Worst Predictions
Posted by: NaimDropper on 28 May 2007
From
[URL=http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/david-manners-semiconducto r-blog/2007/05/ten-worst-predictions.html]Electronics Weekly:[/URL]
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home"
Ken Olsen, Founder, Chairman and President of DEC 1977
"640K ought to be enough for anyone."
Bill Gates.
'I think there is a world market for maybe five computers'
Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943
'Well informed people know it is impossible to transmit voice over wires and that, were it possible to do so, the thing would be of no practical value.'
Boston Post 1865.
"While the Americans might need such a daft thing, Britain still has plenty of small boys to run around with messages."
John Tilley, Britain's Post Master General in 1876, commenting on Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone which was patented that year.
'The telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us
Western Union internal memo 1876.
"In the mid-70s, someone came to me with an idea for what was basically the PC. The idea was that we would outfit an 8080 processor with a keyboard and a monitor and sell it in the home market. I asked: 'What's it good for?' And the only answer was that a housewife could keep her recipes on it. I personally didn't see anything useful in it, so we never gave it another thought."
Gordon Moore
World semiconductor market revenues will total $295bn in 2001.
Dataquest Forecast in June 2000.
"We see 2001 as another strong growth year, with market growth of 25 to 30 per cent and, for us, we'll grow faster."
Pasquale Pistorio CEO of STMicroelectronics.
'Next Christmas the iPod will be dead, finished, gone, kaput'
Sir Alan Sugar, February 2005.
[URL=http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/david-manners-semiconducto r-blog/2007/05/ten-worst-predictions.html]Electronics Weekly:[/URL]
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home"
Ken Olsen, Founder, Chairman and President of DEC 1977
"640K ought to be enough for anyone."
Bill Gates.
'I think there is a world market for maybe five computers'
Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943
'Well informed people know it is impossible to transmit voice over wires and that, were it possible to do so, the thing would be of no practical value.'
Boston Post 1865.
"While the Americans might need such a daft thing, Britain still has plenty of small boys to run around with messages."
John Tilley, Britain's Post Master General in 1876, commenting on Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone which was patented that year.
'The telephone has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us
Western Union internal memo 1876.
"In the mid-70s, someone came to me with an idea for what was basically the PC. The idea was that we would outfit an 8080 processor with a keyboard and a monitor and sell it in the home market. I asked: 'What's it good for?' And the only answer was that a housewife could keep her recipes on it. I personally didn't see anything useful in it, so we never gave it another thought."
Gordon Moore
World semiconductor market revenues will total $295bn in 2001.
Dataquest Forecast in June 2000.
"We see 2001 as another strong growth year, with market growth of 25 to 30 per cent and, for us, we'll grow faster."
Pasquale Pistorio CEO of STMicroelectronics.
'Next Christmas the iPod will be dead, finished, gone, kaput'
Sir Alan Sugar, February 2005.
Big boys, these Kiwis! And flexible with it! 
All those people who predicted an easy win for Leicester over Wasps in the Heineken Cup Final at Twickers on 20th May, thereby completing the Rugby Union Treble. 
quote:Originally posted by Rasher:
White Star Line Vice President P.A.S. Franklin announced:
"We place absolute confidence in the Titanic. We believe the boat is unsinkable."
Actually, you'll find it was Harland and Wollf, and they stated "The Titanic is PRACTICALLY unsinkable".
Of course, the great worldwide press decided to omit the "practically"... Ramming a ship into an iceberg within a known ice field in the dead of night isn't particularly conducive to staying afloat
How about the biggest whopper of the lot: "Pure perfect sound - forever" - Philips, on the CD.