I came across these quotes from a newspaper clipping I cut out in 1996. My dad used to say that once he saw a man walk on the moon, he knew for certain that anything was possible.
“This telephone has too much shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us” – Western Union internal memo, 1876
“Everything that can be invented has been invented.” – Charles Duell, commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899
“Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.” – Marshall Ferdinand Foch, Ecole Superieure de Guerre
“The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?” – David Sarnoff on the radio, 1920s
“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” – Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943
And this last one is probably proved wrong as you read it:
“There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home.” – Ken Olsen, president chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977
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