Take those predictions, forecasts, and prognostications with so many grains of salt. They have a notorious track record for being completely wrong, even when made by the leading experts in their fields. In preparing for my autumn lecture series, I came across the following nuggets and thought I?d share them with you. There are some real howlers.
1876? "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication."
--Western Union internal memo.
1895? "Heavier than air flying machines are impossible."
--Lord Kelvin, president of the Royal Society.
1927? "Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"
--H.M. Warner, founder of Warner Brothers.
1943 "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
--Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM.
1962 "We don't like their sound, and guitar music ?is on the way out."
--Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
1981 "640 kilobytes of memory ought to be enough for anybody."
--Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.
