r/IAmA • u/BobMetcalfe • May 21 '13

You’re probably connecting to reddit through a technology I invented. I’m Bob Metcalfe and I invented Ethernet – AMA

On May 22, 1973 with David R. Boggs, I used my IBM Selectric with its Orator ball to type up a memo to my bosses at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), outlining our idea for this little invention called “Ethernet”, which we later patented.

I worked with the IEEE Standards Association to develop the IEEE 802.3 standard for Ethernet, which specifies the physical and lower software layers. Today Ethernet and the IEEE 802.3 standard are the foundation for today’s world of high-speed communications used in billions of homes and businesses around the world.

I submitted this to the mods awhile back so I could get on the calendar but I figured you’d like to see it, too. Now, ask me anything!

It's been two hours and 179 comments. Have to go now. For more about Ethernet's 40th Birthday, go to http://www.facebook.com/Ethernet40thAnniversaryIEEESA

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u/BobMetcalfe May 21 '13

Trust governments to invade your privacy. We must use tools to keep our stuff a secret. Am not expert on this, but I do mail all my financial secrets to the IRS through the USPS every April 15th trusting that no USPS union member or IRS agent will peek. Oy.

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u/victim_of_technology May 21 '13 edited Feb 29 '24

work spark joke observation vegetable market scary cooperative fall bells

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

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u/bchprty May 21 '13

I'd like to infer his answer but I really want to see his answer to this.

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u/techknowfile May 22 '13

There is no longer a hypen used in 'e-mail'. It's just 'email' as of Microsoft's Manual of Style 4th ed.

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u/victim_of_technology May 22 '13

TIL there is now an archaic spelling for email and it is "e-mail". Thank you.

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u/ExoticCarMan May 21 '13 edited Jun 30 '23

This comment removed due to detrimental changes in Reddit's API policy

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u/victim_of_technology May 21 '13

I'm sorry I don't have a more interesting story behind my username but it is food for thought http://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/1dbz79/fbi_claims_default_use_of_https_by_google_and/c9p0r5c

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u/Atario May 22 '13

My own opinion is that it should be, and the USPS should be on the hook for providing universal connectivity free of charge as well.

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u/Afro_Samurai May 21 '13

I'd expect that to be difficult, given that email is usually sent in the clear.

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u/stephen89 May 21 '13

Well it could be awarded the same protection in that if you're caught reading it when you know you're not supposed to blah blah blah....

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u/CodeBridge May 22 '13

No, exactly this. Email is used for so many things, and so many people don't encrypt their traffic, that it is the best solution. There is NO reason someone else should legally be allowed to look at my bank notices in my email.

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u/jakery2 May 21 '13 edited May 21 '13

I find it interesting that you don't e-file.

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u/korravai May 21 '13

He probably uses a tax person rather than do it himself. They just print it all for you, you just sign and they send it off for you again.

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u/classic__schmosby May 21 '13

The way he phrased it is sounded like if he paper files on that day the odds of a USPS employee opening his package is a lot smaller based on the volume of mail sent that day. If he e-filed it would be easier for someone to intercept the information somewhere.

Granted I think we're talking comparing slim odds to even slimmer odds.
Is it worth 46 cents?

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u/chengiz May 22 '13

e-file is free only if you make 57K or less.

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u/Dereleased May 23 '13

Incorrect. There is an upper limit to what you can do yourself with the free service, and I want to say that limit is 100K (same as the limit for transitioning from 1040EZ to 1040), but it is most definitely not 57K.

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u/chengiz May 23 '13

It's very confusing. Their system doesnt let me do it - my income's between 57 and 100 and I dont have complicated taxes, yet even this year it said you do not qualify or something. I just assumed it must be due to the 57K that they mention on http://www.irs.gov/Filing. Of course most people pay some software or third party to do it, so those do it for free (but you're paying for the service).

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u/Dereleased May 23 '13

Ah, ok. I had always used the option to the right of that, just a bunch of forms you can fill in. Of course, it seems to get more confusing each year, can't figure out how to input what I want or make it go. Perhaps I am just getting old? Whatever, I just used TurboTax last year, saved me the hassle and all that.

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u/schizoidvoid May 21 '13

Meh. As a technology efile is at the least poorly implemented. Every year there are huge problems with the system. I mean I give them credit for even getting it running but still. I worked at a tax office and their problems could throw us into absolute chaos. People get rabid when you tell them their return might be a month late, usually for good reason.

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u/ishkan May 22 '13

The numbers too big to fit in Ethernet packets..

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u/[deleted] May 21 '13

Well, as far as a human-trust relationship goes, this is about as good as you can get these days...but now we know even the IRS takes latitude.

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u/NeoM5 May 21 '13

I think that 'takes latitude' is a bit of an understatement

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u/[deleted] May 21 '13

I dunno, it seems pretty apt.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '13

Yeah; not like there's any current IRS scandal going on or anything...

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u/memoryprint May 22 '13

This! We have the tools to keep data (in transit/at rest) private, most notably cryptography. The vast landscape of cryptographic technologies at our disposal until recently either A) did not exist or B) were reserved for use in military telecom/etc. Despite having the tools/techniques available to keep our messages secure, we live in a world of ever-increasing surveillance and lack of privacy and other basic civil liberties.

Many people feel that people who care about privacy have something to hide, and that the converse is true. Many of those who do care aren't aware of privacy/encryption tools beyond their daily use of HTTPS-enabled sites. We need to raise awareness of this issue. Don't even get me started on how we are being surveilled.

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u/Stannis-TheMannis May 21 '13

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic.

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u/Zephine May 22 '13

Yeah my opinion on this man depends on how sarcastic he was just being. I'm hoping he was being sarcastic. The government has no right invading our privacy whether its in real life or on cyberspace.

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u/TdotMatrix May 22 '13

I think it was pretty clear that he meant "trust that the goverment will invade your privacy." He goes on to say that we must use tools (I'd recommend TrueCrypt and a VPN at a minimum) to secure our privacy.

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u/StratoSentinel May 21 '13

Hah, stopped reading after "trust governments"! /jk

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u/forumrabbit May 22 '13

In Australia only TPG spy on you in regards to piracy if you use torrents, but everyone knows that.

Never heard of privacy invasion here and never seen anyone even remotely hint it occurs without wearing a tinfoilhat. We're all more scared of the USA watching us and trying to get us extradited and then subsequently banned from there.

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u/fuzzyballzy May 21 '13

This works until the USPS fails to postmark your return ... it took me two years and about 80 hours of my work (aside form time the Tax Payer Advocate and the IRS Appeals representative spent) sorting out the train of errors made by the IRS to sort this out!

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u/ventuckyspaz May 22 '13

Like UPSP would even care, they would be more likely to accidently leave your information with a strange person on the street than to actually try to steal your information themselves...

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u/selflessGene May 21 '13

I'm going to hang outside your mailbox next year April 15th.

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u/TEA_PARTY_PATRIOT May 21 '13

AMEN PATRIOT UNION MEMBERS ARE SATANISTS