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The Influence of Bell Labs

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Re: The Influence of Bell Labs

#91

Post by nmcost »

It's coincidental that this article has reached the front page today. I just picked up The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation by Jon Gartner. (I'll let you know how it is when I finish)

One thing to consider is that Bell Labs didn't innovate for altruistic reasons like furthering the human race or scientific understanding. They innovated to further AT&T's monopoly and to increase shareholder value. This doesn't seem that different than what Meta, Google, NVIDIA, etc. are doing. Maybe in 10-20-30 years we will view the research that modern tech companies are doing through the same lens.

Although, I do admit that the freedom with which these scientists and engineers were able to conduct research is something special. Maybe that's the real difference here.

Re: The Influence of Bell Labs

#92

Post by mrunkel »

linguae wrote: post #46
ApolloFortyNine wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If Zuck's obsession with VR isn't curiosity driven research than nothing is. 10 billion yearly losses for something that by all accounts isn't close to magically becoming profitable. It honestly just seems like something he thinks is cool and therefore dumps money in.

It's an example of Zuck's curiosity. When I refer to curiosity-driven research, I mean curiosity driven by the researchers, where the researchers themselves drive the research agenda, not management. To be fair, though; Facebook, I mean, Meta is a publicly-traded company and if the shareholders get tired of not seeing any ROI from Meta's VR initiatives, then this could compel Zuck to stop. Even Zuck isn't free from b…

As far as I know, Mr. Zuckerberg still owns a controlling interest in Meta Platforms.

Since he has 57% of the votes, he can tell everyone to pound sand.

Re: The Influence of Bell Labs

#93

Post by muzster »

linguae wrote: post #10

During my teenage and college years in the 2000s, I was inspired by what I’ve read about Bell Labs, and I wanted to work as a computer science researcher in industry. I’ve also been inspired by Xerox PARC’s 1970s and 1980s researchers. I pursued that goal, and I’ve worked for a few industrial research labs before I switched careers to full-time community college teaching a few months ago. One thing I lament is the de…

I lament the decline also. Hopefully all of that lost energy has been put into good use on side projects.

On a tangent, but think it's related, the curiosity, exploration and research by the kids maybe stalling too.

Just a thought.

Re: The Influence of Bell Labs

#94

Post by 0xCMP »

fuzztester wrote: post #89
linguae wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have come to realize that over the years, though I still believe that wealthier companies like Apple, NVIDIA, Facebook, and the like could fund curiosity-driven research, even if it’s not at the scale of Bell Labs or Xerox PARC. On a smaller scale, there is The Institute for Advanced Study where curiosity-driven research is encouraged, and there is the MacArthur Fellowship where fellows are granted $150,000 annual…

I thought I had read somewhere that 2 weeks vacation is more common in USA, at least for software companies, before things like "unlimited vacation". which is right, 3-4 or 2 weeks?

I think most "tech/bay" companies offer 3-4 weeks of vacation + holidays. Some have mandatory minimums a year and ability to accrue up to 30 days of PTO at a time in my experience. (e.g. not "unlimited", but specific amounts of PTO earned/used)

Re: The Influence of Bell Labs

#95

Post by GaelFG »

ApolloFortyNine wrote: post #38
linguae wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have come to realize that over the years, though I still believe that wealthier companies like Apple, NVIDIA, Facebook, and the like could fund curiosity-driven research, even if it’s not at the scale of Bell Labs or Xerox PARC. On a smaller scale, there is The Institute for Advanced Study where curiosity-driven research is encouraged, and there is the MacArthur Fellowship where fellows are granted $150,000 annual…

If Zuck's obsession with VR isn't curiosity driven research than nothing is. 10 billion yearly losses for something that by all accounts isn't close to magically becoming profitable. It honestly just seems like something he thinks is cool and therefore dumps money in.

I bet (litteraly, founded an xr game development company in february) xr/vr games will indeed became a mainstream gaming platform in the next 5 years, maybe even next year. If or when it become the case it may totally become as present as smartphone and replace a lot of monitors, especially if they succeed to reduce them as smartglasses like their totally are progressing to.

if it become the case, meta get 30% of the revenues associated with it.

If it does not, i'm pretty sure they can now make good smartphones and even have a dedicated os. I'm pretty sure they can find a way to make money with it.

A meta quest 3s in inself is an insane experience for 330€ and it's current main disadvantages for gaming are the lack of players and the catalogue size. Even using it as a main monitor with a bluetooth keyboard is "possible". I would have find it 'improbable' a few years ago even as an enthousiasth, i now could totally imagine a headset replacing my screen in a few years with a few improvements on.

Re: The Influence of Bell Labs

#96

Post by ndriscoll »

tolerance wrote: post #45
linguae wrote: post #10

During my teenage and college years in the 2000s, I was inspired by what I’ve read about Bell Labs, and I wanted to work as a computer science researcher in industry. I’ve also been inspired by Xerox PARC’s 1970s and 1980s researchers. I pursued that goal, and I’ve worked for a few industrial research labs before I switched careers to full-time community college teaching a few months ago. One thing I lament is the de…

I was going to make a snarky remark like “Researchers are just going to have to write on Substack”. Then I read this: http://mmcthrow-musings.blogspot.com/2020/10/interesting-opi... I think the alt-economy that you describe may turn up soon. at least the one that I’m imagining that doesn’t involve registering for Substack.

> Our economy promotes short-term gains and not long-term initiatives; I blame over 30 years of artificially-low interest rates for this.

Don't low interest rates promote long-term thinking, perhaps to an absurd degree (e.g. the "it's okay that we hemorrhage money price dumping for 10 years as long as we develop a monopoly" playbook)? Bigger interest rate = bigger discount for present value of a future reward.

Re: The Influence of Bell Labs

#99

Post by amtc80 »

gwervc wrote: post #36
linguae wrote: post #10

During my teenage and college years in the 2000s, I was inspired by what I’ve read about Bell Labs, and I wanted to work as a computer science researcher in industry. I’ve also been inspired by Xerox PARC’s 1970s and 1980s researchers. I pursued that goal, and I’ve worked for a few industrial research labs before I switched careers to full-time community college teaching a few months ago. One thing I lament is the de…

> the only avenues I see for curiosity-driven researchers are becoming independently wealthy, living like a monk I came to the same conclusion. This is the path I'm following (trying to set up a company and lean FIRE). It's sad in a way because those efforts and years could have been directed to research but we have to adapt.

I've seen that many times over by now, sort of done it myself. It doesn't really work. You end up replacing one problem for another. There is also a heavy dose of procrastination and escapism related to it. Think about how many could, and does, do it and but how few results there are.

Re: The Influence of Bell Labs

#100

Post by Spooky23 »

phtrivier wrote: post #85
lotsofpulp wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like having access to instant high definition video communication and to the world’s repository of text, audio, and video information at a moment’s notice from a device in your pocket is of comparable, if not more, significance. These innovations in LEDs, battery technology, low power high performance microchips with features measured in number of atoms is extraordinary, and seemingly taken for granted. Then w…

And the smartphone is making sure you'll get plenty of access to the people who will prevent you from taking the vaccines or the cancer therapies (which, sadly, have _not_ been progressing as much as we would need.)

Google immunotherapy bro.

Vaccines are in a golden age, except political assholes are stoking ignorance and rejection.

In fact the two are advancing together. Bespoke vaccines for your cancer in in trial now.

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