Bell labs was awesome.

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: Colt45
The transistor, UNIX, and C.

Oh, and of course the Model 500. From back when stuff was made here and didn't fall apart in 3 days. Doubles as a weapon too.

to get silicon pure enough to make a transistor, you first need zone refining, which was discovered by Bill Pfann at Bell Labs. Materials engineering FTMFW

Supposedly, the discovery of zone refining and its profits were enough to sustain Bell Labs for the next 30 years :Q

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Kadarin
IIRC Xerox PARC was also pretty awesome.

They still operate. I was thinking of applying there.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Originally posted by: Colt45
The transistor, UNIX, and C.

Oh, and of course the Model 500. From back when stuff was made here and didn't fall apart in 3 days. Doubles as a weapon too.

We have a bunch of those phones in the back where I work (phone company). Those are awesomely well built.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Bell labs was..?

Your poll needs a "that's tits" option. In lieu of such awesomeness, I voted "awesome."

 

[grrl]

Originally posted by: GeekDrew
Anyone voting "not awesome" ought to be smacked, and then executed for treason.

or just plain stupidity.

It's amazing how much came out Bell Labs, even years later as previously discarded ideas were reassessed in light of new knowledge. The success of Bell Labs proves we need to do a lot more research for research' sake.

 

[Perknose]

May I remind you all that Bell Labs was the flagship entity of that state socialist invention, AT&T, aka, the phone company.

It brought phone service to every American everywhere, no matter how rural, which the "free market" would never have done.

It treated and educated and supported its employees in a first class manner. Do you think T-Mobile does?

Along with that other socialist, big government institution, the Post Office, it provided the United States of America with two world class services. We had better, faster, cheaper postal service than Germany or England, fer chrissakes.

I'm not that old, but I remember the post man coming by to each house TWICE a day, five days a week and once on Saturday, and when you could dial "information" for free from any phone in our entire country, and get a competent, trained and courteous professional to serve you.

Of course, all this was before the rabidly ideological right wingers tore it all down in the name of private profit.

 

[dighn]

Originally posted by: Kadarin

Originally posted by: Pocatello
We need something like Bell Labs to get the economy going again.

Alas, we as a country now tend to think much more in terms of short term gain rather than what's best over the long haul.

science and technology (I don't mean consumer crap) are also no longer cool.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Perknose
May I remind you all that Bell Labs was the flagship entity of that state socialist invention, AT&T, aka, the phone company.

It brought phone service to every American everywhere, no matter how rural, which the "free market" would never have done.

It treated and educated and supported its employees in a first class manner. Do you think T-Mobile does?

Along with that other socialist, big government institution, the Post Office, it provided the United States of America with two world class services. We had better, faster, cheaper postal service than Germany or England, fer chrissakes.

I'm not that old, but I remember the post man coming by to each house TWICE a day, five days a week and once on Saturday, and when you could dial "information" for free from any phone in our entire country, and get a competent, trained and courteous professional to serve you.

Of course, all this was before the rabidly ideological right wingers tore it all down in the name of private profit.

Could you keep this shit in P&N? :roll:

 

[frostedflakes]

Are there any good books on this history of AT&T and Bell Labs? This seems like it'd be a pretty interesting subject for further reading.

I knew about the breakup in the 80s, but had no idea how enormous and influential AT&T used to be.

 

[l0cke]

I think the downfall of modern inventions in America is due to all the companies that just patent stuff and then sue everyone with it. We need more people to do stuff.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Perknose
May I remind you all that Bell Labs was the flagship entity of that state socialist invention, AT&T, aka, the phone company.

It brought phone service to every American everywhere, no matter how rural, which the "free market" would never have done.

It treated and educated and supported its employees in a first class manner. Do you think T-Mobile does?

Along with that other socialist, big government institution, the Post Office, it provided the United States of America with two world class services. We had better, faster, cheaper postal service than Germany or England, fer chrissakes.

I'm not that old, but I remember the post man coming by to each house TWICE a day, five days a week and once on Saturday, and when you could dial "information" for free from any phone in our entire country, and get a competent, trained and courteous professional to serve you.

Of course, all this was before the rabidly ideological right wingers tore it all down in the name of private profit.

Could you keep this shit in P&N? :roll:

Bell Labs was the product of non "free market", "big government" state socialism. I was just pointing that out.

Sorry if the truth makes fun of your narrow ideology, son.

Go whine elsewhere.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Perknose

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: Perknose
May I remind you all that Bell Labs was the flagship entity of that state socialist invention, AT&T, aka, the phone company.

It brought phone service to every American everywhere, no matter how rural, which the "free market" would never have done.

It treated and educated and supported its employees in a first class manner. Do you think T-Mobile does?

Along with that other socialist, big government institution, the Post Office, it provided the United States of America with two world class services. We had better, faster, cheaper postal service than Germany or England, fer chrissakes.

I'm not that old, but I remember the post man coming by to each house TWICE a day, five days a week and once on Saturday, and when you could dial "information" for free from any phone in our entire country, and get a competent, trained and courteous professional to serve you.

Of course, all this was before the rabidly ideological right wingers tore it all down in the name of private profit.

Could you keep this shit in P&N? :roll:

Bell Labs was the product of non "free market", "big government" state socialism. I was just pointing that out.

Sorry if the truth makes fun of your narrow ideology, son.

Go whine elsewhere.

1. Son? What are you, in your late nineties?
2. Last time I checked, AT&T was a private company and never was part of the government.
3. I don't think having the postman walk uphill in the snow both ways twice a day benefitted anyone.
4. AT&T didn't form bell labs because the all benevolent big government told them to. Back then, big government types didn't even realize the value of funding research.

In summary, I think it is you who need to get that rabidly ideological stick out of your ass.

For shame, you should know better than to toll like this anyway.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: Perknose
Bell Labs was the product of non "free market", "big government" state socialism. I was just pointing that out.

Sorry if the truth makes fun of your narrow ideology, son.

Go whine elsewhere.

No, you don't get it. I don't care what you have to say about AT&T, big government, and socialism. What I hate to see is threads derailed and destroyed by dumbasses who can't find the right forum.

 

[mugs]

I think these ads are appropriate for this thread even though they were after the breakup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZb0avfQme8

 

[Perknose]

Bell Labs was indeed awesome. :thumbsup:

 

[Colt45]

Who voted not awesome? Without bell labs we wouldn't have microcomputers, and most likely a rudimentary phone system today, so you wouldn't even be able to vote!