Re^2: Necessity is the mother of invention

"Why not try to solve a new problem instead?

The simple reason is that, contrary to popular wisdom, the best time to fix something is when its not broken. If you already have something that works, its easy to test that your new solution does the same thing -- especially if your have tests for your existing solution.

And a comment on the title of this thread: I thought it was well estabished that the common case is the reverse: invention is the mother of necessity. That is, we don't realize that we can't live without something until we actually have it. It's why market analysts invariably fail to predict "the next big thing".

Dave.

Opinions my own; statements of fact may be in error.

Comment on Re^2: Necessity is the mother of invention

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Re^3: Necessity is the mother of invention by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Mar 09, 2005 at 23:59 UTC
It's why market analysts invariably fail to predict "the next big thing". I have a rather different view on why market analysts fail...mostly it's because they always ask 'wool-over-the-eyes' questions like "How would you feel if your [cellphone] was (or wasn't!) the smallest/lightest/coolest thing amongst your circle of friends?" rather than straight forward questions like "Would you pay a premium to have very cool, tinier mobile than your freinds?". The fact that there is a practical limit to the usability of a yet smaller, phone seems lost on them. Have you ever tried, (or better yet, watched someone else) trying to use one of those really tiny mobiles in a noisy environment? I call it the "cool-cell DTs". Listen, move down, speak, move up, listen, move down, repeat, move up, listen, move down, re-repeat "Could you repeat that?", move up (quickly), listen,.... :) Examine what is said, not who speaks. Silence betokens consent. Love the truth but pardon error.	[reply] [d/l]

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Re^3: Necessity is the mother of invention
by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Mar 09, 2005 at 23:59 UTC

It's why market analysts invariably fail to predict "the next big thing".

I have a rather different view on why market analysts fail...mostly it's because they always ask 'wool-over-the-eyes' questions like "How would you feel if your [cellphone] was (or wasn't!) the smallest/lightest/coolest thing amongst your circle of friends?" rather than straight forward questions like "Would you pay a premium to have very cool, tinier mobile than your freinds?".

The fact that there is a practical limit to the usability of a yet smaller, phone seems lost on them. Have you ever tried, (or better yet, watched someone else) trying to use one of those really tiny mobiles in a noisy environment? I call it the "cool-cell DTs".

Listen, move down, speak, move up, listen, move down, repeat, move up, listen, move down, re-repeat "Could you repeat that?", move up (quickly), listen,.... :)

Examine what is said, not who speaks.

Silence betokens consent.

Love the truth but pardon error.

[reply]
[d/l]