Sunday, October 23, 2011

Famous Last Words

# 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...


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...

640k ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981

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?...

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