The wisdom of Tesla

[misha_b]

I needed no models, drawings or experiments. I

Comments

[ny_quant]

Invariably my device works as I conceived that it should, and the experiment comes out exactly as I planned it.

Сам себя не похвалишь ...

[misha_b]

Well, he was arguably the greatest inventor in modern history. What do we know? :)

[ny_quant]

We know that a lot of his ideas didn't work out. One can be a genius and full of shit at the same time.

[misha_b]

Sure, one can be. But I only know one thing which did not work from Tesla -- long-range wireless energy transmission. Anything else?

[alexanderr]

today, this is called "computer aided design"

literally everybody has to simulate and demonstrate the idea works in simulation before actually building anything

[misha_b]

Good point. The difference was that he did not need a computer.

[alexanderr]

right. and that is where things can, and will, go wrong. but hey, he still is making an excellent point

CAD tools are getting fairly advanced now, with lots and lots of different "physics" (equations and proper simulators) built-in. this is one of reasons, by the way, the architects can now design those crazy looking "impossible" buildings. the buildings of course pass all tests in simulation. stress, wind, airplane collision, earthquake, etc etc

[misha_b]

It worked for Tesla but not many others.

Now almost anyone can be like Tesla in that respect but few have enough imagination.