I'm very familar with Jack Kilby - luckily I got to take an indepth look at his life thanks to a proffessor at Sheffield University.
Very few men change the world for the better. Jack Kilby was one of those men. A true visionary and for that the world owes him a debt that can never be repaid.
Let us celebrate the work of a legend.
Very few men change the world for the better. Jack Kilby was one of those men. A true visionary and for that the world owes him a debt that can never be repaid.
Let us celebrate the work of a legend.
That's very true. I always wonder if somebody hadn't invented something whether it is only a matter of time before somebody else does.
But the bottom line is certain people have been credited with inventing things which have made a huge impact on our world and in our lives and we should be grateful to them for their endeavours.
And we could argue for ages whether it is all for the good (thinking about some of the weapons systems that depend on the IC) but the bottom line is there is no such thing as a one sided piece of paper and we are obliged to take the 'good' with the 'bad'!
Nuuk said:And we could argue for ages whether it is all for the good (thinking about some of the weapons systems that depend on the IC) but the bottom line is there is no such thing as a one sided piece of paper and we are obliged to take the 'good' with the 'bad'!
Come on Nuuk,
A rock is harmless until you give it to the wrong person and they use it as a weapon, steel is harmless until you cast it into a gun.
The IC does far more good than it ever contributes to bad, it saves lives in the form of hospital instruments and equipment, it provides enjoyment to millions each year through entertainment, It put the first man on the moon... the list goes on and on. If the IC dissappeared tommorow the world would be in chaos and war. So as you see its like everything else in the world, it is subject to abuse within the hands of the wrong individual but the mere fact that we have been given this wonderful tool and that it touches most peoples lives every day is incredible.
I don't think the Kilby' ever had any intention of this being used within weapons. What he did understand was that it would revolutionise electronics and bring about a new era of technology, he realised this when he was developing the first IC - like I said a true visionary.
I'm with you 100% Shinobiwan. The good side of inventions invariably out-weigh the bad but I was just making the point that it's not all good.
I would guess these inventors are so involved in their work that they hardly have time to consider the implications (even if they could imagine the developements say ten years ahead). And something like the IC seems pretty harmless! It may well have been different for the guys who worked on the atomic bomb!
I would guess these inventors are so involved in their work that they hardly have time to consider the implications (even if they could imagine the developements say ten years ahead). And something like the IC seems pretty harmless! It may well have been different for the guys who worked on the atomic bomb!
Nuuk,
Oppenheimer and his team of scientist knew exactly what they were doing with the nuclear 'experiments' in the Manhatten project. The goal was to create a weapon, what they didn't realise was the magnitude of destruction they were capable of.
It was a race with Germany to be the first to create purified Uranium 235 - the stuff used in atomic bombs and later branched into nuclear power using fission reactors.
Quote from TI website, and a brief history of Mr Kilby,
"DALLAS (June 21, 2005) – Jack St. Clair Kilby, retired TI engineer and inventor of the integrated circuit, died yesterday in Dallas following a brief battle with cancer. He was 81.
Mr. Kilby invented the first monolithic integrated circuit, which laid the foundation for the field of modern microelectronics, moving the industry into a world of miniaturization and integration that continues today. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000 for his role in the invention of the integrated circuit.
“In my opinion, there are only a handful of people whose works have truly transformed the world and the way we live in it – Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Jack Kilby,” said TI Chairman Tom Engibous. “If there was ever a seminal invention that transformed not only our industry but our world, it was Jack’s invention of the first integrated circuit.”
A man of few words, Mr. Kilby is remembered fondly by friends and associates for being in every sense of the word a gentleman and a gentle man. At 6 foot 6 inches in height, he was occasionally called the “gentle giant” in the press.
“Ever practical and low-key, with good humor and quiet grace, Jack was a man with every right to be boastful, yet never was,” said Mr. Engibous. Mr. Kilby was always quick to credit the thousands of engineers who followed him for their impact on growing the industry and changing the world. “For those of us who were fortunate enough to have known him, it’s that dual legacy for which I personally will always feel privileged to have known Jack – not only the quality of what he did, but the quality of who he was,” said Mr. Engibous. "
A sad day indeed on 21 June 2005. Picture is taken from TI website as well.
"DALLAS (June 21, 2005) – Jack St. Clair Kilby, retired TI engineer and inventor of the integrated circuit, died yesterday in Dallas following a brief battle with cancer. He was 81.
Mr. Kilby invented the first monolithic integrated circuit, which laid the foundation for the field of modern microelectronics, moving the industry into a world of miniaturization and integration that continues today. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000 for his role in the invention of the integrated circuit.
“In my opinion, there are only a handful of people whose works have truly transformed the world and the way we live in it – Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Jack Kilby,” said TI Chairman Tom Engibous. “If there was ever a seminal invention that transformed not only our industry but our world, it was Jack’s invention of the first integrated circuit.”
A man of few words, Mr. Kilby is remembered fondly by friends and associates for being in every sense of the word a gentleman and a gentle man. At 6 foot 6 inches in height, he was occasionally called the “gentle giant” in the press.
“Ever practical and low-key, with good humor and quiet grace, Jack was a man with every right to be boastful, yet never was,” said Mr. Engibous. Mr. Kilby was always quick to credit the thousands of engineers who followed him for their impact on growing the industry and changing the world. “For those of us who were fortunate enough to have known him, it’s that dual legacy for which I personally will always feel privileged to have known Jack – not only the quality of what he did, but the quality of who he was,” said Mr. Engibous. "
A sad day indeed on 21 June 2005. Picture is taken from TI website as well.
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