Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/06/29
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]on 6/29/01 12:37 PM, Barney Quinn, Jr. at barney@ncep.noaa.gov wrote: > Johnny, > > You're right, of course. But, here's an example of how it works. Probably > seven out > of ten contestants in this game start talking about computers because they > have just > leapt to the conclusion that computers HAVE to be a pure product of the 20th > century. Not a good play. We counter by asking about the Jacquard loom (18th > Century > ), punch cards, and so forth. the difference being that the *electronic* computer required a genuine paradigm shift (newtonian -> quantum mechanics) in physics, whereas most other technologies (automobile, airplane etc) were more or less sophisticated versions of 19th century inventions. just as the steam train (and photography) arose from 18th century thinking. - -- John Brownlow http://www.pinkheadedbug.com ICQ: 109343205