

Remembering the Good Days at Bell Labs - parenthesis
http://www.physik3.gwdg.de/~mrs/Vortraege/Remembering-the-Good-Days-at-Bell-Laboratories-2004/index.html

======
dangoldin
I found this amusing:

An example of freedom at Bell, one where it backfired, occurred with a Swedish
linguist we wanted to hire in the mid-60s. His future department head, Peter
Denes, who was to take him out for dinner, asked me what he should answer if
the candidate enquired about "freedom" at the Labs. I told Denes to reassure
the candidate that he had total freedom - he could do whatever he wanted to
do. The next thing we knew his office and the corridor nearby were adorned
with posters of Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh and Che Guevara - just to test what we
meant when we guaranteed him complete freedom. As you might imagine - this was
the height of the Vietnam War - there was quite a commotion. People came to
see me saying they couldn't continue with their classified, secret work. I had
to reassure them that posters couldn't actually see. Then plant security got
wind of the situation. They called me and I told them I would take charge,
everything was "under control" - which of course it wasn't. But at least I got
the security people off my back. Then I called my boss, John Pierce, and
explained the whole thing to him. When I was through, he asked me what I was
going to do and I said "Nothing, John". He replied with a single word:
"Right". Of course, in less than 48 hours the whole thing had blown by.

------
ecommercematt
There are some interesting stories in this write-up.

I lived in the former Bell Labs headquarters in Manhattan (Greenwich Village)
that the author referenced for about a year and a half (until early '08).
Since about 1970 the building has been used as subsidized housing (work/live
loft space) for "artists." The residents rarely move out because they pay mere
hundreds of dollars per month for huge loft spaces that would otherwise rent
for many thousands. Since they were picky about who they selected to live
there initially, (they chose "artists" with established careers, most of whom
were 30+ in 1970) today it has the vibe of a really eccentric retirement
community. I'm not sure what the people (private philanthropists and NEA
bureaucrats working together) thought would become of the community they
funded/founded, but I doubt its present state is what they envisioned. I'm
grateful for the ultra-cheap sublet opportunity I had nonetheless.

------
Shamiq
"Well, I accepted the Bell offer - in fact I would have worked at Bell for
nothing, but I didn't mind getting paid for what was for me a dream come
true."

This is the kind of company I want to create...someday in the future, I hope.

------
zach
Man, I love hearing stories like these. It's curious how people plan and apply
and work to get into top university programs which last a few years, yet they
seem to stumble quickly into amazing places like Bell Labs, these super-
learning environments that can make a person's career.

~~~
zandorg
Sounds like a tautology. Where else would they go but the most prestigious
place?

I'd be surprised if they went somewhere sub-par.

~~~
zach
Right, especially since Bell Labs is about the most institutional example of
that kind of environment. I suppose not many people really had as unusual of
an entry into that environment as the subject of this article did. Things were
quite different back then.

------
kajecounterhack
Good days at Bell Labs were when my dad took me to "Take your sons to work
day" -- and the Holmdel, NJ building was still in all its glory. Now...it's
been sold off and nobody knows what's going to happen to it.

------
medianama
I joined Bell Labs in late 2000 and quit in six months of joining... I guess
those weren't the best days for the labs or Lucent

~~~
lliiffee
In the recent interview with Soustroup, he suggested that "AT&T bell labs" was
the place to be, not "Lucent bell labs". Is that correct-- it has now split in
two?

------
yters
Are there places like this today? How do I join such a place?

~~~
Shamiq
A product of by-gone years.

If I recall correctly, some of these companies subsidize research at
universities. I think your best bet would be to find an institute that's doing
stuff you like, or has faculty you want to be around, and get associated with
them.

~~~
yters
Do people do independent research anymore, or is it just too likely they'll
reinvent the wheel, lack resources and information, and not receive useful
guidance? I'm interested in the university route, but it seems like there
isn't as much freedom as in the case of bell labs.

