[TowerTalk] new Technology was Re: Mini Lini on the Tower?

[Jim Lux]

At 11:11 AM 5/17/2005, Tom Rauch wrote:
> > At least in the "early adopter" phase.  But only by
>getting some out there
> > and playing with them do people find out what features are
>useful and which
> > aren't.  You don't see manual spark advance and mixture
>controls on cars
> > anymore, but that was a standard feature in the early
>days.
>
>Actually you do. Spark advance controls and mixture control
>programming systems sell for a premium, but only to high
>performance buffs of course.

Not exactly a "standard feature".

However, the car analogy is the same as all other technology things, just 
as in ham radio (or, audiophile equipment, or washing machines).

You start with early adopters, and an excess of controls and features.
Then, you get to mass market, with a lot of winnowing down of controls, 
features to what's really desired.
Then, you get manufacturing optimizations. Both of these lead to a 
lessening of the variety, just because you need it to get production costs 
down.
Then, you get modifiers.
Finally, you get resurrectors.