A rock made of silicone. Oh, wait...

We are talking about a processor being as open as possible.
Unless you are running proprietary code - (Windows) why would you need x86 compatibility?

Granted there is some software out there that is difficult to port because of its size, complexity or willingness of anyone to put in the effort to make it run on anything but x86.

My money is on:
Apple 'Reality Distortion Field'.

You're kidding, right?

Here from Wikipedia:

Cultural influence of Star Trek

or from The Guardian:

Star Trek technology: how 21st century scientists are making it so

I'm certain Star Trek was one of the top reasons many of the engineers at NASA became interested in engineering in the first place.

I was about to make a joke about space expanding, but you raise quite a few valid points.
If we don't make science "cool" and find ways to get younger generations interested in research and exploration we will be eclipsed by cultures and countries which will find themselves venturing out into space for the first time. They have all our research and experience - as our endeavors are well documented. To this they will add their own technologies and experience. Information might not flow both ways, leaving us at a severe disadvantage.

By funding science and exploration we are funding our future. Our children are our future and we are leaving them at a disadvantage.

Cmon, it's GOLD. The Ferengi will get it before anyone else even notices.

Bubbly, as the water boils of your tongue.

We have enough trouble littering and leaving our useless garbage behind here on Earth. Now we are also littering in inter-stellar space.
Do you know how freaking big the ticket for this will be?

I view it more like they are running a different processor. You have to create a virtual machine to emulate some of the functionality that they have been born with. Even then - it probably won't run at full speed.

But the creativity and the ability to solve problems in a unique way is something that allows us to lead successful, fulfilling lives and is something that has become a part of me.

My main issue with labeling this as a disease is that parents with children who are diagnosed with it will not hear:

ASPERGERS - a social impairment often coupled with certain cognitive abilities that in virtually all cases requires no medication but a lot of educating and understanding, eventually leading to people who can live happy lives.

Instead they will hear:

AUTISM! - DISEASE! leading to images of kids rocking back and forth in chairs with out the ability to communicate or support themselves. The (under-educated) parents first question: "is there any medication that will help"?

This will not change any of us, we are the way we are, if there was a pill that would make us NT - some of us would take it immediately, others would never even consider it. However - in the eyes of the general public - we now are freaks if we do not want to become neurotypical, because we have a "Disorder".

As a side note: I think virtually everyone with AS without a supportive environment while growing up wished that there would be a pill that would have made them NT. Growing up was hell. Once we grow up, for many of us this is no longer the case.

I do have a big ego, am a bit narcissistic and have lots of self esteem - but I have accomplished nothing. I have no crusades, I am not patting myself on the back. I have met giants, next to whom I have accomplished nothing and am nothing.

Of course, there are many people who would do anything to become NT. I was there once.

Granted, there are many people who view this as a disorder. But there are also those of us who view it as a gift and view the challenges and the setbacks that it has presented as experiences that have had an extremely positive impact on our lives. While I sympathize with those who have trouble dealing with it, this is who I am and I would never want this to change.

I wold never want to be labeled as someone with a disorder, having a minimal to non-existent social life is fine by me. This is just putting a negative label on people who already have a lot of social stigma to deal with.

It's not a disease.

The web browser is the GUI of the cloud. The operating system is irrelevant as Firefox on OS X, Linux or Windows will provide exactly the same user experience reducing the OS to an api.

I wonder if these standards will result in an explosion of new web browsers or of specialized applications, each claiming to be better/faster than the other.

I accidentally misread "a photographic survey" as "pornographic survey" and for a fraction of a second this article became more interesting.
Then I re-read it and the feeling subsided.