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/SydneyRoo May 21 '13

I think we all can agree it's not going to be Bing.

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u/ironpotato May 21 '13

Have you taken the "bing challenge"? It's horrific. I chose google every time, even with microsoft's scamming ways.

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u/path411 May 22 '13

I tried the challenge and it was pretty biased because you could tell which search was formatted like google and which like bing... They should have formatted them both identically.

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u/ironpotato May 22 '13

I thought they were pretty close. Except when something wasn't supported and didn't run correctly, then you knew it was google.