On Wed, 1 Oct 2003 08:08:24 -0400, "Don" one-if-by-land.concord.com
wrote:
///
Thomas Edison *conceived* the idea of the lightbulb with no knowledge of
what the key element shall be, the filament. He tried well over 1000
materials before he found that bamboo worked excellently.
////

I have certainly heard versions of this uplifting story before.

Then again, I also heard how the Edison lab carried a copy of
Scientific American which detailed a new filament for incandescant
lights - carbon - invented, it appears, by Swan.

Edison finally settled, forming "Ediswan" at some stage....

The essence of the Industrial Lab was Edison's real invention -
a methodical attack on desired results.....

Brian Whatcott Altus OK