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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site water.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!water!jbtubman
From: jbtubman@water.UUCP (Jim Tubman)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: An American invented the phone, thus this is an American net
Message-ID: <169@water.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 10-Dec-84 22:32:58 EST
Article-I.D.: water.169
Posted: Mon Dec 10 22:32:58 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Dec-84 14:20:09 EST
References: <6166@mcvax.UUCP> <270@spp2.UUCP> <127@talcott.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 29

gjk@talcott.UUCP (Greg J Kuperberg) wrote:
> Remember, this is an American network that your posting to.

And in reply to Steven Pemberton, he observed:

> Ok, how many UUCP hosts are there?  And how many of them are in the U.S.?
> And where was UUCP started anyway?  And where was Unix invented?  And
> the vax?  And the silicon chip?  And the telephone?

As far as an American inventing the telephone goes, it is interesting to
note that the U.S., Britain, and Canada have all claimed A. G. Bell as their
own, by reasons of birth, citizenship, place of residence, and site of his
crucial work.  The telephone itself was undoubtedly invented in the U.S.;
however, American chauvinists might be surprised to learn that the first
long-distance phone call took place in Canada and was also a project of
Bell's.  The net would not be much if it were not for the long-distance
lines that link the sites together.

So does the fundamental nature of this important Canadian invention give
those of us here in Snowland a right to denounce what foreigners say on this
(international) net, as Greg J. Kuperberg would have us believe?  I do not
think so.  Just as the list of marvellous American inventions (Unix, the
Vax, etc.) does not give Mr. Kuperberg a similar right.

Arguments should be refuted by reason, not by nationalism and other
emotional ranting.

					Jim Tubman
					University of Waterloo