Things that changed the world

[John Musselwhite]

>"53 1/2 Things that Changed the World," by David West, published in

What was the "1/2" a thing?  <g>

>the U.S., 1995, by The Millbrook Press, 2 Old New Milford Road,
>Brookfield, Connecticut, 06804.

>     Imagine my delight in looking through the book when I discovered
>that taking its rightful place on the long list of world-changing
>inventions was the piano.  Other entries include the blast furnace,

As it should! In the last century not only was the piano found almost
everywhere and the source of great pleasure for the music lover, it was one
of the first "machines" to become popular. Even in the last century the only
complex mechanical devices around other than pipe organs were in giant
factories or steamships and in a home the most complex mechanical device
might have been a clock, which pales in comparison to a piano in the number
of parts.

Until the digital electronic age began the piano was _still_ the most
complex device in the home with more parts than both cars in the driveway
put together! When I show woodworkers how we regulate down to a couple of
thousandths of an inch while working with wood, felt, leather and steel they
are practically dumbfounded.

                        John
John Musselwhite, RPT
Calgary, Alberta Canada
musselj@cadvision.com