Thanks to Steve Jobs and Gorilla Glass, factories in America are now ramping up to make affordable windows, made from panes thinner than a credit card, that can:

* save Americans $25 billion / year

* withstand a 2x4 shot out of a cannon

(gift link)

https://www.wsj.com/business/corning-window-gorilla-glass-4f443b07?st=UPDbcE&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

@mimsical Glasses. I want gorilla glass glasses.
@wcbdata can't grind gorilla glass :)

@wcbdata @mimsical there is a deeper story that is classic Corning.

What is now "Gorilla Glass" was developed by Corning in the 1960s as, e.g., an auto safety glass. But laminated glass was cheaper and had good safety properties, so this application did not go far. But Corning plays the long game and put the trade secrets on the shelf.

When Steve Jobs called with his problem re: iPhone glass, Corning had already developed the product he needed---40y prior---and was just waiting for his call.

@infinimatt @mimsical I love this story - Corning was a customer of mine several years ago, and they talked about having warehouses and file cabinets full of potential stories like it!
@wcbdata @mimsical it's true. patents don't tell the story here because patents expire. trade secrets, however, are good for as long as you can keep them secret.
@mimsical “withstand a 2x4 shot out of a cannon”? So it can’t withstand a 3x4 shot out of a cannon?
@iduction Maybe, but a 8' 2x4 is the "standard missile" used to simulate a piece of debris during a hurricane. Amazingly, they will shoot through a standard cinder block wall. @mimsical