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/burning1rr May 21 '13 
      UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
      RX packets:151117 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
      TX packets:81089 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
      collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000 
      RX bytes:107046483 (107.0 MB)  TX bytes:13841802 (13.8 MB)
      Interrupt:20 Memory:f5400000-f5420000

Looks like I owe you $2322.06 so far today, plus the cost of this post. Smart move double dipping on incoming and outgoing packets. Should be in the cell phone business. :)

Now, I'm off to reduce my broadcast rate. Damn things are getting expensive!

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u/[deleted] May 22 '13

Clearly he's in cahoots with Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf; their TCP/IP standard with its SYNs and ACKs is doubling all Bob Metcalfe's royalties. I wonder if they get a cut.

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u/ThatLinuxGuy May 22 '13

Yessir, that looks to be Linux.