Thread: Bell labs stops physics research

... the invention of the transistor, laser and countless contributions to computer science and technology

Let the enormity of those contributions roll around in your head a bit. The transistor is easily in the top 5 most important discoveries of the 20th century. (I'd call it the singularly greatest personally, but that is arguable)

It won't be the last, but it was one of the greatest ever. Moment of silence.

Alcatel-Lucent, the parent company of Bell Labs, is pulling out of basic science, material physics and semiconductor research and will instead be focusing on more immediately marketable areas such as networking, high-speed electronics, wireless, nanotechnology and software.

(high-speed) electronics are ruining invention !

A sad day indeed. In a few years when China becomes the recipient of multiple Nobel prizes for advancement in physics, the fate of the USA as innovator and technological leader will be sealed.

Supposedly, the dismanteling of monopolies was going to make the world a better place, but since AT&T was disbanded, phone services (information, operators, service/repair personnel) have become a joke and a shell of their former selves.

I may have paid a few bucks more for my monthly phone bill, but if something went wrong, it was fixed the next day and regardless of where the problem was (inside the house or from the dmark out), there was never a charge. The actual telephones were built like a tank and could withstand daily use without requiring "New after Two" periodic replacement.

The article forgot to mention the 300 plus audio and balanced transmission standards that were developed at Bell Labs of which most are still in use today even though many were created during the first 5 years of the lab's existence.

Personally I hope all those scientists quit and start a new gig and give Lucent a on their way out.

Originally Posted by abtech

A sad day indeed. In a few years when China becomes the recipient of multiple Nobel prizes for advancement in physics, the fate of the USA as innovator and technological leader will be sealed.

Supposedly, the dismanteling of monopolies was going to make the world a better place, but since AT&T was disbanded, phone services (information, operators, service/repair personnel) have become a joke and a shell of their former selves.

I may have paid a few bucks more for my monthly phone bill, but if something went wrong, it was fixed the next day and regardless of where the problem was (inside the house or from the dmark out), there was never a charge. The actual telephones were built like a tank and could withstand daily use without requiring "New after Two" periodic replacement.

The article forgot to mention the 300 plus audio and balanced transmission standards that were developed at Bell Labs of which most are still in use today even though many were created during the first 5 years of the lab's existence.

Notice the first comment on the article:

Yet another step in the demise of the US. Watch for the next Nobel prizes to come from China and developing nations.

Originally Posted by abtech

A sad day indeed. In a few years when China becomes the recipient of multiple Nobel prizes for advancement in physics, the fate of the USA as innovator and technological leader will be sealed.

As I'm messing around in my lab, mounting a few transistors of my own, I'm trying to decide how many trillions of dollars of GDP came out of inventions conceived in that lab...

A shame. The government should have never stepped in and broken up the monopoly. Like Abtech said, you may have paid a few more dollars for your phone bill (and I find that questionable) but if you had problems, it was fixed. Breaking them up destroyed them and the inventions/innovation. A shame.

Other monopolies are allowed to exist. I cannot choose my cable company, for example.

Originally Posted by HondaGalToo

A shame. The government should have never stepped in and broken up the monopoly. Like Abtech said, you may have paid a few more dollars for your phone bill (and I find that questionable) but if you had problems, it was fixed. Breaking them up destroyed them and the inventions/innovation. A shame.

Other monopolies are allowed to exist. I cannot choose my cable company, for example.

I used to pick up the phone (it always worked) and call Edison and they came out and fixed my clothes dryer at no charge. I could go down to the Edison office and get all the light bulbs I needed, again at no charge.

Now if I can find a working phone, I call the 800 number for DTE Energy and listen to a recording that tells me my power should be restored within 178 hours.

Originally Posted by abtech

I used to pick up the phone (it always worked) and call Edison and they came out and fixed my clothes dryer at no charge. I could go down to the Edison office and get all the light bulbs I needed, again at no charge.

Now if I can find a working phone, I call the 800 number for DTE Energy and listen to a recording that tells me my power should be restored within 178 hours.

After you press one for English.

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