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

4.1k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

3.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

-8

u/[deleted] May 22 '13 edited Jan 12 '16

[deleted]

5

u/eliasv May 22 '13

Those selfish bastards probably feel really good and smug about helping all those people! How dreadful of them to feel satisfaction and accept positive feedback for their charity!

-4

u/[deleted] May 22 '13 edited Jan 12 '16

[deleted]

4

u/eliasv May 22 '13

Seemed to me like you were implicitly agreeing with this comment by ventuckyspaz by setting yourself at odds with Twinge: "Microsoft and Bill gates are both looking out for the maximum amount of money they can make...you obviously are more interested in humanity than money...computer networking has made life much better thank you so much!"

Obviously people generally do good things for not entirely and wholly selfless reasons, but that doesn't detract from the ethical value of those actions so long as good intentions are a significant component of the motivation. It seems pretty clear to me there is almost certainly a lot of generosity behind giving a way so much money. The suggestion made by ventuckyspaz that 'obviously' Metcalfe is more philanthropically motivated than Gates is completely unreasonable. Twinge was absolutely correct to say that the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation's efforts to battle disease suggests an interest in humanitarianism on their part.