Comments on Technology

From the world of DOS, following is this morning's Top Ten List of Thoughts on Technology...

(10) "Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949.

(9) "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
- Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943.

(8) "But what...is it good for?"
-Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

(7) "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
- Ken Olson, President, Chairman, and founder of Digital Equipment Corp.,
1977.

(6) "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.

(5) "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 Debbie Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies.

(4) "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.

(3) "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.

(2) "640K ought to be enough for anybody."
- Bill Gates, 1981.

(1) "*@$&@*)^$@&)(#^@*(^#$)@(!!!"
- Patty Brassfield, the last time everyone was asked to please log out of the network, 1998.