Most impact on industry (attempt at an "interesting" thread. LOL

[EngTeach]

I believe that the Digital Video Recording (DVR/TiVo) device has had the greatest impact on the way we watch TV and the industry itself. I am sure it affects advertising since we FF through the commercials. This is my unoffcial, non-technological, purely civilian opinion.

What "invention" do you think has changed or impacted its field greatly and why?

[Bobbisox]

whoaaaaaa
EG, that is very good and cetainly not boring...lol
the airplane, I think

[boxtops]

The ATM - where would we be without the hole in the wall? - back to waiting for limited bank opening hours to look at our money.....

[hc4361]

Online shopping has made a huge impact on the high street shops.
An example - yesterday morning my freezer broke. It is full of food so something has to be done quickly. I went to my local retail park and trawled the shops - the soonest I could get a replacement delivered was Wednesday.
I came home, went online, found the exact same freezer cheaper, and it arrived this morning. This was from M&S. I wouldn't have thought of going there for a freezer.

[Buenchico]

If I can assume that your reference to 'industry' relates more generally to 'commerce' (rather than to, say, 'heavy industry'), surely the advent of the internet has had the biggest impact?

Many High Street shops have gone out of business because of competition from internet traders. How many travel agents are left on the High Street? Very few, I suggest. Similarly, how many insurance brokers do you see on the High Street? And what about independent book shops?

[EngTeach]

By its industry I just mean the field with which it is associated.. Commerce,entertainment, travel, etc. Obviously these "inventions" can cross fields.

[AB Editor]

I second the internet. It is our steam engine, the railway of our time. I cannot think of an industry which has yet to be touched by it in some small way. Answers on a postcard.

Spare Ed

[another-view]

Has to be electricity. Where would we be without electricty?

[mccfluff]

got to be internet for me!

[Bbbananas]

Tampons.

[another-view]

Ok then. the harnessing and control of electricity, pedant. Certainly more of an impact than croutons.

[rowanwitch]

the internet for me too.... as a tool for both good and bad... I can buy things I never even knew were available and do my online banking to sort out the problems it causes