Jumping the shark and looking ahead

By Kevin MacArthur

Several years ago the term “jump the shark” was coined. For those of you not familiar where this term came from, it originated from the episode of Happy Days when The Fonz jumped over a shark on water skis. Typically this signifies the moment when a TV show has reached the pinnacle and is on the way down.

So as I write this article, on my water skis with a great white shark on the horizon, I started wondering. What will Bill Gates and Steve Jobs talk about in the next life 100 years from now?

SJ: Hey Bill, remember when you said your dream was to have every household in America own a personal computer?
BG: I remember, now the kids these days don’t even know what a mouse is, let alone a computer.
SJ: This whole voice-activated computing is pretty wild; imagine just saying a command in front of a screen and having what you need instantly.
BG: I saw a woman get a grocery order when her refrigerator recognized there was only a small amount of milk left.
SJ: Crazy.
BG: Steve, when you created the iPad did you ever imagine you would have more releases than there are Super Bowls?
SJ: When the iPad89 came out, I guess they realized that was enough and went in a different direction. Who are you to talk, anyway? Seriously, Windows XXXXV? Did you fire the whole marketing department when the stock market crash of 2041 hit?
BG: I was long gone at that point, but, man, was that messy.
SJ: Do you think the Internet will ever become fashionable again?
BG: I doubt it, it’s so yesterday’s technology.

By the way, I recommend YouTubing jump the shark, it’s hysterical. And for you younger fans out there, yes, the Fonz did indeed wear his leather jacket on the water skis.

Kevin MacArthur is owner of Secure Networks, a technology consulting firm in Hyannis. He can be reached at kevin@securebiznetworks.com.


Published in Cape & Plymouth Business January 2012