[geeks] New Horizons

[wa2egp at att.net]

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Charles Shannon Hendrix <shannon at widomaker.com>
> Patrick Giagnocavo 717-201-3366 wrote:
> 
> > There is sort-of precedent in that in the field of optics, there were 
>  > excellent lens designs that could not be put into production until
>  > some part of materials science caught up.
> 
> The same is true for quite a few computer algorithms, some of which were 
> written many years before they could be implemented, or implemented 
> efficiently enough to make use of.
> 
> There were failed auto engine designs from the 20s onward that many 
> believed were actually good ideas.  It's only been fairly recently that 
> materials technology has progressed enough to make the designs work, and 
> some are now part of nearly ever car sold.
> 
> All kinds of ideas are ahead of their time.
> 
The first human powered airplane was based on Da Vinci's design.  In fact,
it kept breaking on takeoff and when researching the problem, they found
Da Vinci had some wires where they had none.  They added the wires, the darn
thing flew.

Bob