Readers on Europe's tech future

Michael Rogers Columnist • Profile • E-mail

Quite a bit of smart commentary came in on “Can Europe Still Compete in Technology?”, divided pretty equally between those who say oui and those who say nein.

But first, some clarification on what was invented by whom:

Thomas Tupper, Anaheim, CA: Hold up — since when does Europe get credit for the World Wide Web?

Charles Anderson, Elkton, MD: You are mistaken to say that the compact disc was invented by Europe. The digital compact disc was invented by James T. Russell (born in Bremerton, Washington, USA). This is proven in patent records for the first digital to optical recording and playback system.

The World Wide Web — the software superstructure that brought rich, hyperlinked content to the text-based Internet — was a 1989 European addition to the basic infrastructure created by the U.S. in the 1960s and 70s. Definitely European: The inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, didn’t get rich, but he did get a knighthood. The compact disc is a little less clear: James Russell, a prodigious American inventor, held numerous initial patents on optical recording, but U.S. firms never managed to make it into a consumer product.

John Combs, San Jose, CA: That "remarkable reading device with the roll-out screen" is merely a variation of a technology which Sony has already shipped real products. The "electronic paper" from E Ink will also roll up, and who knows -- Sony and E Ink (US-based) may ship an actual rollable product before the Europeans do. Here's info on the e-ink aspect of it: http://www.eink.com/press/releases/pr70.html.

I’ve seen the Sony LIBRIé (available only in Japanese) and it’s an interesting approach to the ebook. Rumor has it that Sony is talking to U.S. publishers and it may appear in English before long. But Philips technology is in that product as well and as I understand it, Philips, through their spin-off Polymer Vision, has the patent on the rollable version.  

Beyond specific inventions, plenty of readers — primarily from the U.S. — came forward to defend Europe:

Christopher Eldridge, Harrisburg PA: I find the Europeans particularly innovative. Consider the Chunnel, the new link between Denmark and Sweden, the new tunnel under the Swiss Alps. They have the new NH90, an all composite helicopter and also they have the first business jet with fly by wire. They are the location of ITER, the newest thermonuclear reactor; they've built the world’s largest telescope (the VLT in Chile) as well as the Queen Mary 2. They have the best satellite launching record, the best X-ray space telescope ... and I could go on! I find them remarkable — even as an American. We should be so lucky. The U.S. no longer has the tallest buildings, the longest bridges, the largest airliners ...

John Hopkins, Munich, Bavaria: I‘ve been living in Munich for 3 months and my view is that technology has become much more integrated into everyday life here than in the US. The navigation system in my VW van gets traffic information off the radio, displays where the traffic is and routes me around it — and this is everywhere, not just the cities. There’s also widespread use of motion sensor lighting in many halls and entrance ways in office buildings. The high-speed train (ICE) here is commonly used between cities and at a top speed of 150 km/hr, the trip is fast and with the use of the recent technology, very safe. Europe may not be generating many new patents, but they are taking technology and implementing it for use by the general population in ways that the U.S. is not.

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