In an office coffee pot conversation last week, a cow-orker commented "So what did Jobs ever do? What's so great about the Macintosh? He just borrowed – stole! – other peoples' work, repackaged it, and made a bundle off the deal. I mean, the GUI had already been invented, that was the real work." I thought for a moment and said "So what did Einstein ever do? What's so great about special relativity? He just borrowed – stole! – other peoples' work, repackaged it, and made a reputation off the deal. I mean, the Lorentz transform had already been developed, that was the real work."
We both smiled and went back to our offices.
footnote: History of the Lorentz transformation at Wikipedia.
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