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From: mark@cbosgd.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: sour apples
Message-ID: <208@cbosgd.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Aug-83 18:00:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.208
Posted: Fri Aug 19 18:00:44 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 20-Aug-83 08:25:41 EDT
References: <126@ccieng5.UUCP>, <1957@umcp-cs.UUCP>, <906@utcsstat.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Columbus
Lines: 16

I always thought Xerox invented the personal computer.  (You know, the Alto.
Somewhere around 1970, I think.)  (Here, "personal computer" is defined as
a computer designed and intended to be used by one person, rather than
timeshared or batched or signed up for.  I suppose Apple might have their
own definition in terms of mass marketing.)

However, it seems commonplace to see TV ads trumpeting a product as the
invention of that company, even when it's been commonplace for years.
GTE does a lot of this.  Also, somebody sells copiers with the slogan
"Framus: we took thousands of parts and put them on this tiny chip"
(it may be Sharp - I'm not sure and haven't seen the commercial in awhile)
giving the impression that they invented the process.  And there are
far more serious cases of abuse - look at Anacin's claims that their
pain reliever cures headaches better than aspirin, which are completely
without proof.  (In fact, Anacin contains caffeine, which tends to make
you more tense, and thus can make a headache WORSE.)