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How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

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Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#71

Post by istinetz »

severak_cz wrote: post #2

I wonder if Bulgaria really became leader in tech. In Czechoslovakia we also had some sort of computer industry. We also had state security agents buying western tech in disguise and importing it home for cloning. I even know one guy who worked at computer reverse engineering institute back then. Also I have found memoirs of some random guy who worked as IT specialist for Stb (Czech equivalent of Stasi). However, thi…

You're correct. My mother used to work on exactly this, reverse engineering CPUs. They just gave them a part and told them to figure out how it works, and to replicate it. It is my understanding that by that point, in the late 80s, most people in her institute were working on copying western tech, not on original IP.

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#72

Post by istinetz »

sehansen wrote: post #60

Bulgaria is the origin of the oldest, still-functioning satellite in earth orbit, the Bulgaria 1300. It will turn 40 next year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgaria_1300

Haha, this is absolutely brilliant, thank you for sharing.

It's so old, it was not even easy to verify it's still up there.

https://www.n2yo.com/satellite/?s=12645

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#73

Post by istinetz »

andrei_says_ wrote: post #37
atmin wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not just some member, but the leader. He did know how to behave in this role (including allowing such stories become widespread), he was the leader for 45 years.

This is interesting. Are you implying a leader’s job was to act silly and maintain an image of a not-so-smart but relatable guy while the party was doing its shady deeds? A comic relief mask of sorts?

[Citation needed], but it was my impression that communist jokes were occasionally spread on purpose by the security forces, just as a sort of valve to release the tension.

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#74

Post by istinetz »

cosmolev wrote: post #28

I heard a story that at the opening ceremony of a semiconductor plant some Bulgarian communist party member made a speech where he said that semiconductors is just a first step and they are going in the direction of full conductors.

My favourite anecdote from that era is this slogan that a small town came up with.

"Reagan - enemy number one of the Tutrakan village system!"

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#75

Post by p_l »

buzzkillington wrote: post #9
severak_cz wrote: post #2

I wonder if Bulgaria really became leader in tech. In Czechoslovakia we also had some sort of computer industry. We also had state security agents buying western tech in disguise and importing it home for cloning. I even know one guy who worked at computer reverse engineering institute back then. Also I have found memoirs of some random guy who worked as IT specialist for Stb (Czech equivalent of Stasi). However, thi…

>At its peak, Bulgaria supplied 40% of the computers in COMECON. The electronics industry employed 300,000 workers, and it generated 8 billion rubles a year. [0] That's on top of a population of just under 9 million and a working age population of 6 million [1], so 5% of the workforce was involved in the production of computer hardware alone. It seems there was a very large bet on the computer industry from the commu…

IIRC, Bulgaria was among the countries that got "assigned" the low-end of ES EVM that were pushed everywhere, and of course, the low-end machines were much more common than medium/high end produced elsewhere.

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#76

Post by p_l »

alexgmcm wrote: post #14
qubex wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Red Plenty is a fantastic and unusual book, I highly recommend it to everybody with even a cursory interest in mathematics, economics, logistics, information technology, politics, or history.

I liked it - I felt it didn't really answer the question it seemed to set out with though. That is - there was a time when it looked like the USSR was genuinely going to catch up with and surpass the USA, how did they manage this and where did it go wrong?

A significant issue was ossification of nomenklatura, essentially oligarchic rent-seeking across management. It was their backlash that stripped Khrushchev of power, as he pushed for reforms that endangered their power (I wouldn't call them "democratic" reforms but they included more power to common man and better feedback loops)

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#77

Post by gostsamo »

Barrin92 wrote: post #70

Concerning the fiction of Lyuben Dilov mentioned in the article which I had not heard of before, does anyone know if there are translations of his work either in English or German? Googling does not spit out much info.

He was translated mostly in Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a list of translations, but german is more likely option than english. If you are really interested, I can ask around.

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#78

Post by Barrin92 »

gostsamo wrote: post #77
Barrin92 wrote: post #70

Concerning the fiction of Lyuben Dilov mentioned in the article which I had not heard of before, does anyone know if there are translations of his work either in English or German? Googling does not spit out much info.

He was translated mostly in Eastern Europe. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a list of translations, but german is more likely option than english. If you are really interested, I can ask around.

if you find something out that'd be amazing. Had little luck scouring the internet.

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#79

Post by varjag »

buzzkillington wrote: post #67
varjag wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Vast majority of the electronic industry were not computer production, so you're off by a magnitude for sure.

Computer hardware included everything from magnetic platters for hard drives to crt displays to the silicon wafers.

It also included steel, copper and plastics, so by this logic we can throw in everyone involved into production of those. Getting really solid numbers then, like 50% working population!

Bulk of the electronics products were things like radios, TVs and rotary telephones.

Re: How communist Bulgaria became a leader in technology, robotics and sci-fi (2018)

#80

Post by hakfoo »

anticodon wrote: post #40
naveen99 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder why the Russians or even the Chinese or Indians haven’t publicly attempted to clone Microsoft Windows (a desktop os). There is a Russian Linux distro. But I would think it would be more productive to have an international software arms race than a military / space arms race.

There's ReactOS. I'm not sure but I believe that many of ReactOS developers are Russian. Although I don't understand the point of Windows clone.

One of the big features is being able to provide a steady controlled state.

If you have an embedded device running WinXP, there's going to be a day where no amount of premium support will get Microsoft to continue fixing the platform. This seems like it's going to get worse, or at least more confusing, with the almost rolling-release Win10 model. I think there are literally some Atom-class CPUs that would run the Win10 that existed a few years ago, but not a freshly downloaded image.

If that device runs ReactOS, you can clone the repo of the last compatible version and hire your own team to keep it running.

An interchangeable product also helps keep Microsoft honest. Buyers can easily say "you wronged us (with self-serving or stupid decisions or inferior products), so we'll swap to your competitor". Think of Dell vs. Lenovo, Ford versus GM, or Electro-Motive versus General Electric. They are aware of the market pressure and that they can't afford to ship a lemon.

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