Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/03
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With all the discussion of digital vs. film I thought the LUGs would be
interested to see what was thought of by others in the heart of their field
10-50+ years ago. It may give us an idea of what we may sound like 50 years
from now.
"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a
means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us."
--Western Union internal memo, 1876.
"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
--Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.
"Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."
--Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole
Superieure de Guerre 1911.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
--Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
--Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of
science, 1949
"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the
best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't
last out the year."
--The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall,
1957
"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out."
--Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
"But what ... is it good for?"
--Engineer at IBM's Advanced Computing Systems Division (1968)
commenting on the microchip.
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
--Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital
Equipment Corp., 1977
"640K ought to be enough for anybody."
-- Bill Gates, 1981
"Sometimes when you're too close to something, you can't see past it."
-- Peter K., member LUG group 1999