Moira Gunn gets small with K. Eric Drexler on the future of nanotechnology. "Nano" means "small," and nanotechnology explores manufacturing on a molecular scale. The discussion explores the concept of robots that put molecules together, along with the idea that these robots could themselves be structures of molecules. Drs. Gunn and Drexler also discuss applications for these machines, efforts that are being directed internationally, and the difficulty of developing such technologies. Dr. Drexler is the president of the Foresight Institute and author of a number of books on nanotechnology.
Dr. Gunn also speaks with Jay Amato, president of the corporate division for the newly named Vanstar Corporation. Amato discusses how corporations buy PCs today and the services they need to perform on a cost-effective basis. Vanstar is an offshoot of Computerland, a retail corporation. This market's significance is demonstrated by the fact that the Computerland group experienced revenues of $2 million in 1990; by 1993 this had grown to $1.3 billion. This burgeoning market reflects a new infrastructure in American companies.
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