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"SF looks towards an imaginary future, while fantasy, by and large, looks towards an imaginary past."
- Frederik Pohl

Desk Secretary  
  A desk with a computerized secretary built into it.  

I opened the door of my office. On the door, neat Anglic script said:

Roald Vincent
Assistant
OUT

That last word modified itself to read IN as the secretary built into my desk recognized me. I sat down and asked what I had on hand from yesterday. My own voice came back to me from the tapes...

From The Long Result, by John Brunner.
Published by Ballantine Books in 1963
Additional resources -

Compare to the autobutle from The Godmakers (1972) by Frank Herbert.

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from The Long Result
  More Ideas and Technology by John Brunner
  Tech news articles related to The Long Result
  Tech news articles related to works by John Brunner

Desk Secretary-related news articles:
  - Computer Built Into Desk Concept

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