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Ask HN: History of Industrial Research Labs Outside Xerox PARC and Bell Labs
Hello. I am very interested in learning about the history of industrial research labs from a computer science standpoint. In addition, I am very curious about what life was like at labs outside of Xerox PARC and Bell Labs. Much has been written about these legendary labs, but I’m less familiar with HP Labs, DEC’s Systems Research Lab (founded by Bob Taylor when he left Xerox PARC in 1983 due to clashes with management), IBM’s labs, and not to mention the labs from corporate Japan, particularly those from Sony and Fujitsu. Xerox PARC and Bell Labs were known to have a culture of freedom during their heydays. I’m wondering if other labs had this level of freedom in the past, or if they’ve always been more bottom-line oriented than Xerox PARC and Bell Labs were.
- gnatman 3y agoI'm sorry this isn't what you asked for but it made me think of this clip [0] from a documentary about Benoit Mandelbrot- he worked at IBM Research for 35 years [1]. I just love the quote: "It was 1958- the giant American corporation was pioneering a technology that would soon revolutionize the way we all live: The Computer. IBM was looking for creative thinkers; non-conformists; even rebels... people like Benoit Mandelbrot". [0]https://youtu.be/HqGpiUERl64?si=I_ieKm6Viq_IBKDO https://youtu.be/HqGpiUERl64?si=I_ieKm6Viq_IBKDO [1]https://youtu.be/REqM_L6vryc?si=x8thI6IUX4GBdItV https://youtu.be/REqM_L6vryc?si=x8thI6IUX4GBdItV
- gnatman 3y agoI found this book that may be of interest as well: The IBM Watson Laboratory at Columbia University: A History, by Jean Ford Brennan [0] [0]https://web.archive.org/web/20220511181506/http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/brennan https://web.archive.org/web/20220511181506/http://www.columb...
- mitchbob 3y agoI haven't read this, but it sounds like the sort of thing you're looking for: Out of the Lab and On the Market: How Sony Computer Science Labs (SonyCSL) Turn Research into Profits. [1] It might be interesting to read together with Digital Dreams, about the Sony Design Center. [2] [1] https://www.amazon.com/Out-Lab-Market-Computer-Research/dp/1138735906 https://www.amazon.com/Out-Lab-Market-Computer-Research/dp/1... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Dreams-Work-Design-Center/dp/0789302624 https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Dreams-Work-Design-Center/dp/...