In Hindsight... Tech Predictions and Quotes

Julio Franco

Posts: 9,092   +2,043
Staff member
are graham singer and eli Wallace one and the same?
:p
nice article.

in business (and in life), never say never. imagine what would have happened if steve jobs did not return to apple? (or did not die and instead decides to be the new MS CEO.)
 
This how it was simple time, today they're grown so huge and forgot how they did care about their software products.
 
That one made me laugh...I've been in the photocopier business since 1981.
Now, that is all we see is the MFP (multifunction printer).

“Above all, what we'll never see fly is the scanner / printer / fax / copier combo”
– John C. Dvorak
[PC Magazine, November 27, 1990]
 
Wondering why THIS comment is in the list:

“I don't know if anyone has tried to run Windows on a 286 machine, but frankly I'd rather have knitting needles in my eyes” - 1991

In '91, most people were using the 386, and Windows 3.1 was *already* slow & crash prone. The 286 was slower, didn't have an FPU, and the memory-protection sucked. The quote was very true even back in '91.
 
Fun read, especially for those of us around in the 80s or 90s.
"Above all, what we'll never see fly is the scanner / printer / fax / copier combo"
- John C. Dvorak

Having known John in the 90s, it would be easier to find predictions he made that actually came true. I know many people that made a living from investing in anything Dvorak claimed was crap.

I was always amazed how connected and somewhat well regarded he was in the technology world and yet how little he actually understood about technology.
 
Those PowerPc predictions were true right? It really wasn't that successful.
 
Those PowerPc predictions were true right? It really wasn't that successful.
Depends upon your definition. PowerPC is usually associated with Apple Corp., but is also found in IBM's RS/6000 series enterprise systems, gaming consoles, automobiles, aircraft, and of course, the Mars rover vehicle.
Wondering why THIS comment is in the list
Because the article concerns (in)famous quotes as well as predictions.
 
Wondering why THIS comment is in the list:

“I don't know if anyone has tried to run Windows on a 286 machine, but frankly I'd rather have knitting needles in my eyes” - 1991

In '91, most people were using the 386, and Windows 3.1 was *already* slow & crash prone. The 286 was slower, didn't have an FPU, and the memory-protection sucked. The quote was very true even back in '91.


Coleco Adam Family Computer, Radio Shack Tandy Computer TRS80, 286 then came 386 and 486 the Pentium were we are today..
 
I remember years ago reading about someone important in science in the early 19th century saying "Everything that can be invented, has been invented."

Still, great article. Had some good laughs.
 
Luckily I understood most of these comments, but some context would be needed for non-techies. But, why are they reading such an article anyway... Interesting read! More please.
 
Made my day. nice article :)

“[Intel’s Pentium name] better suited as "a name for toothpaste”
“[ Athlon for AMD’s new processor] It sounds more like a pair of sneakers. Or perhaps a new ointment”
 
And here is your Christmas buying guide

I like that Dvorak guy. He may be wrong but he isn't milk toast which is what most of the stuff we are fed is
 
“I can see the day when Apple won't be in the personal computer business" and "The personal computer business as we have known it is not very attractive for the Nineties”

Well, he was half right at least!
 
Quoting John C. Dvorak is a bit too easy. Spouting outlandish things to get the conversation going is what he does. For a long time he claimed he got no spam.
 
I read this a while back.. the words are sure right.. but I don't remember where I read it. it was a [FONT=arial]faux pas [/FONT]made by Bill gates in (again not sure) 1983 or 84. when he said "64KB ought to enough for everyone" or something like that.. again correct me if I am wrong...!!!
 
Even before Moore, there was Countus Aponus, The Inciteful, who during the second Dynasty in Egypt, predicted, "I think these pyramids are going to just keep getting bigger for at least the next 500 years." Based on his observations of the last 100 years.
Gates has by far made the most ridiculous predictions, and in fact, every decision up until now that has had his stamp of approval was based on such predictions. The computer industry may never be able to iron out all of the hardware flaws in the PC's design due to his un-inciteful, profit-focused decisions.
 
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