Bill Gates decides to keep R&D local

[mrmitchell]

[Az]

Originally posted by Asher
How?

The people born today are too late for genetic engineering, all they can hope for is transplants from organ harvesting or something.

what about the people born tomorrow. I didn't say that the revolution has already occured, only that when it will, it will change human life more than genetics.

Besides, computers serve as the catalyst for innovations such as that.

irrelevant. To use a hyperbole, you don't credit the harnessing of fire for the invention of computers, do you?

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Smiley
Shows you how bad M$'s public image is, that they can't afford to go overseas.

No, software development is a little hard to move over seas then say manufacturing is. Alot of it is a team sport so the MS management would have to travel alot more if they moved oppurations over seas.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Azazel
irrelevant. To use a hyperbole, you don't credit the harnessing of fire for the invention of computers, do you?

Perfect example to illustrate my point:
If one specific technology can impact virtually every industry and serve as a catalyst for innovation in all of those industries, it is not "irrelevant", it is quite obvious that it, indeed, is perhaps the most profound innovation of the time and affects people the most.

It's not all about end-users seeing a direct difference, but how it got there. So if one field's recent innovations push virtually every field forward, why is that field's contributions "irrelevant" when credit is given?

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Asher
How?

The people born today are too late for genetic engineering, all they can hope for is transplants from organ harvesting or something.

Besides, computers serve as the catalyst for innovations such as that.

Gates is talking about the future though, "What other science is going... ", and he doesn't imply that he is necessarily talking about the present generation.

I was just playing devils advocate, though. I truly believe that the prime limitation of the growth and stability of any society is the means and ease of communications, and that when you get down to it, the most important thing for any civilization is how well society talks to itself and to others.

You are quite correct in that computers will play a much larger role in the development of genetics than genetics will play in the development of non-biological computers. But don't underestimate the impact of medical advances as a whole upon the human race. If we gain immortality, that would be a breakthrough that could dwarf anything computer related.

Imho, of course.

[Stefu]

For some reason, I first read the title "Bill Gates decides to keep BBQ local"

I wonder what kind of a BBQ Bill Gates would hold.

[Az]

I was aiming EXACTLY at that, JohnT.

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by JohnT
Good.

' "What other science is going to change the world anywhere near as much as computer science?" he (Gates) asked. '

Genetics?

as alwasy the answer is physics

Jon Miller

[Asher]

Originally posted by JohnT
Gates is talking about the future though, "What other science is going... ", and he doesn't imply that he is necessarily talking about the present generation.

I was just playing devils advocate, though. I truly believe that the prime limitation of the growth and stability of any society is the means and ease of communications, and that when you get down to it, the most important thing for any civilization is how well society talks to itself and to others.

You are quite correct in that computers will play a much larger role in the development of genetics than genetics will play in the development of non-biological computers. But don't underestimate the impact of medical advances as a whole upon the human race. If we gain immortality, that would be a breakthrough that could dwarf anything computer related.

Imho, of course.

I seriously doubt we're going to achieve immortality, as that'd destroy the planet pretty quickly. That's more science-fiction than anything else.

I also don't think Gates was talking that far into the future.

[Az]

Actually, if we look at the things we've done in these 100 years, and the exponential form the amount of knowledge has taken as a function of time, the next 100 years will certainly be the most exciting, dangerous, and unpredictable to live in, ever.

[solar]

nanotech

[:) Smiley]

say why wasn't nanotech in Civ while fusion power is?

[Drake Tungsten]

"What other science is going to change the world anywhere near as much as computer science?" he asked.

Biotechnology, which includes genetics. Arguably, it's already had more effect on the world than computers. As the science develops, it will quickly become the most important scientific branch of our times, at least to the common populace.

[Asher]

What does the "technology" part of biotechnology use?

[Drake Tungsten]

What does the "technology" part of biotechnology use?

I don't see what you're driving at. Well, actually I do, but it isn't worth embarassing you over. Just know that "biotechnology" is just a word to distinguish organic technological constructs from the older and more common synthetic ones.