From: mash@mash.engr.sgi.com (John R. Mashey)
Newsgroups: comp.arch,bionet.neuroscience,comp.ai,alt.memetics
Subject: Re: self-modifying code [(Re: TOP 10 (names in comp.sci)]
Date: 8 Aug 1998 15:57:55 GMT

In article <35cbf0c4.0@news.victoria.tc.ca>, mentifex@scn.org (Mentifex) writes:

|> Is this the Ritchie of the K&R Lazy B Ranch at Mentifex Hill, NJ?
|> If so, two messages:
|> 1).  What was it about AT&T Bell Labs back in the 1980's, that when
|>      one sent them a revolutionary new idea, not Mr. Van Allen or
|>      whatever-his-name-was, the background-cosmic-radiation fellow,
|>      but rather his attorney, answered with, We do not welcome new
|>      ideas here?  Have they opened up yet?
|> 2).  All memeticists, please ask around, just what is Mentifex doing
|>      here that is EXTREMELY BRAZEN, but a memeticist's dream hitchride?

Reminder: this is comp.arch, a newsgroup on computer architecture.

The posting certainly sounds like Dennis, and that he is still
watching this group gives room for hope, amidst the rising psycho-babble.

The reason for the legal policy was the stupid lawsuits:
	a) Bell Labs was always working on numerous projects.
	b) People, ranging from serious folks to (numerous) wackos
	were always sending letters about wonderful technologies ...
	and then if BTL came out with something we'd been working on for
	years, people would sue, claiming that we'd gotten the idea
	from then.   Hence we were told not to look at this stuff;
	it wasn't for lack of interest in ideas.
	From what I understand, most of the letters that came in were
	from luntatic-fringe-types who always thought they had the greatest
	unappreciated ideas ever.  There were probably a few good ones
	missed; on the other hand, given BTL's connections with the
	overall research community, one would guess not too many.
Back to comp.arch.
--
-john mashey    DISCLAIMER: <generic disclaimer: I speak for me only...>
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