All true and good, Douglas, but I think the exception is being taken to your theory that Edison didn't understand things he didn't embrace. We may never know why he resisted electric motors in phonographs or slower turntable speeds or the electric microphone, but there's no doubt whatsoever he understood these things fully as concepts as well as inventions. We're all aware of how much Edison kept up with the research of his colleagues like Tesla. As experiments were being made and theories were forming, TAE was doubtless privy. He had his reasons to resist technologies he didn't outwardly embrace, but I hardly think mechanical/electrical ignorance or incomprehension played any part. Of his shortcomings, I don't believe those made the list.
I also doubt AC was, at the time, as fully blown a "mathematical tangle" as you call it now; I would imagine all its concepts were much simpler in the beginning, the way a car engine used to be devoid of computer chips 40 years ago. And although we know very little reliable information about internet marketing at this point, for example, that hasn't stopped colleges from teaching courses on it for years. Best to all, Robert ----- (edited) Original Message ----- From: "Douglas Houston" <[email protected]> > In the early 1900's, AC technology was already covered in the > universities. Edison > didn't have the advantage of a university education in his younger days. > It wasn't reasonable to expect Edison to have training in the mathematical > tangle that is AC power. He had to stay with what he understood. > > No need to get your backs arched, and claws drawn about Edison's > shortcomings. He had them, like any other human being has. Who else in > history > ever rated a whole nation turning out lights for a minute in reverence at > his passing?
