EP.64【台湾発】新アイデア、startupsへ
"The Eight Traitors" Founded Silicon Valley 64 Years Ago - PART 2
(Below is a fictionalized conversation based on historical records)
The Defection
"Are we really all going to resign together?" Robert Noyce, who had joined the "rebel group" at the last minute, was still hesitant.
"We've been recruited by this lunatic boss and endured his random outbursts for over a year. Can you really stand it any longer?" one of the group exclaimed.
"His outbursts are one thing, but he won't hire technicians, so we have to do all the grunt work ourselves, which is incredibly inefficient!" another added.
"And now he's prohibiting employee communication. How can we collaborate on projects?"
"Not to mention he's paranoid. He brought in a lie detector last time and made everyone take a test!"
Everyone vented their frustrations, pent up for over a year.
"Our boss, Shockley, indeed has some issues with 'people skills,' but... he did win the Nobel Prize in Physics last year," Noyce continued.
"That damned Nobel Prize just made his ego worse," retorted Gordon Moore, the leader of the rebels. "Shockley was indeed the biggest contributor to the invention of the transistor, but the fact that he fell out with his co-laureates and Bell Labs shows how difficult he is to deal with!"
"Well, it's not entirely his fault. When others filed patents back then, his name was left out. If he hadn't continued his research and made significant breakthroughs, who would know Shockley's name today?" someone chimed in.
"Yet now that he's started Shockley Semiconductor, he's become the worst kind of boss!"
"Actually, the boss isn't completely unreasonable. Last time, I..." Jean Hoerni, a Swiss national, tried to mediate but was quickly interrupted.
"That's because you have dual doctorates from Switzerland and the UK, the only person Shockley sees as his intellectual equal," quipped Julius Blank, a Jewish engineer. "For a mere college graduate like me, I'll never get a chance to discuss anything with him."
"Come on, there are still three MIT PhDs, one Stanford PhD, and one Caltech PhD here. Why would I, a European, get ahead?"
"Stop wasting time on qualifications! The point is, only Grinich among us is an electrical engineer. What do we do after we all resign? Are we still going to be in the electronics industry?" Jay Last, a German immigrant, asked worriedly.
"Of course! The transistor is the greatest invention of the century. It can shrink computers from the size of a house to that of a desk, making electronics the hottest industry for the next hundred years!" Victor Grinich, a Croatian immigrant and engineer, said excitedly.
"I agree. And with the current inefficiency in transistor production, I envision a technology called 'integrated circuits,' where all transistors are made on a single 'chip.' This will make electronic products ubiquitous," Noyce added.
"And with technological advancement, I predict that the number of transistors on a chip will double every two years. In fifty years, electronic devices will be portable," Moore said.
"Unfortunately, old Shockley doesn't want to keep developing transistors. He's obsessed with his 'Shockley diode,' which is why we have to leave!" said Sheldon Roberts, a chemical engineer.
"It's easy to dream big, but what about funding? Last month, I secretly went to New York to seek investment. I went door to door, and no one even knew what a transistor was, let alone believed in us eight youngsters," sighed Eugene Kleiner, the eldest member and an Austrian.
"Should we join another company?"
"Will other companies support our 'transistor dream'? All the tech companies are on the East Coast. Are we 'California guys' going to compromise?"
"No! We must stay in Palo Alto."
"Starting our own company is better!"
"Actually, I've heard that Shockley's financiers see through his lack of management skills. If we show some promise, they'll surely invest in us," Grinich said. "Initially, we can work in my garage."
"Let's do it!"
"Anything is better than Shockley Semiconductor!"
"We must believe that our innovative technology can transform the entire industry!"
"We will establish a new work philosophy where everyone is equal, and everyone is a boss!"
"We will show the world that even starting from a garage, we can become the top company!"
Filled with confidence, the eight young men each pulled out a one-dollar bill and signed their names, vowing to change the world.
Together, they approached their boss and handed in their resignations.
---
This fictionalized dialogue highlights the resolve and ambition of the "Eight Traitors." Their decision to leave Shockley Semiconductor marked the beginning of a new era, paving the way for the rise of Silicon Valley.
