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
I have traveled the length and breadth of this country
and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data
processing is a fad that won't last out the year.
--The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957
But what ... is it good for?
--Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968,
commenting on the microchip.
There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.
--Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital EquipmentCorp., 1977
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 the
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 Federal
Express founder Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service.
Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?
--H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.
I'm just glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling on his
face and not Gary Cooper.
--Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in
Gone With The Wind.
A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research
reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy
cookies like you make.
--Response to Debbi Fields' idea of starting Mrs. Fields' Cookies.
We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.
--Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.
--Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.
If I had thought about it, I wouldn't have done the experiment.
The literature was full of examples that said you can't do this.
--Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M
Post-It Notepads.
So we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing
thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think
about funding us? Or we' ll give it to you. We just want to do it.
Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.'
So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't
need you. You haven't got through college yet.'
--Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get
Atari and H-P interested in his and Steve Wozniak's personal
computer.