Alexander Graham Bell didn't invent the telephone?

**Skeptical**

That is the contention of a new book that suggests Bell "borrowed" the idea from a rival inventor, Elisha Gray:

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/techbit_bell_book

I guess Firesign Theatre was right, everything I know is wrong. Confused

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"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." -- Thomas Jefferson

**dr wu23** · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 2295 Location: Indiana

**Skeptical** · Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:04 am Post subject:

There was probably some long-standing acrimony between Edison and Tesla because Tesla's alternating current (AC) won out over Edison's direct current (DC). I would not be at all surprised to learn that Edison never forgot that and never missed an opportunity to take a shot at his rival.

What Tesla needed was someone with some business sense to channel his creative energies. He had all kinds of great ideas but never seemed to stick with them long enough to make them into marketable products. Edison on the other hand was all about practical application. He wanted to make a buck off of his stuff.

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_________________
"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." -- Thomas Jefferson