Screw PropellerScrew Propellers vastly reduced the amount of power needed to move ships. The propellers look like fans and work on similar principles except they displace water instead of air. Countless people, from James Watt onward, claim to have invented the screw propeller. Early experiments, in the late 1700s and early 1800s, functioned but propelled ships … Continue reading "Screw Propeller"
Three Phase PowerOne extra wire allows transmission of triple the amount of electricity via three-phase power. With three wires rather than two, electrical operators can transmit triple the electricity. “Polyphase” is another term for three-phase power. Three phase power usually transmits enormous amounts of electricity. These are the large transmission lines on tall polls. Electricity is converted … Continue reading "Three Phase Power"
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET Plastic bottles)PET plastic reduced the cost and weight of beverage containers. Originally, only glass and metal containers were suitable for storing carbonated drinks. Other plastics would bulge and break. However, PET plastic enabled plastic bottles suitable for carbonated drinks. Soon, it became used for all beverages. In the 1960s, plastics engineer Wyeth questioned whether carbonated drinks … Continue reading "Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET Plastic bottles)"
Reasonably Priced Business Computer (IBM/360)The IBM/360 is the first mass computer, designed as a general-purpose computer affordable for mid-sized businesses yet powerful enough for large enterprises. Background In 1962, IBM’s revenue was $2.5 billion. CEO Thomas Watson Jr. believed in the vision of a general-purpose computer that supports timesharing, the ability of a computer to do multiple things at … Continue reading "Reasonably Priced Business Computer (IBM/360)"
Binary TheoryIn 1935 theoretical mathematician Alan Turing proposed a machine that would use a series of on and off switches that could represent or compute anything. Turing joined the war effort to build mechanical computers that decrypted Enigma messages. Eventually, he helped with electronic computers. His theories underpin all modern computers. Subsequently, Turing envisaged reasonably sentient … Continue reading "Binary Theory"
UnixUnix is a computer operating system. Among other things, it allows a computer to do many things at once. Derivatives of the original Unix include Linux, MacOS, and BSD. You’re reading this right now due to a server running Unix derivative Linux. Background Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson worked at Bell Labs. Thompson worked on … Continue reading "Unix"
Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED)Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) emit light with virtually no electricity. Lamps, televisions, mobile phone, and computer monitors are common applications. Additionally, OLEDs are bright, high-contrast, and extremely thin. OLED screens are faster, brighter, and use far less energy than LED-based displays. As the technology develops, they will eventually cost less than LED displays. OLED’s are … Continue reading "Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED)"
Electronic Maps – Geographic Information Systems (GIS)Electronic maps simplify planning and routing. They lower the cost of transportation by sharply reducing the cost of getting lost. Furthermore, they allow optimization of store and advertisement placement. The reason Starbuck’s always seems to be “on the way” is due to the use of GIS. Dangermond found Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) in 1969 … Continue reading "Electronic Maps – Geographic Information Systems (GIS)"
Mini Steel Mill (mini-mill)1969 Ken Iverson “Integrated” steel mills create steel from raw materials. They use the Bessemer process to transform raw materials into enormous amounts of steel. The plants are giant, inflexible, dirty, and expensive to erect and run. Ken Iverson worked at the Nuclear Corporation of America (eventually, Nucor), a conglomerate of assorted businesses pulled together … Continue reading "Mini Steel Mill (mini-mill)"
Credit ReportingAccurate credit reporting vastly lowered the risk of lending and, with it, the cost of capital. Lewis Tappan Tappan was a strident Christian who did not believe in credit. His brother and he went bankrupt, twice. Tappan and brothers were busybodies, known to snoop and report on New York City gaming houses, brothels, and other … Continue reading "Credit Reporting"
Color Photography1908 James MaxwellSergey Prokudin-Gorsky Scottish physicist James Maxwell laid the groundwork for color photography. Eventually, Russian Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky perfected the technique using three exposures through a red, green, and blue filter. Recombining each exposure into one print accurately portrays color. This method, combining red, green, and blue, remains the foundation of how color is reproduced … Continue reading "Color Photography"
TypewriterTypewriters vastly lower the cost of producing readable text. Before the typewriter people would have to either write carefully (slowly) or hire a calligrapher. Mill patented the first typewriter in 1714. Nothing more is known about him; he has disappeared into history. Christopher Sholes invented the QWERTY keyboard and typewriter ー the first commercially successful … Continue reading "Typewriter"
Ted Hoff’s General Purpose Microprocessor“…even though science and technology are wonderful, what really gets them out there for people to use is to have businesses built around them. It takes savvy businessmen as well as savvy technologists to make that work.” Tedd Hoff Background Ted Hoff had access to then state-of-the-art vacuum tube circuits in high school. In 1954, … Continue reading "Ted Hoff’s General Purpose Microprocessor"
- Featured Stupid Feature: Auto-Off Scales
Cross-posted from blueoceanthinking.substack.com. The blue ocean strategy process includes the well-known “Four Actions Framework” where we eliminate, reduce, raise, and create key factors in search of a new offering. Eliminating and reducing features that add cost but not value is often key to creating a blue ocean megahit. Traditional marketers have a knee-jerk reaction; they … Continue reading "Featured Stupid Feature: Auto-Off Scales"
Air BrakesAir brakes use compressed air to allow trains to run much faster, reducing the cost of train rides. Before air brakes, train speeds were limited due to an inability to reliably slow them. Runaway trains were a real problem before air brakes limiting the speed and utility of trains. Westinghouse innovated an airbrake for trains … Continue reading "Air Brakes"