How much is truly revolutionary?

[Billy Cox]

Recently, I saw an article somewhere that pointed out that nearly all technology we interact with on a daily basis is actually old technology with more recent enhancements, but nothing especially revolutionary. The author gave the example of the gas turbine engine (patented in 1930) which is virtually identical to the engines used for most air travel today.

So... What do you use that could be considered a ground-breaking innovation rather than simply being a gussied-up version of something invented 20 or more years ago? Things like computers and phones are smaller, faster and more ubiquitous, but revolutionary?

I'm not suggesting that we close the patent office or anything crazy like that, just wondering if there is a theoretical point in any field, beyond which there are no more revolutionary discoveries remaining.

[Gene Tatsch]

I do think most inventions are extensions of previous work ... ("we are pygmies standing on the shoulders of giants").
Yet, I think we can identify disruptive technologies: transistor (key to the extensions into current computer devices), laser (which has spawned checkout scanners, CD players, fibre optics). And the gas turbine links to the steam turbine of electric generators ... yet, I suspect the turbine concept wasn't to be found in 1500.

Probably a few others founded in research science extensions - but, yes, I think Henry Ford could recognize a car.
But isn't the patent office tasked to record "non obvious" extensions of existing technology?
gene --

[Rich Schmidt]

Recently, I saw an article somewhere that pointed out that nearly all technology we interact with on a daily basis is actually old technology with more recent enhancements, but nothing especially revolutionary. The author gave the example of the gas turbine engine (patented in 1930) which is virtually identical to the engines used for most air travel today.

I'd be interested to read that article. Partly because many of the things we experience today as revolutionary are simply enhancements of old technology.... but those enhancements make a great deal of difference!

For example, the LCD & battery technology that make my laptop computer possible could be described as simply enhancements of old technologies.... but they bring portable computing within reach for a great number of people who never before could have carried a computer in their backpack.

Or extend that to the computing power of a smartphone. Cell phones themselves were revolutionary... and the little pocket computers we call smartphones are simply unbelievable, if you step back 20-30 years.

Twenty years ago (1990) there was no World Wide Web. The internet existed, but only in universities and research labs. Http, the web, graphical browsers: these all came together within the past 20 years. That's probably the most revolutionary shift we've experienced. Yahoo, Google, eBay, YouTube, blogging, Skype, MySpace, Facebook... email... IM... These are revolutionary ways for people to interact.

Or would the article say these are all just making something "more ubiquitous" that already existed? If so... then I believe that in itself is revolutionary!

[Billy Cox]

I'd be interested to read that article. Partly because many of the things we experience today as revolutionary are simply enhancements of old technology.... but those enhancements make a great deal of difference!

For example, the LCD & battery technology that make my laptop computer possible could be described as simply enhancements of old technologies.... but they bring portable computing within reach for a great number of people who never before could have carried a computer in their backpack.

Or extend that to the computing power of a smartphone. Cell phones themselves were revolutionary... and the little pocket computers we call smartphones are simply unbelievable, if you step back 20-30 years.

Twenty years ago (1990) there was no World Wide Web. The internet existed, but only in universities and research labs. Http, the web, graphical browsers: these all came together within the past 20 years. That's probably the most revolutionary shift we've experienced. Yahoo, Google, eBay, YouTube, blogging, Skype, MySpace, Facebook... email... IM... These are revolutionary ways for people to interact.

Or would the article say these are all just making something "more ubiquitous" that already existed? If so... then I believe that in itself is revolutionary!

I looked for the article, but couldn't find it. It was either in Time Magazine or on MSN...or CNN or Forbes.

I guess it comes down to how one defines 'revolutionary'. The word 'revolutionary' is so over-used that some people overcompensate by using an ultra-narrow definition.