[vcf-midatlantic] The Transistor......Re: Evan @ IFIP

[Chris Fala]

On Fri, May 27, 2016 at 8:38 AM, Dan Roganti via vcf-midatlantic <
vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:

> On Thu, May 26, 2016 at 9:45 PM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic <
> vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
>
> > They took us on a private tour of the old Bell Labs (now it's Nokia,
> which
> > bought Alcatel-Lucent) in Murray Hill NJ today. We spent a couple of
> hours
> > there. Photos were not allowed. Among many highlights, we saw the room
> > where they perfected (not "invented") the transistor
> >
>
>
> ​I bet you didn't say that _while_ you were visiting there :)
> And I would hardly call it perfected.
> As most academics often overlook the technical aspects.
> Where the 1925 FET is a voltage operated device
> whereas the Bell Labs Transistor is a current operated device.
> Two completely different animals
> ​Also, you how many of the innovations occurred in the past
> A lot of it was based on popularity, just look at Edison/Telsa
> And the 1925 FET was hardly on anyone's "radar"
> otherwise why did they spend the next 30yrs with vacuum tube computers
> iso of researching and developing that new innovation further.
> But it also had mostly to do with making the planar process practical
> enough to mass produce.
> Dan
>


Since we are "arguing" :-) the importance of "firsts", how much credit
should Robert Noyce get for the "invention" of the IC vs. work done at TI?
(Most of my knowledge is based on a PBS documentary, so don't judge me too
harshly.)

And Dan, thanks for enlightening me, I never heard that the FET was
invented that long ago. Glad I am here for a good education!