Predicting the Past

[Ron G.]

Forecasts of the Past

(These are Real Statements)

1. "Computers in the future may weigh

no more than 1.5 tons."

Popular Mechanics, forecasting the

relentless march of science, 1949

2. "I think there is a world market for

maybe five computers."

Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

3. "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

4. "But what is it good for?"

Engineer at the Advanced Computing

Systems Division of IBM, 1968,

commenting on the microchip.

5. "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.

7. "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 the 1920s.

8. "Who the hell wants to hear actors

talk?"

H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

9. "We don't like their sound, and

guitar music is on the way out."

Decca Recording Co. rejecting the

Beatles, 1962.

10. "Heavier-than-air flying machines

are impossible."

Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society,

1895.

11. "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.

12. "Airplanes are interesting toys

but of no military value."

Marechal Ferdinand Foch, professor

of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

13. "Everything that can be invented

has been invented."

Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S.

Office of Patents, 1899.

14. "Louis Pasteur's theory of germs

is ridiculous fiction."

Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology

at Toulouse, 1872

15. "640 K ought to be enough for anybody."

Bill Gates, 1981

[Linda Z]

It's embarrassing to admit this now but...

"Good grief. If everyone starts posting photos of their dogs, cats, and children on the Internet, they're going to take the whole thing down! It will be so slow no one will be able to use it anymore!"

Moi, circa 1993, when the rumblings about this "WWW" thing were picking up speed

(This was perhaps the most short-sighted [not to mention incorrect] statement I've ever made.)

[Kevlar2000]

...(This was perhaps the most short-sighted [not to mention incorrect] statement I've ever made.)

Mine was, "Ya gotta take this class!"

[Jim]

"All those tech stocks are overvalued"

My stockbroker in 1980 when I asked him if I should put $3000 in Microsoft.

[George Aar]

Not trying to brag too much, but I've always been pretty adept at predicting the past.

Like, I predict that Abraham Lincoln will be assassinated at Ford's Theatre. Oh, and there'll be a couple of nasty wars in the 20th Century that will get most everyone involved, sorta like a "World" war.

How'm I doin' so far?

[ChasUFarley]

Not trying to brag too much, but I've always been pretty adept at predicting the past.

Like, I predict that Abraham Lincoln will be assassinated at Ford's Theatre. Oh, and there'll be a couple of nasty wars in the 20th Century that will get most everyone involved, sorta like a "World" war.

How'm I doin' so far?

You're such a GEORGE AAR!

[waysider]

"Rock and Roll has got to go!!"