The rest of the quote is admirably tenacious...
> What then? he was asked. “Then I go into the antiques business — books will be antiques,” Mr. Bass said.
Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
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Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#12At my university there are several ironic and funny posters with quotes about mispredictions on display at the walls of the big lecture hall of the mechanical engineering building. My favorite one is from Gottlieb Daimler 1901: "The global demand for automobiles will not exceed one million - at least because of a lack of available chauffeurs." [1] He is the founder of the predecessor of todays Daimler AG, which owns…
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." Thomas Watson, president of IBM, 1943
That might have been right at the time.
Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#13At my university there are several ironic and funny posters with quotes about mispredictions on display at the walls of the big lecture hall of the mechanical engineering building. My favorite one is from Gottlieb Daimler 1901: "The global demand for automobiles will not exceed one million - at least because of a lack of available chauffeurs." [1] He is the founder of the predecessor of todays Daimler AG, which owns…
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." Thomas Watson, president of IBM, 1943
1889: “Fooling around with alternating current (AC) is just a waste of time. Nobody will use it, ever.” — Thomas Edison.
Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." Thomas Watson, president of IBM, 1943
1889: “Fooling around with alternating current (AC) is just a waste of time. Nobody will use it, ever.” — Thomas Edison.
2019: I have a 100% DC powered datacenter, but the power certainly gets to its location via AC.
Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#15I always have to mention Paul Otlet, when the topic of early predictions of technology comes up. Too bad he was all but forgotten.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSyfZkVgasI
http://www.doi-toshin.com/paul-otlet-s-vision-documentation-...
Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#16One of the heuristics I use when evaluating whether to build a new product is to answer the question: “will people be solving this problem the way they currently are in 5 years?” If the answer is no, that means there may be an opportunity.
Bass was remarkable prescient, but also recognized the inevitable macro forces that would create change in his business.
Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
1889: “Fooling around with alternating current (AC) is just a waste of time. Nobody will use it, ever.” — Thomas Edison.
2019: I have a 100% DC powered datacenter, but the power certainly gets to its location via AC.
Transmission could be done via DC too, and there are quite a few benefits to it. The only field left to conquer is generation of electricity, looks like that's going to be in AC.
Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
2019: I have a 100% DC powered datacenter, but the power certainly gets to its location via AC.
Transmission could be done via DC too, and there are quite a few benefits to it. The only field left to conquer is generation of electricity, looks like that's going to be in AC.
It is, but rather difficult and expensive for short to medium distances. Submarine power cables are often HVDC.
Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#19At my university there are several ironic and funny posters with quotes about mispredictions on display at the walls of the big lecture hall of the mechanical engineering building. My favorite one is from Gottlieb Daimler 1901: "The global demand for automobiles will not exceed one million - at least because of a lack of available chauffeurs." [1] He is the founder of the predecessor of todays Daimler AG, which owns…
"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." Thomas Watson, president of IBM, 1943
There’s no evidence he ever said that though.
Re: Some Day, You’ll Have a Telephone with a Screen and Be Able To Dial a Book
#20The rest of the quote is admirably tenacious... > What then? he was asked. “Then I go into the antiques business — books will be antiques,” Mr. Bass said.
And if you visit The Strand in NYC (on Broadway and 12th) the top floor is indeed an antique shop. First editions, rare books and the like. It’s a special place to hang out.