I'd agree he was quite a genius for HIS time. Yes, there were some old
farts before him who thought they knew what's going on. But we got some
pretty smart ones NOW. (hehe)
>
> You also wrote;
> > Have you heard of the amazing things he did with electromechanical
> > oscillators? He nearly tore a building to the ground with nothing
> > more than a mere pocket-sized oscillator. It is incredible what
> > can be done.
Actually I wouldn't call it pocket sized, well maybe an overcoat pocket,
definitely not a shirt-pocket.<g>
> Hate to burst your bubble, but where do you think Tesla got the idea for
> that and many other devices, including the 'polyphase' motor???..<g>.
>
> ....how about disintegrating quartz mineral with sound, or a host of
> other 'acousto-mechanically' driven phenomena.
I was always meaning to ask him what he did with all that gold. ;^{D
> Tesla's primary contribution, IMHO, was his use of the much more
> manageable electrical currents to ape the discoveries of another.
>
> Uh-oh, I hear snakes hissing or is that Mr. O'Tesla himself...<g>.
>
> Private joke for the old KeelyNetters, sorry...he'll respond
> eventually....
HEY!, John, er.. Jerry, I resemble that comment! (hehehe)
I don't think there's anyone who can claim total originality of thought
when it comes to any invention or theory. We always build on that which
was done by those who have gone before us. Not only that, its very easy
for what one thinks are one's own ideas to pop up simultaneously
elsewhere. Or you think you discovered something then find out it was
theorized 100 or 1000 years ago. I'm sure Tesla knew of some of his
contemporaries who were working on similar things but he still worked
from his own understanding and expanded on that understanding. That he
understood what he was doing and not just copying someone else's
'recipe' I think is self evident and evident in his writings. Working
with electrical energies was not done because it was "easier" but
because of the genuine fascination with it. And he really got a kick out
of making those giant sparks. It was kind of a power thing. The bigger
the better. Hey were talking splitting the earth like an apple, none of
those puny tuning forks or sissy violin strings.
Urrarggh!
Of course the electric car thing, now that was pure class!
Besides, Tesla was such a good looking dude (and he had hair) that its
no wonder that he became so legendary.
ROFLOL!