SOS: The next 11111 years

About the title: in the early days of the computer industry acronyms seemed to pop up everywhere. Their disappearance in these days of emphasis on corporate image is lamentable. This paper uses an acronym, a familiar set of letters, not only to pay tribute to tradition but because "SOS" has the right sound and sets the right mood. Thoughts about the future are speculative, and any speculation is a matter of opinion. Hence, this Speculative, Opinionated Scenario (SOS). Any SOS reveals that the sender is basically optimistic about society, is confident that the world will go on, and is concerned about continuing to participate. This particular SOS is basically optimistic about the role of information processing in society, is confident of its future growth, and is concerned about the long-term outlook for the information industry.