[mattquinn]

> "Most of them are "simple" engineers well versed in current "technologies" but are uninterested or unable to break new frontiers".

I'm glad you said this because I feel as if it needs to be reiterated much more often. I'm a CS student right now, and a lot of times I look around and see my university's CS program as a factory designed to turn out by-the-book software engineers fit for corporate consumption.

I really enjoy CS, but here's my anecdote: the other day I got a chance to tour a microfabrication lab, with tons of expensive equipment and a lot of knowledgeable people milling about (who I'm sure were nervous with us being there). That really instilled an appreciation of the complexities involved with real, true innovation. I love writing software, but I won't do it forever, because the vast majority of true innovation really does require a deep understanding of scientific foundations.

Also: the guy who showed us around worked for Bell Labs for awhile before coming to the university where I'm studying. His one pre-condition for accepting the university job: the $2 million, room-size, laser-equipped system that he built for detecting flaws in silicon wafers had to come with him.