You need the computing power of a P5, 16 MB RAM and 1 GB Harddisk to run Win95. It took the computing power of 3 Commodore 64 to fly to the Moon. Something is wrong here, and it wasn't the Apollo.
Unknown

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.

This '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.

The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?
David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in radio in the 1920s.

The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible.
A Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)

Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?
H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

640K ought to be enough for anybody.
Bill Gates, 1981

There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977.

As I begin the week with my new employer, Asynchrony Solutions I'm beginning to see clearly, a couple of points that I think I'd like to share...

Point 1: Albeit a small and possibly obvious one, its one that no one should ever forget: No matter how smart/advanced/educated/etc. you think you are, nothing will make you feel like more of a Freshman than going to work in a new industry at a new company on the first day. Your wit and mindset tell you that you must progress as its your way of life, but your conscience is asking you what in the hell you've gotten yourself into... I would recommend that you try to put yourself in this position every once in a while. For me, I was comfortable, well versed and known in my little niche of the world, but I desired to learn more, be challenged in ways that may very well break me, and well, I got my wish. Whew... first day's a workout. Anyhow, moving on.

Point 2: Whether Defense applications, Military frameworks, Commercial websites or Construction software, there's one common goal: interoperability. Much of what we're doing now centers around the SOA model or Service Oriented Architecture model. Essentially, SOA is a means by which many disparate systems can find, understand, authenticate and use each other. For example, if my product data resided on an AS400, my authentication was LDAP running on a PC and my ERP was web-based and running on a Linux box, a correctly designed SOA and corresponding services designed around each would then allow me to communicate, across platforms, across applications and deliver the needed data to the end user. That, in a nut shell, is an example of textbook interoperability.

As I plug along and begin meeting all the individuals involved in our progressing projects, I realize one solid truth that will always yield success for technology companies. This truth must be a 'Commander's Intent', a corporate or service mantra: Deliver the right information, at the right time, to the right people as efficiently and safely as possible.

That short statement essentially covers Service Oriented Architectures, Interoperability, Integrated Practice, Shared Delivery Environments, Enterprise Application Integration, etc... because at the end of the day, whether your customer is wearing a hard hat of a helmet, they all need the same thing.

tann