With the rich getting richer and poor getting poorer, I picture a Blade Runner type world
Yet the internet was something that was never really thought of in sci-fi before it really took off.That's true of great sci-fi too, like the masterpiece 2001 referenced in your avatar. The great technological advancement of the late 90s early 2000s was the ability to slowly download images of naked people over your land-line.
Yet the internet was something that was never really thought of in sci-fi before it really took off.
I imagine most science fiction authors accept that when the time rolls around they'll be hopelessly out, the thing is not to be too short-termist, i.e. put it far enough in the future so that when it turns out wrong you won't be there to realise The real point (other than a bit of good space opera swashbuckling fun) is coming up with an idea and exploring the consequences of it.