12 Jun
2000
12 Jun
'00
10:03 a.m.
However, I will strongly disagree with anyone who
believes we would be in
the same place technologically as we are today if there had _not_ been a
space program (regardless of the motivations for pursuing space). By and
large "mainstream" entities (ie business, banking, etc) do not
"develop"
technology, they "adopt" it. This is true of computers, fax machines
(which
were in vented in the 1700's BTW), and
telecommunications. Without some
other force driving the creation of technology, mainstream folks don't
change their ways.
I was aware that Toshiba was building facsimile machines in 1928
in Japan, but I didn't know the ability to send an image to a remote
location predated the deployment of electricity.
-dq