Quoting "Dr. Ed Morbius" <dredmorbius@xxxxxxxxx>:
> on 16:34 Tue 08 Feb, Raymond Lillard (ryl@xxxxxxxxx) wrote:
>> On 02/08/2011 03:28 PM, Dr. Ed Morbius wrote:
>> > on 17:02 Tue 08 Feb, Les Mikesell (lesmikesell@xxxxxxxxx) wrote:
>> >> On 2/8/2011 4:40 PM, Johnny H wrote:
>> >>> Thanks Mark, for this and your previous email.
>>
>> >> Unfortunately, the thing he will probably be most remembered for is the
>> >> 1977 quote: "There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in
>> >> his home."
>>
>> I respectfully disagree. One mis-statement in a public speech
>> does not come close to defining the man.
>>
>> The statement is generally quoted without context as it is
>> here. He was actually speaking of computer controlled homes,
>> (temperature, lighting, etc...) rather than the PC (entertainment
>> and communication) found in most homes today. We are of course,
>> sneaking up on the home control thing (energy management), so in
>> time he will have been mistaken in the context he intended.
>>
>> Ironically, in those years my well appointed apartment was
>> furnished with a surplus PDP-8, an air mattress, stereo system
>> and a Mr Coffee. This was of course prior to wife and family. :-)
>> I did get to keep the stereo system.
>>
>> > In fairness, Olsen wasn't the only one to make a comically understated
>> > estimate of future widespread computer use. Ed Yourdon proclaimed in
>> > 1975 (the year Apple Computer was founded): "unless you're very rich
>> > or very eccentric, you'll never have your own computer". In fairness, he
>> > fessed up to it in a later book: http://bit.ly/hlIO1v
>>
>> Others have made similarly short-sighted remarks in public places.
>> Most of us make them on less exalted stages and so are not called
>> to account.
>
> Most of us aren't CEOs of leading tech firms, with a core professional
> competency being to sort which way the wind blows (or self-proclaimed
> tech visionaries in Yourdon's case).
>
> That said: in tech, the wind changes direction often, and there are
> many examples of the one-time pack leader making what are seen to be
> highly inaccurate dismissals of an upstart technology or products.
> Usually in the midst of trying to turn back the tide.
>
> I'm just wracking my brains right now to think if there might possibly
> be some examples involving Linux, but I can't for the life of me think
> of one.
How about, "this will be the year of Linux on the desktop!"
>
> --
> Dr. Ed Morbius
> Chief Scientist / Robot Wrangler When you seek unlimited power
> Krell Power Systems Unlimited Go to Krell!
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