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04 Dec 11
Originally posted by sonhouseI wonder for many uses if we couldn't replace electric wires in the home with optical cables.
He didn't invent the light bulb?
Ah, found this:
http://www.coolquiz.com/trivia/explain/docs/edison.asp
One thing though: In defense of DC V AC, AC is certainly easier to transform from one voltage to another, etc., but using AC generates losses in both transforming up to the ultra high voltages needed to limit losses on the overheads, but the lines ...[text shortened]... re would be less AC hum in the air, the bane of audio and video and my own amateur radio rigs.
Lighting is the obvious first point of call.
Have a central light box, with optical fibres leading to all the lights in the house, which would
remove a lot of the electrical wiring running about the house and mean that you could do things like collect the waste heat from your central light box to heat water in your heat storage tank for added overall energy efficiency.
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04 Dec 11
1 edit
Originally posted by wolfgang59Nope. Joseph Swan made the lightbulb practical, safe and durable. Thomas Alva Edison then stole his patent, and pirated his invention all over the USA. Swan, not having the legal nous Edison did, then was forced to accept the situation and "collaborate" with this thief.
Correct! He didn't invent the light bulb.
Too be pedantic he made it practical, safe and durable.
And he had 1,000+ patents covering electrical devices we think trivial but someone had to invent them.
Well, quite. He owned the patents; someone else did the work. And was usually not paid nearly well enough for it, and certainly never got the slightest public recognition.
Let's be honest: Edison wasn't just not a great scientist, he wasn't even the great inventor he is usually said to be. What he was is one of the great business tycoons leeching off people with real talent. It's about time this is recognised.
Richard
05 Dec 11
Originally posted by Shallow BlueThanks I didn't know this.
Nope. Joseph Swan made the lightbulb practical, safe and durable. Thomas Alva Edison then stole his patent, and pirated his invention all over the USA. Swan, not having the legal nous Edison did, then was forced to accept the situation and "collaborate" with this thief.
[b]And he had 1,000+ patents covering electrical devices we think trivial ...[text shortened]... coons leeching off people with real talent. It's about time this is recognised.
Richard