Photogs re-buying Leicas (was RE: [Leica] decline in LUG membership)

[hellman at comcast.net (Jesse Hellman)]

> But for my more private, inner ambitions, I
> seek a medium that will change little over time.

What a great post. Could it be generally true that the artistic mind 
requires a certain degree of stability in order to be able to be free to 
create, rather than to master technology? Seems reasonable, but what 
degree is that? So the question becomes "when does 
'ever-increasing-technological-advance' leave behind the ability of the 
artist to master it?"

What if the violin had been greatly improved every month?
Or the piano?
Or the baseball?
Or paints?
Or the guitar?

Artistic tools were generally improved by artists, but now technology is 
running fast ahead. So when do the improvements of the scientists 
outstrip the learning curve of the artists?

Has this already happened?

Jesse