[newgeezer]

Your partial response would seem to imply that you were just blowing smoke with your previous statement, "If it weren't for the 'foolishly spent billions' of the manned space program, you would not now have the computer on which you bitch."

If so, thanks for admitting it. Aside from the occasional and/or accidental by-product, NASA's manned space program amounts to precious little more than publicly-funded, pork-barrel joyrides for a lot of so-called "conservative," armchair Captain Kirks.

But, if not, let's have those facts about how and why NASA's billions spent on manned space missions was the only way to get our bitchin' PCs.

[tbpiper]

My 'partial response' was actually a 'short' response, having been pared down for lower capacity comprehensions. As far as 'armchair Capitan Kirks', said capitan was only an actor,whereas Neil Armstrong, for instance, was actually in space! Unless, of course you buy into the story that the whole thing was staged on a movie set. But I don't even think you're that stupid.

Not knowing of you understand the concept of 'forcing function', I'll give you a couple of examples:
WWI & WWII were forcing functions for advances in medicine and aviation. We would not have the petroleum industry today, had Henry's Ford not been so popular.

The manned space program was a forcing function for the technologies needed to make it work. The computer was not invented by the space program, but its development was heavily pushed by the need for greater computing power. I'm sure a true conservative will grasp the entrepenurial picture.

NASA has a technology utilization program. There are many processes and patents essentially 'free for the taking' to someone enterprising enough to develop a business from them. That is just one way we can reap the benefits of billions of 'foolishly spent' dollars. You really ought to keep up with things.