[Discuss] Econonomic contribution

[markw at mohawksoft.com]

> On Sat, Oct 15, 2011 at 10:37 PM, Bill Bogstad <bogstad at pobox.com> wrote:
>> I'm not sure why that sentiment wouldn't apply equally to Steve Jobs
>> 'vision' and his contributions to computing.   Or anyone else for that
>> matter.   Kind of makes this whole thread a waste of time.
[snip]
> If you think that what
> Ritchie did (Unix, C, etc.) was groundbreaking and could not easily
> have been duplicated by someone else if he hadn't ever lived, then
> it's probably fair to say that Ritchie's contributions were greater.
> If you think that what Ritchie did was marginal, or that it could
> easily have been duplicated by someone else, then you'd probably have
> to go with Jobs.

As big a fan of Ritchie that I am, I would not say he stood alone, as it
were, remember, "UNIX" was a play on the name Multics, and Multics was the
origin of many of the concepts we now attribute to UNIX. Furthermore, the
unix that Ritchie wrote, so long ago, bares little resemblance to the
unicies that we have today.

The concept of having stood on the shoulders of giants, also applies to
the giants themselves.

For me, it is more two questions: (1) Which is more valuable "form" or
"function?" and (2) Who is most responsible?

In question (1) I consider Jobs' contribution as packaging and marketing
of ideas and functionality already in existence. Ritchie's contribution
was similarly dubious, but "functional" who knew that Unics whould be
anything? and that the C language would have lasted.

The second question is really interesting. How much of "Jobs'"
accomplishments were his own? I argue none. I submit that all his
accomplishments were purely the work of a collaborative process. Yes, he
chose the final versions, but he never made any of it. He never drew
something out and said "Make this." Very creative people created designs,
and as Jobs was presented designs, he took their creativity and made it
his own. He learned more from the designers than the designers learned
from him. Ritchie on the other hand, did all the things he did, first
hand.

So, my money is on Ritchie.