Interesting Quotes
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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. :-D
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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. :-D
The thing to keep in mind about these quotes is that they were made using the information at the time. In 1949, a computer that weighed less than 1.5 tons would be considered amazing. In 1943, the computers of the time probably *DID* have a world market of about 5 computers. It would take much better computers at better prices to increase that market share. And in 1968, the microchip of the time was not good for much. Of course it's humorous to consider them by today's standards, but think about what we know to be true today versus what may be true in the future: One day, Computer may run as fast as 10Ghz. (50 years from now, looking at our 100Ehz (that's ExaHz, or 100,000,000,000,000,000 Hz) we'll find that statement quite humorous) I forsee a total world market for computers at 6 billion (the number of people in the world) (not taking into account that the world population will continue to grow). Erik - The Fuddy Duddy
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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. :-D
Also, if you've ever watched Apollo 13, with Tom Hanks, he makes a quote that I laugh at every time I see that movie. In the Vehicle Assembly Building, he says to some reporters "a computer that can fit inside of a single room, and process 'millions' of pieces of information...". He emphasized millions. Of course, to look at books written in the sixties, we should be living the life of the Jetsons... vacations on the moon, Rosy the Robot brining us breakfast, etc. Hmm, what a interesting world that would be.:) Jamie Nordmeyer Portland, Oregon, USA
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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. :-D
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Here's my favorite one. Just check out my signature. :-D "640k ought to be enough for anybody." Bill Gates, Chairman of the Board, and CEO, Microsoft Corporation, 1981
Also an urban legend. Bill actually devoted a column of his New York Times column to the subject and stated matter of factly that he never said anything like that. Of course, it may have been taken out of context from something else he said...
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The thing to keep in mind about these quotes is that they were made using the information at the time. In 1949, a computer that weighed less than 1.5 tons would be considered amazing. In 1943, the computers of the time probably *DID* have a world market of about 5 computers. It would take much better computers at better prices to increase that market share. And in 1968, the microchip of the time was not good for much. Of course it's humorous to consider them by today's standards, but think about what we know to be true today versus what may be true in the future: One day, Computer may run as fast as 10Ghz. (50 years from now, looking at our 100Ehz (that's ExaHz, or 100,000,000,000,000,000 Hz) we'll find that statement quite humorous) I forsee a total world market for computers at 6 billion (the number of people in the world) (not taking into account that the world population will continue to grow). Erik - The Fuddy Duddy
I dunno Erik, I have 7 computers myself, not including any attribution of the server farms at the office, so I think something like 70 Billion might be more realistic :)
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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. :-D
Recall that "computer" originally meant a person who computed things. Only later did we call machines "computers." Here is a somewhat long quotation from Lewis Richardson, who developed the science of numerical weather forcasting in his spare time while driving an ambulance in World War I (he later went on to invent the mathematical treatment of arms races and the outbreak of war).
It took me the best part of six weeks to draw up the computing forms and to work out the new distribution in two vertical columns for the first time. My office was a heap of hay in a cold rest billet. With practice the work of an average computer might go ten times faster. If the time step were 3 hours, then 32 individuals could just compute two points so as to keep ahead of the weather, if we allow nothing for the very great gain in speed which is invariably noticed when a complicated operation is divided up into simpler parts. ... But in any case, the organization indicated is a central forecast-factory for the whole globe, or for portions extending to boundaries where the weather is steady, with individual computers specializing on the separate equations. Let us hope for their sakes that they are moved from time to time to new operations. ... After so much hard reasoning, may one play with a fantasy? Imagine a large hall like a theatre, except that the circles and gallaries go right round through the space usually occupied by the stage. The walls of this chamber are painted to form a map of the globe. The ceiling represents the north polar regions, England is in the gallery, the tropics in the upper circle, Australia on the dress circle, and the antarctic in the pit. A myriad of computers are at work upon the weather of the part of the map where each sits, but each computer attends only to one equation or part of an equation. The work of each region is coordinated by an official of higher rank. ... From the floor of the pit a tall pillar rises to half the hieght of the hall. It carries a large pulpit on its top. In this sits the man in charge of the whole theatre; he is surrounded by several assistants and messengers. One of his duties is to maintain a uniform speed of progress in all parts of the globe. In this respect he is like the conductor of an orchestra in which the instruments are slide-rules and calculating machines. But instead of a baton he turns a beam of rosy light upon any region that is running ahead of the rest, and a beam of blue light upon those who are behindhand. ... Outside