Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:50:25 -0500 (CDT) From: Robert Bonomi <bonomi@mail.r-bonomi.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Lennart Poettering: BSD Isn't Relevant Anymore Message-ID: <201107190350.p6J3oP97028445@mail.r-bonomi.com> In-Reply-To: <20110718200120.05371fd6@scorpio>
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> Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:01:20 -0400
> From: Jerry <jerry@seibercom.net>
> Subject: Re: Lennart Poettering: BSD Isn't Relevant Anymore
>
> On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:31:41 +0200
> Polytropon articulated:
>
> > Your TV example is very good. I've recently read a text
> > that predicts the future of CDs - a text from the late 80's.
> > When we consider what we are _currently_ using, the text
> > predicting "no important future for CDs" looks quite funny.
>
> You are undoubtedly familiar with the 1986 quote:
>
> "I think there is a world market for about five computers" a Remark
> attributed to Thomas J. Watson (Chairman of the Board of International
> Business Machines)
*SNICKER*
So much for your reseearch skills.
"Thomas J. Watson" _died_ in NINETEEN FIFTY SIX. If he made a remark in
1986 it would have been world-shaking news.
You are citing a 1986 .sig item from a _USENET_ posting by a Convex Computer
employee. The purported remark occurred in _1943_. *IF* it was made, it is
worth noting that, as a prediction, it _was_true_ for *TEN*YEARS*. Now,
how many other 'predictions' in the field of computing have survived _that_
long?
Reputable sources have it:
"Although Watson is well known for his alleged 1943 statement: "I think
there is a world market for maybe five computers," there is scant
evidence he made it.
There *is* 'some' evidence, albeit _not_ conclusive, that his son, "Thomas
J. Watson, Jr." said something _remotely_ related in 1953, to wit:
"But, as a result of our trip, on which we expected to get orders for
five machines, we came home with orders for 18."
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