4-13-18
Section accidentally left out:
Sandra Kurtzig is still trying to sell
her factory management system for minicomputers
people don't yet get the importance of software
Niels Riemers is trying to figure out how to
license the Stanford recombinant DNA patent when the field is
controversial
the culture of university scientists was to pursue knowledge for
its own sake, it was selling out to work with industry
how broad a patent would be allowed was not clear
today's controversies:
- genetic modification of embryos either to
prevent genetic disease or based on preferences
- gene therapy for diseases--use a virus to
insert the missing gene into the cells of an adult
- cloning is significantly used in animals, will
it be allowed for infertility in humans
1970s controversies
- some talk about the future of genetically
modified human beings
- what if the scientists create a new disease?
- what if genetic genetic engineering of plants
creates the next kudzu
- is this too much playing God, changing the
genes of people or plants?
Bob Swanson has been fired from a venture capital
company and was convinced there was a future in recombinant DNA
Herb Boyer was the only scientist willing to talk to him about
commercialization being possible already
they decide to focus on insulin and form a company, Genetech
the company was successful but getting a product to market turned
out to be hard
they pioneered the idea of contracting for the necessary
experiments to be done in academic labs
They then need that patent for the fundamental process that
Riemers is trying to market
but the patent is held up in many controversies
Mike Markkula meets Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, making a
computer in Job's parents' garage
The Apple I was a computer for electronic
hobbyists (as was the MITS Altair)
they were working on a next model with some graphics
had a vision of a computer ordinary people could use and good
circuit design
Hobbyist entrepreneurs built machines for hobbyists
computer makers weren't interested in a consumer market
and worried they would end up competing with their profitably
businesses