Independent invention
Independent invention
Posted Mar 19, 2022 20:54 UTC (Sat) by giraffedata (guest, #1954)In reply to: Toward a better list iterator for the kernel by Wol
Parent article: Toward a better list iterator for the kernel
Alexander Graham Bell is credited with the invention of the telephone, but he just happened to beat his competitor to the patent office. I think the same is true of the Wright Brothers (the first successful aircraft was built in 1896 in England - it just didn't actually fly til about 10 years later ... :-)
Being the first to fly, first to file and the first to publicize count for a lot. I think it's vanishingly rare for someone to be so smart he comes up with an idea that no one else has; turning such an idea into an invention is more worthy of credit than having the idea.
I've read that many things were invented in China before they were invented in Europe (in days before the two were in communication), but it's because of the European inventor that I have them today, so I tend to celebrate the European inventor.