My archive of similiar material has: Everything that can be invented has been invented. - Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
Same quote is in WikiQuote w/same attribution but no explanation of who Charles H. Duell was. The Futurist article was 2000 Sep/Oct p.20. I don't know if it had futher attribution. Couldn't find related any info on snopes. I am skeptical because I think the idea of "invention" was not used by the Romans, even considering their engineering orientation. Related entries (some also in Alan Field's post): But what ... is it good for? - Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip. Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons. - Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949 I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year. - The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957 I think there is a world market for about five computers. - Thomas J Watson, Chairman of the Board, IBM, 1943 There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home. - Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977 IBM Mainframe Discussion List <[email protected]> wrote on 01/11/2008 03:31:14 PM: > Well, since it is Friday I thought I'd post a little humor item, > especially considering the quote from John von Neumann. > In an article in The Futurist magazine, writer Laura Lee catalogues some > of the worst predictions of all time: > "Inventions have long since reached their limit, and I see no hope for > further developments." -Roman engineer Julius Sextus Frontinus, A.D. 100 > "The abdomen, the chest, and the brain will forever be shut from the > intrusion of the wise and humane surgeon." -John Eric Ericksen, surgeon > to Queen Victoria, 1873 > "Law will be simplified [over the next century]. Lawyers will have > diminished, and their fees will have been vastly curtailed." -journalist > Junius Henri Browne, 1893 > "It doesn't matter what he does, he will never amount to anything." > -Albert Einstein's teacher to Einstein's father, 1895 > "It would appear we have reached the limits of what it is possible to > achieve with computer technology." -computer scientist John von Neumann, > 1949 > "The Japanese don't make anything the people in the U.S. would want." > -Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, 1954 > "Nuclear powered vacuum cleaners will probably be a reality within 10 > years." -Alex Lewyt, president of the Lewyt Vacuum Cleaner Company, > quoted in the New York Times, June 10, 1955 > "Before man reaches the moon, your mail will be delivered within hours > from New York to Australia by guided missiles. We stand on the threshold > of rocket mail." -Arthur Summerfield, U.S. Postmaster General under > Eisenhower, 1959 > "By the turn of the century, we will live in a paperless society." > -Roger Smith, chairman of General Motors, 1986 > "I predict the internet ... will go spectacularly supernova and in 1996 > catastrophically collapse." -Bob Metcalfe, InfoWorld, 1995 > Tom Kelman > Commerce Bank of Kansas City > (816) 760-7632 ----------------------------------------- The information contained in this communication (including any attachments hereto) is confidential and is intended solely for the personal and confidential use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. The information may also constitute a legally privileged confidential communication. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or an agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this communication in error and that any review, dissemination, copying, or unauthorized use of this information, or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original message. Thank you ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
