If there's one thing we know about geeks, it's that they hate
having nothing to do. Bill Gates has filled his spare time collecting
knighthoods and
Harvard degrees, and Steve Sasson -- inventor of the first, and assuredly biggest, digital camera -- is now following in his distinguished footsteps. Sasson perfected a microwave oven-sized 0.01 megapixel prototype while working for Kodak way back in 1975, and has now been awarded an honorary PhD for his troubles from the University of Rochester. The man, the geek, and the legend (all the same person) will be in London later today receiving further recognition, in the form of
The Economist's Innovation Award, which commends the "seismic disruption" his invention caused in the field of consumer photography. Funny, nobody gives
us any awards for being disruptive.
Read - University of Rochester honorary doctorate
Read - The Economist Innovation Award
posted Oct 29th 2009 7:04AM
DAYM!
That guy on the left just creeps me out!
Yeah he's creepy but I think the one in the middle is Gary Busey... or mister Ed
No, hes the Trinity killer!
I know him. He's Joel Seligman, president of the University of Rochester.
the guy on the left...wow..is all i have to say
I've recently completed a microwave size burrito. What do I get besides fat?
constipation
0.01megapixels = 94x126... i think another award is in order as he also apparently invented the first instant avatar camera.
Hey, I'm from Rochester =)
In 1969, George Smith and Willard Boyle invented the first CCDs or Charge Coupled Devices at Bell Labs.
Nuff said.
BTW :nice year. :-D
Thought those guys looked familiar. I live in Rochester, and used to work at Kodak
Honorary degrees have always been strange to me. While these people deserve recognition, why a degree? I wouldn't hire someone based on an honorary college education.
you mean, like, to babysit your kids...
It really bugs people who went through the proper channels to actually earn a PhD.
One of the reasons they do it is that it's a really inexpensive way to draw attention to your school.
I agree with you. Call it something else and I'm fine with it. Call it an (honorary) PhD and it turns me off.
@nrb
Yeah 'cos it's really hard to get a Phd through the proper channels
First off, do you know that he does not have a degree of equal value from another University? How do you know he has not worked as hard as anyone else that has a PhD? As far as I can tell, he has done more for the world than someone with a piece of paper and highbrow. Sorry, but I would take someone with experience over education any day. The challenge is to find someone with both. I can careless how smart someone appears to be if they cannot get the job done.
OK, I'll play:
"Yeah 'cos it's really hard to get a Phd through the proper channels"
If you think getting a PhD in a real science is easy, then go for it.
"irst off, do you know that he does not have a degree of equal value from another University?"
I don't. If he does, that's great. Brag about that one.
"How do you know he has not worked as hard as anyone else that has a PhD?"
It doesn't matter. In my decades of work, I've worked as hard as anyone that has a PhD. I don't deserve a PhD, because I chose not to pursue one.
"As far as I can tell, he has done more for the world than someone with a piece of paper and highbrow."
We all agree he should be honored, just not with something that's not applicable.
Btw: Most folk with PhD's are very bright, hard workers, and down to earth.
He didn't receive a PhD, he received and HONORARY PhD. There's a difference. Steve Sasson isn't going to go around calling himself Dr. Sasson just because he got an honorary degree, using it as part of his resume to get a job. Besides, I doubt he's looking for work. Both of my parents went through the "proper channels" to get their PhD's, and neither of them are "really bugged" he got it. In fact, my mother was one of the people who helped decide whom the University of Rochester would honor this year. Universities like to honor people, and this is how they do it. Deal with it.
Thank You, Sir!
I did not know that Gary Busey invented the digital camera. What an amazing world we live in.
Funny, I thought it was John Lithgow
It's a digital camera not a CCD -- FAIL -
Wow.
http://www.kodak.com/US/images/en/corp/1000nerds/steveSasson/1_Camera.jpg
iphone rip-off
Yay, I went to University of Rochester!