[net.space] Russians in Radio Shack

opact (06/25/82)

The underlying assumptions in this discussion about the Soviets and Computers
is just mind boggling?  Do some of you computer heavies out there think
that technology only grows on anglo-saxon genes?  Are we back to the 50s 
thinking again?    ....the soviets COULDN'T have developed fission by
themselves...they must have STOLEN it from us....      ....they couldn't
develop computer technology by themselves...they must have at least bought
it in Radio Shack!!!!  (deceitful devils, they are) Come on now, lets stop the self-delusion...about the
Soviets, the Japanese or anyone else...Andy Berman, Bell Labs IH

djmolny (06/28/82)

The closest Russians have come to VLSI technology is a slow, hot, poorly
packaged 8080!  Remember when the feared Foxbat MIG landed in Japan?
Japanese and US teams took it apart, and found that all the electronics
were based on vacuum tubes!  You call that computer technology?  Phooey.

						-- DJ Molny
						Bell Labs IH
						ihnss!ihuxn!djmolny

rrb (06/30/82)

I believe they concluded the vacuum tubes were preferred to IC's
because of radiation in nuclear attacks.  Our planes may end up
flying themselves into the ground while the Russians fly
on with this so called outdated technology.  I hope this is not the case!
                           Roger Busico
                         Bell Laboratories, Whippany

amyh (06/30/82)

For those unfamiliar with the problems of producing radiation-hard (radiation
resistant) electronics, the Russian plane dismantled by the US was not so
"backward" just because it contained lots of vacuum tubes.  Vacuum tubes are
harder (radiation-wise) than the ic's used in US planes.

smb (06/30/82)

References: ihuxn.162

Yes, the Foxbat used vacuum tubes, but I've seen speculation that that
was deliberate, to give much greater protection against EMP (electro-
magnetic pulse) from an atmospheric nuclear blast.

jcwinterton (07/06/82)

Notwithstanding the high-tech league's derision of old technology, let's not
forget that there is no arguing with success.  The Soviet crowd may not be
very admirable to our way of thinking, but if what they do works and what
we do doesn't, they will have the last laugh....
John Winterton