Do we REALLY know anything????

Astute observations from 'experts':





"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."


--Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science,1949





"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."


--Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943





"I have travelled 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





"But what ... is it good for?"


--Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 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





"There is no real need for sales people. Customers will be attracted to good products without assistance."


--Ken Olson, addressing a convention of DEC sales people





"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.





"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?"


--David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the1920s.





"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible."


--A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.





"Who wants to hear actors talk?"


--H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.





"I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his face and not Gary Cooper."


--Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in "Gone With The Wind."





"A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make."


--Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies.





"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out."


--Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.





"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."


--Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.





"If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can't do this."


--Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for3-M "Post-It" Notepads.





"So we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or, we' ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And, they said, 'No.' So then, we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet.'"


--Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and HP interested in his and Steve Wozniak's personal computer.





"Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out daily in high schools."


--1921 New York Times editorial about Robert Goddard's revolutionary rocket work.





"You want to have consistent and uniform muscle development across all of your muscles? It can't be done. It's just a fact of life. You just have to accept inconsistent muscle development as an unalterable condition of weight training."


--Response to Arthur Jones, who solved the "unsolvable" problem by inventing Nautilus.





"Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy."


--Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.





"Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau."


--Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.





"Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."


--Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.





"Everything that can be invented has been invented."


--Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.





"Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction."


--Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872





"The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon."


--Sir John Eric Ericksen, British surgeon, appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Queen Victoria 1873.





"640K ought to be enough for anybody."


--Bill Gates, 1981

Do we REALLY know anything????
its not that important for me or us to learn those facts that you had stated..what's important is we do get reasoning and critical thinking skills. in that way, we may be able to be mentally alert even though we don't have all the facts in the world...
Reply:It's always nice to know that those who are considered the smartest, can also be the most stupid, in this world. It gives me great hope for my situation!





Here's a star for your question, you've earned it!
Reply:Funny how wrong they were. I'm glad that there are so many who don't take the word "no" seriously. Interesting information!
Reply:YES. YOU KNOW ALOT.
Reply:Wow - just goes to show you, you should always follow your dreams and instincts.
Reply:Foresight is a wonderous thing. ------ fun read, thanks.
Reply:The world is full of "KNOW it ALLS" huh?!
Reply:This is downright FASCINATING reading! OMG..just imagine if folk had listened to these experts? [or for that matter the naysayers of today?]





I've always been of the belief that what the mind can conjure is always possible!
Reply:Quite interesting. Glad people don't take no seriously.
Reply:This shows we should all know enough not to listen to the 'nay sayers'. If you have an idea, run with it. You never know, it just might be the 'next big thing'.
Reply:I watched a documentary a few nights ago, regarding genetics. Scientist thought once they broke the genetic code, there would be less disease, fewer health issues and longer, healthier lives for all!


What they found however, was they're just scraping the tip of the iceberg.


I remember going back to get my degree. I thought I was fairly informed but I quickly realized, the more I know, the more I know I don't know.
Reply:This is called progression and it continues today. When computers were 'hot' in the 80's, the whole selling idea behind them was the 'paperless office.' Well, I'm still waiting for that. We're stating things in science, health, and technology today that will be laughable 20 years from now. That's the way it's ALWAYS been and that's the way it will continue to be. We're only as smart as the next 'discovery.'





Look at fossils - every time they find a 'new bone' - they come up with a new theory.
Reply:Bravo!
Reply:The only thing for certain in my life is death, taxes and a computer!!!!
Reply:wow !! who would have guessed that people could be such naysayers





good thing somebody thought bigger and better than them !!





interesting facts - thanks!!