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Mark Zuckerberg, Inventor
theodp writes "Move over, Thomas Edison. Here comes Mark Zuckerberg, inventor extraordinaire. Zuck's still waiting for that elusive first patent to be issued, but take a gander at the Facebook founder's patent application for Dynamically Generating a Privacy Summary to get an idea of what's in the works. After you check boxes on a form to indicate that 'Everyone from San Francisco, CA, Social Network Provider, and Harvard' can see your profile, Zuckerberg's 'invention' will miraculously display: 'People from San Francisco, CA, Social Network Provider, and Harvard can see your profile.' How dare Rolling Stone question his inventiveness!"
Some deserve it. But I don't read this site for editorials, I read it for some of the scientists and engineers that will comment after the fact.
But this kind of initial submission makes it hard to even read the front page.
I don't really understand the view that because someone succeeded they must be smart. This isn't necessarily true at all. Success is often a matter of luck or timing that had nothing to do with skill.
For example, Apple didn't succeed with their Newton handheld but Palm computing did with their Pilot. Most people agree its a case of market timing, even though the Newton was unarguably a more powerful device all-round.
Whether Mark stole an idea or not should be argued on its own merits, whether he succeeded in the resulting application of that theft or not.
People (with money) steal ideas all the time and then hire people to implement it for them leaving true inventors empty handed. Ask the inventor of the Yo-yo how his patent fights against big companies have been for example.
No matter what you were told in school, market forces are NOT fair. They may determine several things, but determining who DESERVES credit or compensation is not one of them.
- Michael T. Babcock (Yes, I blog)
There are 3 facts about success.
1 - it about WHO you know and WHO knows you. Having the right network will make you a CEO.
2 - it's all about timing. I dont care how innovative your idea or product is, if it's not the right time for it, it will fail.
3 - Dumb luck. Many successes confound everyone. Twitter for example, what an inane idea, yet people are taking to it like flies.
Being a genius, inventor, or guru means NOTHING. Look at Tesla. he actually invented radio, AC power, and 90% of what we use today. Problem is other turds like Marconi used Tesla's ideas (and patents) to beat him to the patent office. Yet History still shows incorrectly as Marconi as the inventor of radio, even though congress and other bodies overturned the claims and gave it to Tesla. He died a pauper alone in his apartment. Tesla was as smart as Einstein if not smarter. He had bad timing and was did not have the right network.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Yet Zuckerberg is the 24-year old BILLIONAIRE and Greenspan isn't.
Billionaire? Really? Is all that money on a piece of paper, or in his bank account?
Until Facebook has (at the very least) an IPO, Zuckerberg isn't a billionaire, he just owns part of an entity that some people believe to be worth billions.
Hollow words will burn and hollow men will burn.