Actually, it has been private individuals and enterprize.
Governments - and the military - have then bought the stuff from them after
the fact. Although nowadays governments sometimes lay down contract specs,
then invite R&D and bids etc for major projects, most major advances have
been privately researched (or discovered/invented) and developed -then
adopted with modification for military use. Of course anything of true
strategic value is often declared "secret" until it is "obsolete" - and then
allowed to trickle down to the rtegular commercial markets.
Miniturized electronics is a good example here. It wasn't the military who
"developed" them - it was private inginuity and expertize. After it became
old hat, it was then allowed to be sold to ordinary folk on commercial
lines.
Governments have often generally been some of the last and most difficult
people to convince of the merits of any given "project". Especially if it
has other social and or political implications. Of course "other" businesses
have been known to attempt to stall of stifle threats to their interests as
well ;)
Regards,
Lee
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Benson Honig
Subject: Re: [OM] Further thoughts on technology
".... Anyway, I never owned a gun, but I do see your point regarding
technology. It so happens that military technology was THE source
of R&D for the past couple of millennia...Fine cameras are rooted in
optics and watchmaking - both used and developed for navigation -
and warfare. A great book on the subject is Longitude by David
Sobel...."
Benson
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