Russell,

On Wed, 15 Feb 2006 01:31:43 +1300, Russell McMahon wrote:

> When the LASER was first developed it was not apparent 
> that it would in a few decades become as useful, wide-spread and commonplace as it has.

Indeed - I remember it being described as "A solution looking for a problem".  Who'd have thought, in those 
days when the main demonstrations were holograms and punching holes in metal, that every home would have one 
or more lasers in their entertainment systems, and for a few pence you could buy a keyring-fob that had a 
laser in it for pointing at things in the distance, and teasing cats?

If briefcase-sized cold fusion power did happen, I predict that it would be used for personal power in ways we 
haven't thought of yet:  rent-a-car (or bike or scooter) where you just walk up to one that's been left by the 
roadside, insert your power pack and drive where you like, leaving it as you found it at the destination.  
Since the power pack would carry identity, you would be billed for the rental, but not "fuel" as you supplied 
that yourself.  How about when you board a bus or train you insert your power pack and contribute the energy 
needed to carry you?  At work you plug into your desk and the equipment you use  (computer etc) and the local 
environmental management (heating / aircon) keeps you at the temperature you like, and your pack powers it 
all.

I did say "in ways we haven't thought of yet" and I have obviously thought of those above - real new 
applications will probably not be thought of until the technology arrives, as usual!

Cheers,


Howard Winter
St.Albans, England


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