Technology Predictions Are Mostly Bunk – WSJ.com

“The Americans have need of the telephone, but we do not. We have plenty of messenger boys,”

Sir William Preece, chief engineer at the British Post Office, 1878.

“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?”

H.M. Warner, Warner Bros., 1927.

via Gordon Crovitz:- WSJ.com.

Comments 4

  1. Brian Smith wrote:

    They left out: “We can give away the newspaper for free with all the money we’ll make from internet ads”

    [Reply]

    Posted 29 Dec 2009 at 12:01 pm
  2. Ed Hamlin wrote:

    I liked the article, I would like to make a couple predictions.

    Several more print media outlets will end doing business as they know it and make a shift to publishing more of a social media styled magazine or newspaper.

    Print media outlets that don’t survive will be repalced by those who have figured ou how to survive in this day and age, and in the future.

    Photographers, creatives and such will always have a job, how they do their job will change with technology, so get ready for the technology change. Those who adapt and change will always be pursing their passion. They are the true artists of this world.

    [Reply]

    Posted 29 Dec 2009 at 3:46 pm
  3. Ben Philabaum wrote:

    It seems that sci-fi books/movies more closely emulate the future than the opinions of most ‘experts’ or those in power. I really liked Alan Kay’s quote, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”

    [Reply]

    Posted 30 Dec 2009 at 5:26 pm
  4. Bruce DeBoer wrote:

    @ben – great comment; those with imagination (sci-fi) are better predictors.

    [Reply]

    Posted 03 Jan 2010 at 1:01 pm

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