In reply to wilkie14c:
The silicon chip is remarkably reliable I am not so sure about other aspects of modern "gadgets". I use a £17 Nokia for personnel and business use .... friends with iPhones often seem to have problems with the hardware and software.
Look at digital photography.. a happy snapper like myself would be bankrupt if we had to use film.
There again I have ambitions to own a really good film camera and a proper valve amplifier!!.
One thing I have always thought is that the "powers that be" really have very little control over what happens in tech( and other stuff too). Adeventurers of all kinds just try stuff out and some of it catches on and some doesn't. Then in 10 years time the time comes for something that was left on the shelf. As far as I know GPS was NASA's second biggest programme after the moon landings. The US Navy didn't want it and saw all sorts of problems with it. NASA went ahead anyway, the millitary eventually thought they'd give it a go and he ho look where we are now!
sjm