OrionWorks - Steven V Johnson <[email protected]> wrote:
> I believe others have made the observation that BG's success has > always revolved around exploiting technologies that have already been > reasonably tested and vetted. > Right. That's what he does. He has never developed an original software idea in his life. Neither have I. > It has been a conservative business strategy that has worked very well for > BG. Nevertheless, I lament the fact that BG appears to have rarely shown > much backbone towards exploring and subsequently > exploiting unproven/cutting edge technologies such as those purported from > Rossi. . . > I do not think that is fair to Gates. That is not what he does for a living. That is not his forte. A person should know his own strengths. As the expression goes: "The cobbler should stick to his last." Do what you are good at, and leave other jobs to other people. A person such as Gates or I is fundamentally uncreative and incapable of coming up with new ideas, yet we can make valuable contributions. We can recognize talent and good ideas in other people. During the 1907 market panic, J.P. Morgan assembled the leading bankers and industry leaders in his house. He demanded they come up with a solution. They discussed one thing after another. He kept saying 'no that won't work,' 'no find some other solution.' He was suffering from a terrible cold and it was late at night. Finally his secretary said, Mr. Morgan why don't you just tell them what to do? He said, 'I don't know what to do. I don't know the solution, but when someone comes up with a good idea I will recognize it.' They finally did come up with good idea and he did see it. He acted upon it decisively after Pres. Roosevelt gave his okay. The solution was risky but also highly profitable to Morgan if it worked. As in the event, it did. As one person commented, that is how Morgan was made. I expect whatever Bill Gates comes up with in China will be profitable to him (unless cold fusion derails his plans). People such as Morgan and Gates benefit humanity a lot, but always at a large profit to themselves. I think Arthur Clarke and I recognized radical new good ideas better than Gates does -- as least with regard to cold fusion. As Clarke said in another context: "if you follow all my suggestions now you will go bankrupt in this generation. If you ignore all of my suggestions future generations will be bankrupt." Clarke discussed cold fusion with Gates. He evinced no knowledge or interest in the subject. - Jed
