Re: Fw: Incessant Horse Flogging.

[John Fleck <jfleck inkstain net>]

On Fri, Nov 15, 2002 at 08:48:20AM -0700, Bowie J. Poag wrote:
> 
> > Everything mimics something. It could be nature, a similar system, a
> > previous invention, etc.  The electronic desktop mimics the physical
> > desktop.
> 
> Yes, but occasionally there are leaps in the evolution of those
> systems..both in nature, and in manufacturing. Nature tries things out..

This metaphor starts you down a dangerous path, but I think the metaphor still
holds. In the vast majority of cases nature's experiments fail, leading to
death or extinction. Innovation is relatively easy. Successful innovation is
very hard.

Cheers,
John