Curmudgeonly Ways

So it seems that Richard Stallman has proclaimed that cloud computing is stupid.  It appears that Larry Ellison has voiced a similar sentiment.  In case you missed some of the other claims made during the roll out of new technology:

Stanley Schuster, famous horse breeder and seller c. 1910 – “These stupid cars are just a fad.  They aren’t going to love you like a horse.”

Robert Valchek, Polish military tactician c. 1936 – “I’m not sure about this whole tank thing.  It’s stupid really.  What soldier wants to sit inside of tin can, separated from his enemy?  I just don’t see how those things make any kind of an impact.”

James Vanderslotten, home radio salesman c. 1945 – “Moving plays in your living room?  What a waste of time.  Customers want the intimacy of performances acted for them in the comfort of their home, not nitwits on a impersonal screen talking about house cleaners.”

Howard Hallet, big band conductor c. 1962 – “This rock and roll nonsense is nothing but noise.”

Bill Gates, Microsoft CEO c.1981 – “640k is all the memory your computer will ever need.”

Donald McAvoy, Encyclopedia Brittanica salesman c. 1995 – “Disk based encyclopedias?  Who wants that?  People buy encyclopedias because they want to have the books…to turn the pages.”

Joe Stinson, owner Corner Video Rentals c. 2004 – “Mail delivery of DVDs?  Seriously?  What a joke.  How do you browse through titles?  What about the last minute pickup?  What a brain dead idea.”

There you have it…plenty of curmudgeons who have staked their claim on history with some pretty prescient pronouncements.