Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!masscomp!calvin!mark
From: mark@calvin..westford.ccur.com (Mark Thompson)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Digital Holography
Message-ID: <62078@masscomp.westford.ccur.com>
Date: 14 May 91 20:43:41 GMT
References: <1019.282B28FD@nwark.fidonet.org> <268@rins.ryukoku.ac.jp>
Sender: news@masscomp.westford.ccur.com
Reply-To: mark@calvin.westford.ccur.com (Mark Thompson)
Organization: Concurrent Computer Corp. Westford MA.
Lines: 26

In article <268@rins.ryukoku.ac.jp> will@rins.ryukoku.ac.jp (will) writes:
>	A little side note: I was once told that another reason for the delay
>	of the teraflop technologies was that:
>		All of the Corporations that make computers and have these
>		technologies currently cannot just release it at this time even
>		if they could.  The reason is "Economics".  They and thier
>		customers have invested billions in current technolgy.  To make
>		it absolutly obsolete over night would destroy there companys.
>		Not to forget that many of these manufacturers have warehouses
>		full of new equipment ready to be sold.  Worth billions.

I would believe this argument in a heartbeat for US auto manufacturers
but I find it a little hard to swallow for high tech computer companies.
Any company that could advance the state of the art by a few magnitudes
would do so instantly (provided it was cost effective), with the hope of
annihilating the competition and reaping massive profits. High tech computer
companies generally don't wharehouse huge masses of systems because of
the cost and the volatility of the high-end market. Today's Mega-Monster
Number Smasher is tommorrow's doorstop.
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