X-Message-Number: 12694
From: "John de Rivaz" <>

Subject: Could technology growth continue at the same or higher rates without 
involving the stock market
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 10:34:56 -0000

Cryonet readers who have not put my name in their kill files will know that
I think that investing in technology is right for cryonics purposes because
without the technology growth there will be no revivals, hence disappointed
investors will never know their investments have failed. However there is a
relevant question that needs to be asked, and this is:

Could technology growth continue at the same or higher rates without
involving the stock market?

Two possible scenarios suggest it may, but it doesn't at the moment seem
that likely.

1. That the method proposed by Paul Wakfer and Saul Kent of funding research
by gifts becomes the norm. Zyvex, the nano company, seeks donations rather
than investments from small investors. (It does seek investments from major
investors. http://www.zyvex.com/CorpInfo/Investing.htm  for a detailed look
at their proposals) Gates, Groves and people like that certainly have enough
money to give it away to people willing to research subjects that interest
them. The recipients of such gifts will not seek to raise money on the stock
markets, and will themselves grow rich if the fruits of their labour are
successful. If they get as rich as Gates and co, (and many certainly will)
then the process could repeat. The stock market will then be denuded of
future Intels and Microsofts, or at least they will enter the market when
mature. The huge gains people made riding on the coat-tails of Gates and co
from the early days via the public stock markets will no longer be
available.

2. The stock market is humanity's best "computer" to distribute funds for
any form of entrepreneur, whether research based company or just a new way
of doing business. The running costs are the nett profits made by the
investing public as a whole. Artificial intelligence or simply just bigger
digital computers could one day compete with it to distribute funds more
efficiently. If that happens, their owners, not the general investing
public, will get paid for the job.

I hope I am wrong, but the stock markets may not be with us for ever, even
in Tech heaven!

Comments invited.

--
Sincerely, John de Rivaz
my homepage links to Longevity Report, Fractal Report, my singles club for
people in Cornwall, music, Inventors' report, an autobio and various other
projects:       http://geocities.yahoo.com/longevityrpt

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