Happy 100th To The Vacuum Tube

williamw83 writes "Today, November 16, 2004 has been declared as the centennial of the birth of modern electronics by the American Vacuum Society. As the AIP Physics News Update reports, this marks 'British scientist John Ambrose Fleming's 1904 invention of the first practical electronic device. Known as the thermionic diode, this first simple vacuum tube, containing only two electrodes, could be used to convert an alternating current (AC) to a direct current (DC).' Today's celebration takes place as part of the AVS's 51st Annual Symposium & Exhibition in Anaheim, CA. Being a guitar player myself, I've come to truly appreciate the technology of the vacuum tube every time I crank up my amplifier. This 100-year-old grandfather of electronics, used by musicians and audiophiles across the world, has proven that profound advances in technology do not always render old technologies obsolete."

Comments

Who cares?

[Lobo]

Vacuums suck!

Please don't!

[maeka]

This 100-year-old grandfather of electronics, used by musicians and audiophiles across the world...

As a musician I resent being in the same sentence as an audiophile.

Re:Why did they make relay-based computers?

[Bahumat]

Actually, that's a myth. Sand was invented by the British shortly before World War I, as something to fill all their at-the-time useless surplus "cannonball catching bags".

Unfortunately, even in the height of wartime, mass production far exceeded supply, and in a desperate move to cover up the multinational financial boondoggle and rescue what they could of the struggling world economy, the "sand" was dumped unceremoniously across africa and most of asia, as well as most poor, equotorial regions that thought the wealth of inventory would translate into increased economical benefit for their country.

By the time they realized the sand was nearly worthless, the newly formed UN began work on quietly covering up and brainwashing the world into believing that "sand" had always been around. Often tankers continued to run aground for a few years, or jettisoned their now-worthless cargo of sand into the ocean, where it washed up and covered beaches.

Tell everyone, before they silence you t]H]H]H NO CARRIER