TOP 5 WORST PREDICTIONS (SLIDES) | WEEK #4

Hello fellow IEOR bloggers,

This week I will be discussing the Top 5 worst predictions out of the 25 worst predictions that we discussed in class! It is pretty amazing how some of the world's most intelligent and influential figures in their respective fields have been simply flat out wrong when it came down to predicting the success of some of the worlds greatest inventions. Again, this is just my opinion, and I encourage lots of creative discussion with regards to my thoughts and ideas. Enjoy!

Top 5 Worst Predictions (Slides)

1. "I think there is room in the world for maybe 5 computers." - Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943 - Obviously there are much more than 5 computers in the world today. Computers used to be used for industrial purposes and were very large. Over generations of innovation, some form of a computer now exists in almost every modern and industrialized household, in the forms of PCs, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. The computer is growing increasingly more optimized for portability, speed, and recreational use.
   
2. "The horse is here to stay but the automobile is only a novelty - a fad." - The President of the Michigan Savings Bank advising Henry Ford's lawyer not to invest in the Ford Motor Co., 1903 - Automobiles are the most widely-used transportation vehicles today, while horses have grown to be almost completely obsolete outside of recreational purposes. Almost every industrialized household in the world today owns a car, as civilizations have been structured such that it has nearly become a necessity. Cars help transport people to their destinations, and products to their retailers, faster than horses ever could.
   
3. "A rocket will never be able to leave the Earth's atmosphere." - New York Times, 1936 - Not only have rockets left the Earth's atmosphere, but so have people, satellites, animals, and other foreign objects. We have made great strides towards discovery of life on other planets and exploration of our galaxy since 1936, and as we develop greater technologies, I can only imagine that we will be sending much more than just rockets to places beyond the Earth's atmosphere.
   
4. "There will never be a bigger plane built." - A Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247, a twin engine plane that holds ten people - We have come a long way since the Wright brothers built their model of the airplane. Today, airplanes can store hundreds of people and take them across the world to any destination that pleases them. Innovations in engineering have allowed for much more aerodynamic models to be manufactured, which has created much more economical air transportation.
   
5. “Everyone acquainted with the subject will recognize it as a conspicuous failure.” - Henry Morton, President of the Steven’s Institute of Technology on Edison’s Light Bulb, 1880 - It would now be difficult to imagine a world without light in it. The light bulb not only brightens our homes, but also our streets, our vehicles, and our computer displays. None of these things would be made possible if the light bulb didn't exist, and we would find ourselves pretty unproductive for about 12 hours of the day when it would be nearly impossible to see most things outside of candlelight range.