99700000 <haynes@felix.ucsc.edu> (06/27/91)
The 14 June 1991 issue of {Science Magazine} has an article under the
above title that will be of interest to some readers. Quick synopsys:
prior to divestiture Bell Labs was really a national resource, paid
for by a "tax" on all telephone users. After divestiture AT&T was a
much smaller company, operating in a highly competitive business
environment, so it's no surprise that Bell Labs could not be supported
in the style to which it had been accustomed. Now there has been a
reorganization to align the Labs more closely with the business needs
of the company. One of the researchers (who has left) argues that
what has been lost will not be replaced by innovations from startup
companies, because basic research requires a scientific culture and
long-term funding stability. "...the tragedy of this whole story is
that American society hasn't realized what it's lost."
haynes@cats.ucsc.edu haynes@ucsccats.bitnet