[btilly]

In The Innovator's Dilemma over a dozen technologies were documented that were on exponential improvement curves for a period of decades or more. They generally last until the technology either hits a wall in physical possibility, or the thing being delivered is no longer the primary measure of the technology.

Here are some examples off of the top of my head that are happening right now:

Operations per second of a CPU (The famous Moore's law) bits stored per dollar of RAM Energy density of batteries Energy produced per dollar of solar panels

Here are some examples from the past.

Distance a steam ship could travel without refueling Maximum power of a gasoline engine Volume of dirt a hydraulic scoop can pick up

The history of technological progress is dominated by exponential curves. Saying that it is logically impossible for the future to be likewise dominated by exponential curves is just silly.