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Originally Posted by AstroJunk
For one, the World Wide Web would be called the Tim Berners-Lee!
There were plenty of large aperture thin mirrors which predated Dobson on alt az mounts and using vinyl bearings, but I don't begrudge his fame. Dobson happened for whatever reason to spark a chain of events in the US which ended in the incredible design of scope that I use today. 
That's how History works! |
JD inspired a group of people to gather around him and built some large trash scopes using porthole glass and plywood. They then took these scopes to National Parks in the US and put on some public star parties. JD and his associates were on a mission.
Once this was profiled in Sky&Telescope his fame was assured. You English never had a chance. The design was quickly copied and improved by the likes of Berry and Kreige. TM magazine was also part of this history. The amateur market in the US has the critical mass to support these publications.
I am not sure his original mirrors made of plate glass flash polished would satisfy too many amateurs today, who are a little more picky on optical quality. Those members of the public who looked through his scopes in the National Parks back in the late 1970's didn't really know the difference.