25 Oct
2025
25 Oct
'25
4:35 p.m.
"Did you use ChatGPT? That’s actually the issue date for the patent."
Marc Howard
I did not use nor would I ever use ChatGPT or its ilk for obtaining any
bona-fide information. Most, if not all AI hallucinate. Yikes!
I had read 2 articles earlier this month and had forgotten about it until
now as I stated in the note: They were from Tom’s Hardware and Soylentnews.
To be correct the point-contact transistor was invented at Bell Labs in
1947; patented in 1950. I stand corrected in relation to the invention of
and patented of the transistor. It was not my intent to mislead.
Happy computing,
Murray 😊
On Sat, Oct 25, 2025 at 6:58 PM Paul Koning via cctalk <
cctalk(a)classiccmp.org> wrote:
the better hi-fi audio using valves.
On Oct 25, 2025, at 4:12 PM, ben via cctalk
<cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
wrote:
On 2025-10-25 2:01 p.m., Paul Koning via cctalk wrote:
>> ...
> "carborundum" is better known as silicon carbide. It has been a niche
semiconductor material for quite a while; I remember reading about its use
for blue light lasers, back around 1980. Nowadays it's mainstream for
certain application areas, like high power devices or high temperature
operation.
> There are also silicon carbide resistors,
very nice for high power
non-inductive applications. Ham Radio people know of these for "dummy
loads". I have one that happily takes 100 watts for minutes on end, and if
I were to dunk it into transformer oil for cooling it could take a kilowatt.
paul
I think too that the same diodes are used as high voltage rectifiers in
Ben.
Could be, but I'm not sure why. Silicon diodes have been used in high
voltage service for many decades. It may be a case of using odd technology
just because. That would fit with stuff like using vacuum tubes, or using
oversized copper wiring, or any number of other weird things "high end
audio" people do. It would not be quite as strange as gold plated fiber
optic connectors.
paul