Last week I started looking at some technologies which, after having started life with such a potentially promising future, were quickly consigned to the history books. Along with the infamous Microsoft Bob application and Smart Appliances such as a fridge that connects to the Internet we had the formats HD DVD, Minidisc, DAT Tapes and of course Betamax. As you'd expect, I've saved the best until last.OS/2Originally a joint venture between IBM and Microsoft in 1987, things in the first few years looked optimistic with Microsoft publically insisting that OS/2 was the future. This was until the release of Windows 3.0 which sold extremely well due to the Operating System being bundled with many PC's - OS/2 on the other hand was considered an expensive alternative.Unsurprisingly, the marriage took a turn for the worse and IBM went solo. In 1992, they released OS/2 2.0 that they insisted was "a better DOS than DOS and a better Windows than Windows" before rebranding the following version 3 as OS/2 Warp in an attempt to highlight the new performance benefits. OS/2 Warp 4.0 was released around the same time as Windows 95 and included several impressive technologies such as speech recognition. It was however the last widely distributed version of OS/2 before IBM admitted defeat and stopped marketing the OS to individual users.The reasons for its demise are multiple; most prominently was that Windows was bundled with most computer systems, many users didn't see the need to replace it or even realised that they had a choice in the matter. A comparatively small user base raised issues such as poor driver support for non-IBM hardware; a problem for those interested in adopting the OS.Failed Dot-ComsWhat a great time the 90's were for budding entrepreneurs. If you had a half arsed idea involving the Internet, you didn't even have to concern yourself with a business plan to work out how you're going to make a profit, and somebody, someplace is likely to spend millions taking a gamble on you.Virtual RealityThe idea of virtual reality (VR) has always been of interest to me; the premise being that through the use of various gadgets like specialist goggles and gloves, you can immediately be transported to an involving 3D universe. Nothing particularly significant has ever been developed presumably due to the price of such gear and the fact that nothing marketed so far has been momentous enough to justify investment by the average user.Whether VR has a hope in the future is not yet clear; to me it seems peculiar that we still play our games on the same style screens as we did many years ago but currently there doesn't seem to be a real alternative on the horizon.eBooksI have mentioned them before in the past and whilst the idea is fantastic and indeed environmentally friendly it doesn't seem like the world is ready for them just yet. A lack of high quality, affordable readers and the fact that most prefer the reassuring feel of paper has meant their adoption in the marketplace has been very slow indeed.Speech RecognitionThis technology suffers from a mishmash of technical problems as well as the simple truth that, quite you look like an imbecile when you use it. Even though those with a disability may find the technology useful, the rest of us must just learn to use a keyboard; it's quicker, you won't have to concern yourself with background noise and most crucially the whole room won't unavoidably need to hear the details of the argument you're having with your other half.
