# OK...I am officially living in "the future" now... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 4, 2008, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009 "2008-11-04T06:44:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/1 "2008-11-04T06:44:14Z")
So… I just spoke to my computer, instructing it to connect to the internet, then to “The Straight Dope”, and then created this thread and composed it without touching the keyboard. The technology is still kind of clunky and hard to use… getting the quotes on “The Straight Dope” took a bit of time… in fact, this message has taken about eight minutes so far… But, I am 47, and this is the kind of wierd gizmo stuff they promised us back when I was 8! regards FML ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/2 "2008-11-04T06:50:22Z")
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fancy schmancy. Let’s see you talk it into opening the pod bay doors when it really doesn’t wanna… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/3 "2008-11-04T06:53:21Z")
Where’s my flying car? Where’s my personal jetpack? Where’s my food pill? This isn’t the future! That’s tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/4 "2008-11-04T09:33:03Z")
How did you do the quotes? Do you have to say “quote the straight dope endquote” or can it “read” your “air quotes”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/5 "2008-11-04T09:33:56Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Where’s my flying car? Where’s my personal jetpack? Where’s my food pill? > > This isn’t the future! That’s tomorrow. [Flying](http://www.volanteaircraft.com/) [car.](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3366415/Flying-car-based-on-Ferrari-could-be-reality-within-two-years.html)[Jetpack.](http://www.publicradio.org/columns/futuretense/2008/10/the-martin-jetp.html)[Food pill.](http://www.retrofuture.com/spacefood.html) **FML** , what program are you using? ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/6 "2008-11-04T09:47:16Z")
Sure, but do you still have to lock on phasers manually? If so then you’re still in the present, I’m afraid. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/7 "2008-11-04T12:10:40Z")
Dragon NaturallySpeaking, by chance? Word 2003 has speech capability built in. I don’t have a link handy, but I’m sure you can follow the bouncing ball at [support.microsoft.com](http://support.microsoft.com) to set it up, if you have a microphone. Didn’t take me long when I did it a couple of months ago. It’s a bit limited for how I use Word, but once you’ve got it trained, dictation is fun, and it can handle a certain number of standard commands as well as custom ones. So you can say “Page Down” or “[Name of Macro that you’ve put on a custom menu]” and watch Word do its thing hands free. I dunno, I still get a little thrill just watching my cursor jump from one monitor to the other. Magic! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CWN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@CWN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CWN)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/8 "2008-11-04T12:54:29Z")
> [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](#): > > So.. I just spoke to my computer, instructing it to connect to the internet, then to “The Straight Dope”, and then created this thread and composed it without touching the keyboard. > > The technology is still kind of clunky and hard to use. **. getting the quotes on “The Straight Dope”** took a bit of time.. in fact, this message has taken about eight minutes so far… > > But, I am 47, and this is the kind of wierd gizmo stuff they promised us back when I was 8! > > regards > FML Here is a tutorial on the subject from VICBOR software (quotes at :53 ) ![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lF4qii8S3gw/maxresdefault.jpg)https://www.youtube.com/embed/lF4qii8S3gw?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/9 "2008-11-04T12:59:11Z")
Is there any such voice command program that has an option for customized replies, i.e. play a certain .mp3 upon receiving a certain command? Because I totally would program my computer to sound like a Dalek… “I OBEY!”, or, when deleting files, of course “EXTERMINATE!!”… ---
**Author:** ![Caveat\_lector\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/10 "2008-11-04T18:31:26Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Is there any such voice command program that has an option for customized replies, i.e. play a certain .mp3 upon receiving a certain command? Because I totally would program my computer to sound like a Dalek… “I OBEY!”, or, when deleting files, of course “EXTERMINATE!!”… The recycle bin makes a noise when it deletes something so I suppose you could change that sound. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/11 "2008-11-04T18:41:15Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Where’s my flying car? Where’s my personal jetpack? Where’s my food pill? I have them. You’ll get them back when I feel you’ve matured. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/12 "2008-11-04T18:45:02Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > I totally would program my computer to sound like a Dalek… “I OBEY!”, or, when deleting files, of course “EXTERMINATE!!”… Oh, won’t that be a treat when mixed with voice recognition. You: “Delete file.” Speakers: “EXTERMINATE!!” Computer: “Extermination command received. Must kill **Half Man Half Wit**.” ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/13 "2008-11-04T18:46:45Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Oh, won’t that be a treat when mixed with voice recognition. > > You: “Delete file.” > Speakers: “EXTERMINATE!!” > Computer: “Extermination command received. Must kill **Half Man Half Wit**.” Unless you buy your tech second-hand from Starscream, I shouldn’t worry. And if you do do that, it’s going to betray you anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/14 "2008-11-04T21:03:40Z")
We have 3D printers these days…that is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/15 "2008-11-04T21:55:38Z")
enhance…enhance… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/16 "2008-11-04T21:56:33Z")
eye thinc voyz recognishin soft wayr steel has um floz. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/17 "2008-11-04T23:16:34Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Where’s my flying car? Where’s my personal jetpack? Where’s my food pill? > [@Tuckerfan](#): > > [Flying](http://www.volanteaircraft.com/) [car.](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/3366415/Flying-car-based-on-Ferrari-could-be-reality-within-two-years.html)[Jetpack.](http://www.publicradio.org/columns/futuretense/2008/10/the-martin-jetp.html)[Food pill.](http://www.retrofuture.com/spacefood.html) Well, those aren’t _mine_. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/18 "2008-11-04T23:24:27Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > \ Where’s my food pill?\ Food pill, Shmood pill. Where is my **beer** pill ? ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/19 "2008-11-04T23:26:27Z")
doubloon post ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009/20 "2008-11-04T23:35:37Z")
I have a robot that vacuums my floors (and falls down stairs). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-i-am-officially-living-in-the-future-now/471009.md?page=2)