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Alexander Graham Bell worked with Westinghouse on a method of electrocuting someone over the phone. There was no market demand since telemarketers hadn't come along yet.

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My understanding of the argument was between Edison and Westinghouse,as per AC and DC and which was safer.

Yep, and some accounts indicate that Edison was so convinced of the extra danger of AC over DC that he issued a challange in the form of an electrical "chicken" game. One man would be subjected to shocks of increasing voltage of DC while the other would receive shocks of similar voltage but AC, until one cried enough. Rather wisely, the challenge was refused. [Linked Image]

Having been instrumental in getting the state of New York to adopt the electric chair (using AC) it appears that Edison tried to get the term "Westinghoused" adopted in a further attempt to ingrain the idea in people that the Westinghouse AC system was dangerous.

Whatever his other achievements, it seems as though Edison was very blinkered on the AC vs. DC issue. How much that was caused by his heavy financial stake in DC power systems we can only surmise.




[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 10-09-2006).]