IP: PhillyTech May 2000 Dave Farber

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

http://www.philly-tech.com/archives/2000/05/highprofile.asp


>Dave Farber

>By Jill P. Capuzzo
>
>Penn professor brings his wit and wisdom to the nation's capital
>
>Dave Farber is that rare breed of technology expert who can actually make 
>laymen understand what he's talking about, even when he's explaining his 
>complex research in ultra high-speed networking or predicting the workings 
>of the fully digitized home of the future. That's a good quality to have, 
>especially in his new capacity as chief technologist for the Federal 
>Communications Commission (FCC), where he spends a lot of time translating 
>highly technical material for a group of people whose main language is 
>politics.
>
>The feisty, 65-year-old University of Pennsylvania professor of 
>telecommunications signed on with the FCC for one year (although he admits 
>they'd be happy to have him stay longer) during which time he hopes to 
>bring them up to speed on what he calls "the generation of the Internet." 
>Since he began his stint in January, Farber says he has been most 
>surprised by the quality and intent of the people at the FCC.
>
>"I've always seen them as policemen, or in the pay of X or Y, but you go 
>inside and there's a great public spirit to the place. They're trying to 
>do what's right for the country while operating in a very complicated 
>space," said Farber, who recognizes the necessity of a FCC as "parental 
>supervisors."

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