What distinguishing feature separated Eastman's architectural contribution from that of a purely academic chemist?
Answer
Building the entire ecosystem necessary for mass adoption around the film
Eastman's genius was not solely rooted in discovering a singular superior material, which many academic chemists achieve. His unique contribution lay in architecting a complete user experience and business ecosystem around that material. This meant integrating the film (the technical achievement) with the means for easy capture (the simple camera) and the means for reliable processing (the factory service model). This holistic approach, which sold the complete solution rather than just the chemical product, was vital for achieving mass adoption and fundamentally changed visual culture.
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