3 ms·

Him and Wolfram seem to have a lot in common...

TriinT 17y ago
Except that Kamen has achieved something, while Wolfram has not achieved much. Kamen created new technology that helps people. What has Wolfram achieved in the last 30 years?
- yan 17y ago
  What?! You don't consider Mathematica a technology that helps people?
  - TriinT 17y ago
    Well, I don't use Mathematica, so it does not help me. There are other computer algebra systems out there. There are substitutes. By contrast, Kamen created medical devices that help save lives (e.g., dialysis systems, insulin pumps, etc). I love software, but some problems can't be solved with software alone... Though Wolfram started Mathematica, he has not been actively contributing to it for many years. So, while Mathematica has helped many mathematicians, the kudos go to Wolfram AND his programmers. As much as Wolfram loves to project the image of the lone-wolf genius (and fail to give credit to other people), the truth is that Mathematica is a huge team effort these days. So, imagine that Mathematica had not been created. Mathematicians would be using other computer algebra systems. If Kamen had not invented his stuff, people would have died. They're playing entirely different games. Sure, Wolfram was a teenage genius that got his PhD in particle physics at Caltech at age 21 or so... but he needs to invent cold fusion (or something huge like that) to attain the fame and notoriety his ego demands.
- jodrellblank 17y ago
  "What has Wolfram achieved in the last 30 years?" A new kind of science
  - TriinT 17y ago
    ANKOS is neither new nor Science...
    - blasdel 17y ago
      ...nor Wolfram
- TriinT 17y ago
  Keep downvoting. I would appreciate if someone had the balls to stand up and say what is it that Wolfram has achieved. OK, he has a cool software company, but for a guy who wanted to revolutionize Physics, that's a meager accomplishment. I can think of tens of Caltech alumni who accomplished much more than Wolfram, but who are less inclined to publicize themselves. Some examples: - Arnold Beckman: invented the pH meter, founded Beckman Instruments, and funded tons of great research. Has two buildings at Caltech named after him. - Linus Pauling: revolutionized Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Won 2 Nobel prizes. - Charles Townes: invented the maser, won the Nobel prize. - Bill Shockley: co-invented the transistor, won the Nobel prize. - Donald Knuth: invented TeX, wrote TAOCP. - Gordon Moore: founded Intel, started the microprocessor revolution, changed the world. - Irving Reed: made important contributions to the field of error-correcting codes. - Carver Mead: revolutionized electronics, founded tons of companies. He's one of the greatest technologists of the last 50 years, and yet few people know of him. - Bill Gross: started IdeaLab and founded tons of cool startups. So.. what is it that Wolfram has achieved? His papers on Cellular Automata are cute, but not earth-shattering. ANKOS is a recreational book with more artistic value than scientific value. Mathematica is great, but we could do well without it as there are tons of other CAS'es out there. Alpha is still hype. For someone of such high intellectual caliber, Wolfram has not accomplished much indeed. Feel free to downvote. Or, if you actually have anything insightful to say, go ahead and destroy my argument.

Except that Kamen has achieved something, while Wolfram has not achieved much. Kamen created new technology that helps people. What has Wolfram achieved in the last 30 years?

yan 17y ago
What?! You don't consider Mathematica a technology that helps people?
- TriinT 17y ago
  Well, I don't use Mathematica, so it does not help me. There are other computer algebra systems out there. There are substitutes. By contrast, Kamen created medical devices that help save lives (e.g., dialysis systems, insulin pumps, etc). I love software, but some problems can't be solved with software alone... Though Wolfram started Mathematica, he has not been actively contributing to it for many years. So, while Mathematica has helped many mathematicians, the kudos go to Wolfram AND his programmers. As much as Wolfram loves to project the image of the lone-wolf genius (and fail to give credit to other people), the truth is that Mathematica is a huge team effort these days. So, imagine that Mathematica had not been created. Mathematicians would be using other computer algebra systems. If Kamen had not invented his stuff, people would have died. They're playing entirely different games. Sure, Wolfram was a teenage genius that got his PhD in particle physics at Caltech at age 21 or so... but he needs to invent cold fusion (or something huge like that) to attain the fame and notoriety his ego demands.
jodrellblank 17y ago
"What has Wolfram achieved in the last 30 years?" A new kind of science
- TriinT 17y ago
  ANKOS is neither new nor Science...
  - blasdel 17y ago
    ...nor Wolfram
TriinT 17y ago
Keep downvoting. I would appreciate if someone had the balls to stand up and say what is it that Wolfram has achieved. OK, he has a cool software company, but for a guy who wanted to revolutionize Physics, that's a meager accomplishment. I can think of tens of Caltech alumni who accomplished much more than Wolfram, but who are less inclined to publicize themselves. Some examples: - Arnold Beckman: invented the pH meter, founded Beckman Instruments, and funded tons of great research. Has two buildings at Caltech named after him. - Linus Pauling: revolutionized Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Won 2 Nobel prizes. - Charles Townes: invented the maser, won the Nobel prize. - Bill Shockley: co-invented the transistor, won the Nobel prize. - Donald Knuth: invented TeX, wrote TAOCP. - Gordon Moore: founded Intel, started the microprocessor revolution, changed the world. - Irving Reed: made important contributions to the field of error-correcting codes. - Carver Mead: revolutionized electronics, founded tons of companies. He's one of the greatest technologists of the last 50 years, and yet few people know of him. - Bill Gross: started IdeaLab and founded tons of cool startups. So.. what is it that Wolfram has achieved? His papers on Cellular Automata are cute, but not earth-shattering. ANKOS is a recreational book with more artistic value than scientific value. Mathematica is great, but we could do well without it as there are tons of other CAS'es out there. Alpha is still hype. For someone of such high intellectual caliber, Wolfram has not accomplished much indeed. Feel free to downvote. Or, if you actually have anything insightful to say, go ahead and destroy my argument.