What A Dumb Idea

Many things we take now for granted, were conceived as undoable, ridiculous or useless ideas.

Below are what people from the past said about some innovations that we use daily and can't imagine our life without them. The lesson? Don't be so fast in giving a negative evaluation of a new idea, even if it sounded ridiculous to you. Instead of a negative comment, ask: How can we possibly make this work?

Computers:

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."

- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."

-Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

"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

"But what ... is it good for?"

-Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."

-Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

Telephone:

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication."

-Western Union memo, 1876

Airplanes:

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."-Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895." Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."

-Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.