Authentication-Results: minnie.tuhs.org; dkim=fail reason="key not found in DNS" (0-bit key; unprotected) header.d=humeweb.com header.i=@humeweb.com header.b="d1cmFn5O"; dkim-atps=neutral From: Andrew Hume Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2022 14:41:57 -0800 To: "John P. Linderman" Subject: Re: [TUHS] Coastal cultures, collaboration, creativity and Sun vs DEC. Cc: TUHS main list Errors-To: tuhs-bounces@minnie.tuhs.org Sender: "TUHS" i would add the general atmosphere of the Unix room, especially the very heavy mobile hung from the ceiling for a while (until someone noticed the cable supporting it was visibly stretching). also the bowling alley (the corridor that rob, ken, denis, doug and my offices were on) — the pins were under the printer table at the end. i also recall the time the bowling ball got away from the Unix room rolling down the main corridor towards a group of visitors led by peter weinberger. luckily, dave presotto grabbed the ball before anyone got hurt (but it was close). i would also mention labscam; its not often we see a prank involving rob pike, Penn and a Noble Prize winner. > On Jan 11, 2022, at 2:17 PM, John P. Linderman wrote: > > > > On Tue, Jan 11, 2022 at 3:45 PM Rob Pike > wrote: > > Similar. Everyone at Bell Labs was so proper. (Except Ken, of course. Ken is sui generis, and a Californian). > > Perhaps (probably maybe) I misunderstand. There was nothing "proper" about the Peter face on the water tower, or lock-picking a boot to move it to a patrol car, of Scott Knaur wandering the halls in a Darth Vader costume, or Jellicat wearing a Cats costume, or a thousand other examples. There was a lot of playfulness in the Labs (at least in the early days), and I think it was wonderful.