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 med

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.