|
|
 Up |
|
|
  |
Author: FoggyTownFoggyTown Date: Dec 18, 2007 05:45
A few years ago I attended a marketing lecture given by a very
respected designer. One element of his presentation was his assertion
that there are many, many items which have been invented and even
perfected BUT which will not see the market - either because (1) the
average person couldn't handle them, or (2) their sale would ruin
other established markets.
(1) knife blades so sharp that you only have to rest the knife on a
tomato and it would slice through with no pressure (goodbye fingers)
(2) an ointment that safely kills hair follicles and eliminates the
need for ever shaving again (goodbye electric razor, blade and cream
sales)
I don't think he was spouting urban myths and I have no doubt that
crass corporate self-interests would support his cynicism. I just
wonder what's out there waiting to be sprung when someone thinks the
time is right?
(Very reminiscent of the old tale from the 50s about the man who
demonstrated he could turn water into gasoline and then got on a train
and was never seen again. Probably eliminated by the petroninjas!)
FoggyTown
|
| |
|
| | 87 Comments |
|
|
Author: DonkeyHodyDonkeyHody Date: Dec 18, 2007 06:39
On Dec 18, 7:45 am, FoggyTown aol.com> wrote:> A few years ago I attended a marketing lecture given by a very
> respected designer. One element of his presentation was his assertion
> that there are many, many items which have been invented and even
> perfected BUT which will not see the market - either because (1) the
> average person couldn't handle them, or (2) their sale would ruin
> other established markets.
>
> (1) knife blades so sharp that you only have to rest the knife on a
> tomato and it would slice through with no pressure (goodbye fingers)
> (2) an ointment that safely kills hair follicles and eliminates the
> need for ever shaving again (goodbye electric razor, blade and cream
> sales)
>
> I don't think he was spouting urban myths and I have no doubt that
> crass corporate self-interests would support his cynicism. I just
> wonder what's out there waiting to be sprung when someone thinks the
> time is right?
>
> (Very reminiscent of the old tale from the 50s about the man who ...
|
| Show full article (2.15Kb) |
|
| | no comments |
|
|
Author: Frank ArthurFrank Arthur Date: Dec 18, 2007 06:45
>A few years ago I attended a marketing lecture given by a very
> respected designer. One element of his presentation was his
> assertion
> that there are many, many items which have been invented and even
> perfected BUT which will not see the market - either because (1) the
> average person couldn't handle them, or (2) their sale would ruin
> other established markets.
>
> (1) knife blades so sharp that you only have to rest the knife on a
> tomato and it would slice through with no pressure (goodbye fingers)
> (2) an ointment that safely kills hair follicles and eliminates the
> need for ever shaving again (goodbye electric razor, blade and cream
> sales)
>
> I don't think he was spouting urban myths and I have no doubt that
> crass corporate self-interests would support his cynicism. I just
> wonder what's out there waiting to be sprung when someone thinks the
> time is right? ...
|
| Show full article (1.39Kb) |
| no comments |
|
|
Author: Charlie M. 1958Charlie M. 1958 Date: Dec 18, 2007 06:52
DonkeyHody wrote:
> Lots of little drug research companies can cook up new cancer drugs in
> their laboratories. Only the big drug manufacturers have the
> resources to fund the clinical trials necessary to get FDA approval...
|
| Show full article (1.22Kb) |
| no comments |
|
|
Author: dpbdpb Date: Dec 18, 2007 06:50
Charlie M. 1958 wrote:
> DonkeyHody wrote:
>
>> Lots of little drug research companies can cook up new cancer drugs in
>> their laboratories. Only the big drug manufacturers have the
>> resources to fund the clinical trials necessary to get FDA approval
>> for a new drug. Sometimes, a new drug will show lots of promise. But
>> the manufacturer will shelve the drug because it would make their LAST
>> cancer drug obsolete, and they haven't made enough money from it yet
>> to recover the cost of getting it to market - unless a competitor is
>> about to launch a product better than their old one. Meanwhile,
>> people are dying that could be saved by the new drug. On the one
>> hand, it looks immoral to put profits ahead of the needs of dying
>> people. On the other hand, if they couldn't make money, they would go
>> out of business and no one would be able to fund the studies. Issues
>> that appear to be black and white seldom are.
>
> In a similar vein, sometimes when researchers are looking for something
> like a new cancer drug, they accidentally stumble across something that
> shows promise for treating anther, much rarer condition. If the market ...
|
| Show full article (1.33Kb) |
| no comments |
|
|
Author: dpbdpb Date: Dec 18, 2007 06:51
Frank Arthur wrote:
>> A few years ago I attended a marketing lecture given by a very
>> respected designer. One element of his presentation was his
>> assertion
>> that there are many, many items which have been invented and even
>> perfected BUT which will not see the market - either because (1) the
>> average person couldn't handle them, or (2) their sale would ruin
>> other established markets.
>>
>> (1) knife blades so sharp that you only have to rest the knife on a
>> tomato and it would slice through with no pressure (goodbye fingers)
>> (2) an ointment that safely kills hair follicles and eliminates the
>> need for ever shaving again (goodbye electric razor, blade and cream
>> sales)
>>
>> I don't think he was spouting urban myths and I have no doubt that
>> crass corporate self-interests would support his cynicism. I just
>> wonder what's out there waiting to be sprung when someone thinks the ...
|
| Show full article (1.44Kb) |
| no comments |
|
|
Author: dpbdpb Date: Dec 18, 2007 06:54
FoggyTown wrote:
> A few years ago I attended a marketing lecture given by a very
> respected designer. One element of his presentation was his assertion
> that there are many, many items which have been invented and even
> perfected BUT which will not see the market - either because (1) the
> average person couldn't handle them, or (2) their sale would ruin
> other established markets.
...
Well, yeahbbut...
If there were a real market, it would make it out. While there may be
an element of truth in the claims, it's unlikely this miracle product,
whatever it might be, would be producible at a competitive price or not
have some other problem or somebody would be doing it...there are an
awful lot of bright folks out there.
--
|
| |
| no comments |
|
|
Author: Robert HaarRobert Haar Date: Dec 18, 2007 07:07
On 12/18/07 9:45 AM, "Frank Arthur" Arthurian.com> wrote:
>
> I invented a Universal Solvent but was unable to package it for sale
> because it would dissolve glass, plastic & even stainless steel!
>
And I have a cold fusion reactor running in my basement. (:-)
|
| |
| no comments |
|
|
Author: Charlie M. 1958Charlie M. 1958 Date: Dec 18, 2007 07:10
dpb wrote:
> Charlie M. 1958 wrote:
>> DonkeyHody wrote:
>>
>>> Lots of little drug research companies can cook up new cancer drugs in
>>> their laboratories. Only the big drug manufacturers have the
>>> resources to fund the clinical trials necessary to get FDA approval
>>> for a new drug. Sometimes, a new drug will show lots of promise. But
>>> the manufacturer will shelve the drug because it would make their LAST
>>> cancer drug obsolete, and they haven't made enough money from it yet
>>> to recover the cost of getting it to market - unless a competitor is
>>> about to launch a product better than their old one. Meanwhile,
>>> people are dying that could be saved by the new drug. On the one
>>> hand, it looks immoral to put profits ahead of the needs of dying
>>> people. On the other hand, if they couldn't make money, they would go
>>> out of business and no one would be able to fund the studies. Issues
>>> that appear to be black and white seldom are.
>>
>> In a similar vein, sometimes when researchers are looking for
>> something like a new cancer drug, they accidentally stumble across ...
|
| Show full article (1.75Kb) |
| no comments |
|
|
|
|
|
Author: eag111eag111 Date: Dec 18, 2007 07:12
You should rent "The Man in the White Suit" with Alec Guinness...plot
summary from IMDB: A man invents a fabric that won't get dirty or wear
out, but he seems to have made more enemies than friends in the
process....
|
| |
| no comments |
|
|
|
|
