Thinking man's thread: Name an area/technology where progress has peaked

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Thinking man's thread: Name an area/technology where progress has peaked (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 8/14/2007 8:47:26 PM EDT

I am continually fascinated with all the new scientific and technological marvels that continue to be discovered and invented. The fact that we can send a small satellite [Carl Sagan voice] billions and billions [/Carl Sagan voice] of miles away to fly around Jupiter and Saturn with enough accuracy to take incredible photographs and collect data is endlessly intriguing to me.

The increased complexity and ever-shrinking size of computer chips, to the point where designers have to worry about quantum level effects in chip design is another easily seen example of this.

The other day I was thinking about the opposite - where has man's progress stopped? That's what makes this a thinking man's (or woman's!) thread - post your thoughts on my ideas and add some of your own.

Don't add things that are simply not used anymore (buggy whips, carriages, etc.)

Consider this a brief intellectual enclave hidden in the gutter debris of General Discussion. :)

My first entry: Knots.

I believe that every commercially useful knot has already been invented. Although knots are used every day, I seriously doubt we'll see a new, unique, and useful (read: widely adapted) knot design or method. I think the sailors of years gone by have already done all the hard work for us.

Your thoughts?

Posted: 8/14/2007 8:54:26 PM EDT

[#1]

Quoted:
There have been no significant advances in carbon paper or inkwells for some time.

Yes, but these really aren't used in today's society. I'm looking for things that are used everyday, are an integral part of society, but simply won't advance further.

Posted: 8/14/2007 8:54:46 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Optics

I mean really what else are we gonna get out of ground glass we do not get now

there are some advancements in coating but nothing big and innovative anymore

you may be able to advance manufature to get another .0001% more perfect lens at 50% more cost is about it

Two words.

Liquid lenses.

really?............ runs off to google

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:01:32 PM EDT

[#3]

I think firearms development has pretty much peaked.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:02:00 PM EDT

[#4]

Eating Utensils/Dinnerware

Shoe Strings

Belts(Clothing)

Pie...

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:02:29 PM EDT

[#5]

Self-contained metallic cartridges. Haven't really changed in many, many years.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:02:31 PM EDT

[#6]

Everything is tied together. Currently, MS word is pretty much the best option when it comes to the written word. However, there are always ways to tweak and optimize Word to the upcoming challenges and changes. We could move away from a qwerty keyboard, or there might be a major improvement in the artificial intelligence to write our documents for us.

New technology changes old technology.

The carburetor was pretty much perfected in the 1950s for aircraft, and fuel metering didn't change until microprocessor and microcontroller technology advanced enough to make it all automated. We now have fuel injection.

Even the inkwell mentioned earlier modern technology could improve. Envision the automated blot free inkwell. It could easily sharpen your quill, clean the surface, and put exactly the right amount of ink on the quill in one dip.

Knots. New knot technology has come out recently. It was in the area of knot lubrication and monofiliment lines. Some knot designs in monofiliment fishing lines can be made stronger when lubricated.

No technology is stagnant, from agriculture to undertaking, everything is networked, and there is always a better way. The better way is typically expensive though.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:02:52 PM EDT

[#7]

Optics will go digital.

I have the latest binoculars from Luepold which show range, incline, and MOA adjustments to hit said target.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:03:20 PM EDT

[#8]

Hole digging. You can change how ya do it, but ya can only go so deep.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:03:50 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Self-contained metallic cartridges. Haven't really changed in many, many years.

Standby though as there is a next step to come before caseless.

5sub

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:04:37 PM EDT

[#10]

Buggy Whips.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:04:41 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Self-contained metallic cartridges. Haven't really changed in many, many years.

Standby though as there is a next step to come before caseless.

5sub

They already did the caseless thing. It didnt work well

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:05:36 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Self-contained metallic cartridges. Haven't really changed in many, many years.

Standby though as there is a next step to come before caseless.

5sub

Please elaborate.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:10:02 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Buggy Whips.

rofl
ain't that from a cartoon?

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:13:17 PM EDT

[#14]

alcohol

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:14:12 PM EDT

[#15]

I would say Radial aircraft engines, but I have a feeling soy diesel could someday power a new type of radial.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:46:14 PM EDT

[#16]

.45 caliber semi auto pistol development peaked in 1911.

Seriously though, firearms design has not progressed much at all. We are still using the M2 .50 cal machinegun.

The first real area that springs to mind is Management of Human behavior.

I have not seen any new and improved ways to get employees (or citizen/subjects) to give up those base human emotions such as anger, greed, envy, laziness, complacency and stupidity.

Our science has advanced at a remarkable pace, but deep down, we are still the same savages as our ancestors a thousand generations ago.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:52:44 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Seriously though, firearms design has not progressed much at all.

HK G11

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:55:01 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
How about your average, everyday wax candle? They're pretty much just a wick stuck in wax just as they have been centuries.

that would be considered lighting technology.

wouldnt it? theres new lighting stuff coming out now.

Posted: 8/14/2007 9:55:52 PM EDT

[#19]

Tucks

beer coozies.

barcoloungers

Posted: 8/14/2007 10:00:51 PM EDT

[#20]

There is really no area of technology where we have peaked. People are constantly finding better ways to do things.

Posted: 8/14/2007 10:04:37 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Quoted:
screw heads/ screwdriver tips

Not so sure. The old styles of phillips and slotted were the only thing in town for years, but now we have torx, star and square drive screw heads.

We also have security screw heads that can only be tightened unless a special adapter is used.

There may be improvements yet.

The Square drive or Robertson drive is older then the phillips, IIRC by a decade. It was invented by a canadian, Herny Ford wanted to use them but Robertson didn't like him.

Posted: 8/14/2007 10:08:21 PM EDT

[#22]

Flintlocks

Posted: 8/15/2007 9:28:02 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:
screw heads/ screwdriver tips

Not so sure. The old styles of phillips and slotted were the only thing in town for years, but now we have torx, star and square drive screw heads.

We also have security screw heads that can only be tightened unless a special adapter is used.

There may be improvements yet.

The Square drive or Robertson drive is older then the phillips, IIRC by a decade. It was invented by a canadian, Herny Ford wanted to use them but Robertson didn't like him.

Learn something new nearly every time I log on to arfcom.

Posted: 8/15/2007 9:29:56 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Optics

I mean really what else are we gonna get out of ground glass we do not get now

there are some advancements in coating but nothing big and innovative anymore

you may be able to advance manufature to get another .0001% more perfect lens at 50% more cost is about it

Two words.

Liquid lenses.

Digital camera lenses

--beat to it.

ICE?

Posted: 8/15/2007 9:32:33 AM EDT

[#25]

Government. The "state of the art" has been downhill since about 1800.

Posted: 8/15/2007 9:37:46 AM EDT

[#26]

Making Wine and Beer.

Posted: 8/15/2007 9:44:04 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
I think firearms development has pretty much peaked.

my thoughts as well. Everything for the past 50 years or so has just been variations on the same principles.

If not the firearms, certainly the ammunition.

Others: Jeans, tires, porn

Posted: 8/15/2007 9:55:03 AM EDT

[#28]

If graded on the ability to get from point A to point B:

AUTOMOBILES

Posted: 8/15/2007 9:56:21 AM EDT

[#29]

this is a thinking mans thread?? oh, well fuck it........ I'm out

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:00:55 AM EDT

[#30]

airplanes.
slower than the 1970's, no new progress just "better fuel economy", no new records broken (military or otherwise), it's all been done.

Space travel. fear of everything has totally stalled it. It can't be 100% safe and until they get over that, we'll go nowhere. Now they are talking about going back to the moon (you know, where we have already been) and only taking 20 years. It only took 7 years the first time., now we "know how to do it" and it's going to take 3 times as long? (and we all know every government program is on time)

computers. Sure, they are faster, stronger, but they still crash all the time, and they haven't solved any new problem. First there was word processing, a huge gain, then the spreadsheet (Lotus 123) which was a huge solution, then the WWW, but the last 5 to 10 years????? nada, just further evolution, no revoluationary problem solver.

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:03:57 AM EDT

[#31]

Firearm design has NOT peaked, be may be spinning out gears right now, but the HK G11 was underfunded and therefore under developed, it could still lead to new guns of the future.

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:04:00 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
Government. The "state of the art" has been downhill since about 1800.

Nah, there WILL be a better government than we had when the U.S. was formed. The next time the founders will constitutionally preclude socialism. Of course, it may be a few hundred years until we get to that point...

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:09:18 AM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:
... Batteries

We are due for a paradigm shift in their storage capacity, mass and longevity
Then again, an "operative" from Big Oil would have it killed once that barrier was broken

Marine Batteries have made huge strides in the past few years.

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:14:37 AM EDT

[#34]

School buses...that technology hasn't changed in 20 years

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:16:26 AM EDT

[#35]

yo-yo's

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:25:49 AM EDT

[#36]

Quoted:
Firearm design has NOT peaked, be may be spinning out gears right now, but the HK G11 was underfunded and therefore under developed, it could still lead to new guns of the future.

I don't think any amount of money would have saved it. It suffered from excessive heat from the fact that the cases actually take some of the heat with them when they are ejected. There is simply no way to get the heat out of the gun, and eventually it melts.

Rail guns are more likely to be the future. I think the biggest hurdle is power, which hopefully fuel cells will fix.

I think the best place to make advances in firearms with current technology is with the powder itself.

Imagin a .223 bullet in a case similar in size and shape to a .22lr that can get a 55gr bullet to 3000fps. Rifle performance in a pistol.

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:35:51 AM EDT

[#37]

Electric guitars and tube amps. There are more choices. There have been innovations since. But nothing is any better than the vintage stuff and in fact, many players (me included) have gone back to the classics because they sound and play better.

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:37:08 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
School buses...that technology hasn't changed in 20 years

and still no seatbelts

Posted: 8/15/2007 10:38:12 AM EDT

[#39]

the propane grill

Posted: 8/15/2007 11:15:48 AM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
I think firearms development has pretty much peaked.

metalstorm caseless... ?!?

Posted: 8/15/2007 6:10:19 PM EDT

[#41]

As I read this, I thought a few were correct that no inovation had been made. But each one HAS had inovations or Could have.

Firearms. Advances in materials used. Polymers and coatings, and bullet design and in propellant.

School Bus. They haven't advanced much in 50 years but they Could have and probably will. Seatbelts, airbags, crumple zones, seat design, impact protection seating etc.

Guitars. I prefer the classics through a tube amp. And tradition is strong, But modern amps are catching up and will someday pass the classics.

Which brings me to the lowly YOYO. Yes, major inovations have occured. I was surprised. From Wiki: "In 1990, Tom Kuhn released the SB-2 yo-yo (short for Silver Bullet 2), a high-performance ball bearing transaxle made with aluminum. This marked a major breakthrough for the modern yo-yo, as it was the first ball bearing yo-yo that actually worked. This ensured extremely long spin times and the ability to return as well."

My contribution: The number 2 PENCIL.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Thinking man's thread: Name an area/technology where progress has peaked (Page 1 of 2)

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