Barney Oliver
Barney Oliver
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Barney Oliver was an American chemist, engineer, and entrepreneur who is best known for his work in the development of the first commercially viable compact disc (CD) players.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on March 23, 1923, Barney Oliver passed away on February 5, 2012, at the age of 88.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Nationality: American
Professions: Chemist, Engineer, Entrepreneur
Barney Oliver was a polymath who excelled in various fields. He started his career as a chemist before transitioning to engineering and entrepreneurship. His expertise spanned multiple disciplines, including materials science, computer hardware, and audio technology.
Early Life and Background
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Oliver grew up in California with a passion for science and problem-solving. He attended the University of Chicago, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Chemistry. After serving in the United States Navy during World War II, Oliver returned to academia, earning his Master's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Major Accomplishments
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Oliver's most significant contributions were in the development of the compact disc player. In 1960, he joined a team at Columbia Records' research laboratory, where he worked alongside fellow engineer Kees Schouhamer Immink to create the first practical CD players. This breakthrough technology enabled mass production and widespread adoption of CDs.
Notable Works or Actions
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Some notable achievements and actions by Barney Oliver include:
Co-inventing the first practical CD player with Kees Schouhamer Immink in 1960.
Developing a method for recording digital audio using lasers, which paved the way for the creation of compact discs.
* Serving as a key figure in the development of the compact disc's error correction mechanism.
Impact and Legacy
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Barney Oliver's contributions to the development of the CD player had a profound impact on the music industry. Compact discs became an instant success, offering consumers a new format for storing and playing back digital audio with improved sound quality. Oliver's innovations also influenced subsequent developments in digital storage and playback technology.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Barney Oliver is widely quoted and remembered for his vision, innovative spirit, and dedication to advancing the field of audio technology. His work on the compact disc player transformed the way people consume music and paved the way for future innovations in digital storage and playback technology.
Barney Oliver's legacy extends beyond his technical contributions. He inspired generations of engineers, entrepreneurs, and inventors with his passion for problem-solving and commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible. His story serves as a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration in shaping the world around us.
Quotes by Barney Oliver
The main problem here is not that we don't known how to contain antimatter, which we don't; its that we don't know how to obtain it - in quantity.
The essential point we want to make is that interstellar travel, far from being easy, presents problems for which we do not have valid solutions.
The known methods of producing anti-protons require, for their formation, millions of times the energy they will release when they contact protons.
This allows us to believe that some-day, when our technology is up to the task, the cost of interstellar travel will drop dramatically.
In the past, on Earth, it has largely been to exploit foreign resources and to expand the domestic territory.
Antimatter is not a source of energy for us, it's a method of storing energy, compact but inefficient.
The factor most ignored in discussing interstellar flight is the kinetic energy that must be invested in the ship to make its tons of matter move at a substantial fraction of the speed of light.
Years of science fiction have produced a mindset that it is human destiny to expand from Earth, to the Moon, to Mars, to the stars.
It would be a pity if, frustrated by the price of travel, we elected to become a society that never made contact, that never gave SETI a fair chance.