Comments on: Samizdata quote of the day

By: Eddie Willers

Eddie Willers — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 14:51:04 +0000

Gubbmint intervention has probably killed a good deal more than we are aware of or has been recorded by history.

Two examples spring to mind, corrupted by vested interests and govco regulation.

Edwin Armstrong invented FM radio singlehandedly in the 1930′s but government changed his frequency allocation after the fledgling industry had been established – every FM radio that had been built up that point became useless overnight as the frequency band shifted from 38-50MHz to 88-108Mhz.

Allan B DuMont, founder of the first true TV network in the US, was undercut by the regulatory requirement to establish UHF-TV stations at a time when the market was not ready for the technology and the existing VHF systems were perfectly adequate for the growing network coverage..

By: J.M. Heinrichs

J.M. Heinrichs — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 03:54:29 +0000

Sir Henry Ricardo
Dr Richard Whitcomb
Glen Curtiss
Dr W.R. Turnbull
Sir Frank Whittle

Cheers

By: bobby b

bobby b — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 01:16:34 +0000

Rutan uses his design knowledge – both academic and empirical – as a starting point, but very quickly jumps out of that umbrella into seat-of-the-pants exploration of new concepts and new combinations of concepts. Sure, he’s a pro – but I think he also fits into the shade-tree mechanic mold simply by dint of his poking around the unknown and creating.

By: wh00ps

wh00ps — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:22:53 +0000

For an in-depth discussion of the ultimate progression of the state getting involved in invention, I may suggest reading “The First Circle,” if you haven’t already.

By: llamas

llamas — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:21:07 +0000

With respect, Burt Rutan does not belong in a group of “shade-tree mechanics”. He’s an excellent aircraft designer because he has a degree in aeronautical engineering from Caltech and 40 years of professional experience in the field. He’s not an amateur tinkerer and never was.

llater,

llamas

By: Laird

Laird — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:15:47 +0000

Nuke, may I suggest “Lockeville” instead? “Locketown” sounds too much like “lockdown“, as in a prison.

By: NickM

NickM — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:17:23 +0000

In answer to the question posed…

http://defensetech.org/2011/07/19/46-billion-worth-of-cancelled-programs/

By: 'Nuke' Gray

'Nuke' Gray — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:27:31 +0000

I meant ‘shady’, not ‘sgady’!
Still, I’m glad my new invention (the self-hooking button) can be licenced by an existing company. It seems that govmints regard start-ups as nuisances to be smothered in red tape. (I suppose they need the tape for something, or it would just accumulate in govmint departments.)
If I become rich enough from it, I may start my own island country founded on libertarian principles. I would call the chief ‘city’ Locketown, in honour of John Locke, the one who first articulated the principles of private property. I would need a minimum law book. Any ideas?

By: Gareth

Gareth — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:12:46 +0000

Let us not forget those who tried and failed as well. Failure, and the ability for those who follow to avoid repeating those failures, aids the successes.

With state backing the errors and mistakes tend to persist rather than wither, and will steal resources from ideas with better potential.

By: 'Nuke' Gray

'Nuke' Gray — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 12:53:31 +0000

And here I thought sgady businesses were bad! I must have been listening to too much government!