![John Birmingham has been writing this column for 10 years. Makes you think.](/web/20170313011405im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/r/z/p/h/image.related.wideLandscape.460x259.gurznc.png/1488839427539.jpg)
Ten years of wielding a blunt instrument
Bill Gates once said that people tend to overestimate what's possible in one year, and underestimate what's possible in 10. He was talking about technology, but think about your life 10 years ago and you'll probably agree that the super-nerd spoke the truth. I wrote my welcome column here at the Instrument 10 years ago today. I've filed just under a thousand times since then.