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Sorry but if I'm not wrong, computing was born in the old U.S.S.R under the name of "Informatika". And it was recently proved that Mr. Bell actually developed a communication model that had been invented (and rejected by manufacturers) many years before his acclaimed discovery... and the actual inventor was European! <<

I think the distinction between invention and innovation is the taking it to the masses, making it an indepensible part of culture. Even farther, something that changes cultures. Whereas these inventions were developed elsewhere, it was through the efforts of Americans that made these items such central items to culture. Could you imagine walking across town to a friend's house to ask him a simple question? Most people would just call him up. The automobile is another example; the landscape of the US (and I imagine to a lesser extent other parts of the world) changed drastically because of the car. It's almost impossible to have a job now in the US with out a car, unless you live in certain cities. There is something to say for being a good businessperson, it's almost as important as invention. Americans do seem to be good at selling things, even that which probably doesn't need to be sold. I don't by any means begrudge these people credit for these inventions (they probably deserve more), but I do believe that distribution of these inventions is a very important part of the equation, else the only telephone would be in the inventor's attic. Zach