Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP 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