Things TLs 7-9 would be interesting to see WITHOUT

[Mailanka]

Originally Posted by Turhan's Bey Company

Yep. And at the time, the typical user wasn't...well, a typical person. Personal computers were owned by a small minority of enthusiasts, not the average person.

That would probably enhance the hacker mythos. The whole meme of the "hacker," especially as seen by the outside world, came about because computers were complicated yet powerful (like magic), so it took real study and enthusiasm to master one, but someone who did had access to tools and capabilities that others did not.

You'll note that the notion of the "hacker" is fading alot in the popular consciousness. TV characters make use of computers in their daily lives, and you no longer have "the computer user" constantly banging on his keys as people ask him questions and he interprets them into code. That's probably because, in real life, everyone uses computers and they've lost alot of their mystery. In a world without GUI, they retain that mystery.

A more interesting question might be "Why no GUI?"

Here's one I've been considering for an alien race: the presence of nuclear power, but not nuclear weapons. I'm not sure how plausible that is, though. Any thoughts?