolution to do it next year. But I predict I'll forget.
In lieu of a proper January list, I offer you this April list of "Things We'd Surely See If Only the Universe Were Rational." These are definitely not predictions. In a rational world people would register domain names because they want to use them, not because they anticipate that someone else might. In a rational world browser vendors would implement specs like cascading style sheets all at once, rather than piecemeal.
In a rational world blue would be blue, not a function of operating system, monitor, and browser settings. In a rational world the slot that you fit the tab into to reclose the cereal box would be precut, not just perforated, and the plastic bag inside would tear across the top, not down the side.
In a rational world JavaScript would be related to Java. In a rational world programmers and scripters wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel every day. And in a rational world they wouldn't get sued for patent infringement when they did.
In a rational world Americans wouldn't hold Bill Clinton to a higher standard than John Kennedy.
