> I'm pretty sure almost all technologies at some point were solutions looking for a problem to solve. Examples include the internet, the computer and math.
I think the opposite -- nearly all technologies came about as a result of people trying to solve existing real problems. Examples include the internet, the computer and math. (Although I don't think "math" counts as a technology.)
The internet came about from darpanet, which was solving the problem of network resiliency. Computers automated what used to be a human job ("computer") of doing very large amounts of computations. That automation was solving the problem of needing to do more computations than could be done with armies of people.
I think the opposite -- nearly all technologies came about as a result of people trying to solve existing real problems. Examples include the internet, the computer and math. (Although I don't think "math" counts as a technology.)
The internet came about from darpanet, which was solving the problem of network resiliency. Computers automated what used to be a human job ("computer") of doing very large amounts of computations. That automation was solving the problem of needing to do more computations than could be done with armies of people.