[pbsurf]

I absolutely agree - any one of the Bell Labs scientists could easily have become a multi-millionaire by choosing a different path. Financially, they saw only an infinitesimal fraction of the value they created.

In one corner, we have engineers and scientists whose full time job is to solve problems and create new ideas; in the other corner, we have those whose full time job is to acquire money in any way possible - executives, Wall Street types, etc. It is easy to guess who will emerge financially victorious. Sadly, I don't think it can be any other way.