Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 (Tek) 9/26/83; site tekecs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!orca!tekecs!tomm From: tomm@tekecs.UUCP (Tom Milligan) Newsgroups: net.misc,can.general Subject: Re: Canada's Tradition as a Pioneer in Communications Technology Message-ID: <3557@tekecs.UUCP> Date: Thu, 1-Mar-84 11:37:19 EST Article-I.D.: tekecs.3557 Posted: Thu Mar 1 11:37:19 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 3-Mar-84 23:55:32 EST References: <3389@utcsrgv.UUCP> <3393@utcsrgv.UUCP> Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR Lines: 25 An Italian professor of mine once related a story to our class claiming that Bell actually did not invent the telephone...Instead, the original concept was developed by an Italian by the name of Antonio Meucci. Meucci, the story goes, didn't have the resources to develop his idea, so he went to a famous scientist by the name of Bell, hoping that Bell would see merit in the idea, and would provide Meucci with the resources to develop it. Bell reportedly sent Meucci away, telling him that the idea was not a sound (pun intended) one. Shortly thereafter Bell is credited with having invented the telephone. The same professor also said that Meucci's descendants recently went to court to resolve the matter, presenting Meucci's notebooks with descriptions of his ideas as their evidence. The court supposedly ruled that yes, Meucci is the originator of the idea of the telephone, but that Bell actually gave the idea its fruition. That is all we were told of the courts decision. The professor said that this is what is taught in the schools in Italy. Can anyone confirm or deny this story? Tom Milligan decvax!tektronix!tekecs!tomm