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"One day, while he was pouring the weaker solution into a bulb, the phone rang. In the process of answering the phone, he accidentally tipped the bulb over before it had enough time to finish cleaning out the previous etching. When he returned to his work, he accidentally knocked the glass bulb off the workbench and onto the floor. To his surprise it did not shatter, as etched bulbs normally did, but bounced a few ti…
"One day, while he was pouring the weaker solution into a bulb, the phone rang. In the process of answering the phone, he accidentally tipped the bulb over before it had enough time to finish cleaning out the previous etching. When he returned to his work, he accidentally knocked the glass bulb off the workbench and onto the floor. To his surprise it did not shatter, as etched bulbs normally did, but bounced a few ti…
Seems like you've higher chances on stumbling on something accidentally useful when you're trying to do difficult things rather than when not
My point was that any discussion of IP revolves around work put in, and skill demonstrated. But a lot of the folklore is based on chance discovery.
"One day, while he was pouring the weaker solution into a bulb, the phone rang. In the process of answering the phone, he accidentally tipped the bulb over before it had enough time to finish cleaning out the previous etching. When he returned to his work, he accidentally knocked the glass bulb off the workbench and onto the floor. To his surprise it did not shatter, as etched bulbs normally did, but bounced a few ti…
I'm not sure what you're suggesting - that we only award patents in cases where clear evidence of hard work can be provided?
But...
It is a fun thought experiment though. All those 'on a computer' patents become harder to justify. Whereas billions of dollars and man decades of effort to marginally improve a process becomes patentable.
I guess it would tend to reward actual 'research' and investment rather than dashing of a patent on some half formed idea.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
"I switched them out for proper incandescents, so I don't get headaches when I visit" Why not just get 2700k LEDs? If you didn't like the Ferrari, because it wont carry the kids, don't go back to a horse and cart.
Specifically, stop buying really shitty LEDs and get Cree 2700ks. Out of every LED I tested when I finally abandoned incandescent (manufacturers started shipping intentionally short-lived bulbs that would die in less than a year, when they used to last many many years before), Cree was the only brand that didn't feel like I was stabbing myself in the eyes, and also didn't have any weird hues or casts or anything (esp…
I was not previously aware of the origin of the ubiquitous frosted light bulb. Thanks. > The public felt that the glare from clear transparent incandescent lamps gave off a harshness that was unwanted by most people. Another side effect was that they made it hard to see objects in immediate vicinity of the lamp. They desired a lamp that had a softer light with no glare. The first half of the 20th century was spent fi…
I think some people must be more sensitive than others to the color temperature of light, myself included. My parents (who are otherwise wonderful people) use the 3500-4000K fluorescents in their living room instead of the much more warm and pleasant table lamps. When I walk my dog at night, I often see the blue-green glow of what must be 5000K bulbs coming from many of my neighbors houses. And my office mis-ordered…
I was not previously aware of the origin of the ubiquitous frosted light bulb. Thanks. > The public felt that the glare from clear transparent incandescent lamps gave off a harshness that was unwanted by most people. Another side effect was that they made it hard to see objects in immediate vicinity of the lamp. They desired a lamp that had a softer light with no glare. The first half of the 20th century was spent fi…
LED bulbs are the worst thing. They use less energy but are just awful compared to incandescent light. I've seriously considered switching to candles or oil lamps for home at night.
FWIW if you're looking for nice non-electric evening lights I'd recommend gas over candles. Some nice camping lanterns that put out a lovely light. Cripplingly inefficient, though.
> Not being aware his assignment was a type of joke, he went about the task as if it was something that could be done and had been done before. I've read stories similar to this before, iirc assignments given as homework. Is there a name for this method, or comprehensive list of examples?
> During his doctoral studies, his mentors challenged him to solve within one year an intractable problem which had defied such great minds as Dirac and Feynman.[29] Within six months, Salam had found a solution for the renormalisation of meson theory.
From penicillin to vulcanized rubber to frosted glass. The crucial moment for so many inventions and discoveries was accident. But I remind myself that in nearly all cases a dedicated professional working diligently, iteratively for long periods of time is the perfect person to a) notice the accident in the first place and b) realize it’s significance and put it to use.
>This idea of having a second treatment to smooth out the fine-grained texture to dimples came about by an accident. From penicillin to vulcanized rubber to frosted glass. The crucial moment for so many inventions and discoveries was accident. But I remind myself that in nearly all cases a dedicated professional working diligently, iteratively for long periods of time is the perfect person to a) notice the accident i…
>This idea of having a second treatment to smooth out the fine-grained texture to dimples came about by an accident. From penicillin to vulcanized rubber to frosted glass. The crucial moment for so many inventions and discoveries was accident. But I remind myself that in nearly all cases a dedicated professional working diligently, iteratively for long periods of time is the perfect person to a) notice the accident i…
And c) overwork themselves even to get tired and have accidents.