This page gives some comments received from scientists and other "working people" around the company after my memo of December, 1991 ("Some Thoughts From An Old Guy") issued.
"Thanks for sending this. Bob really hit on the nose!" (New Jersey)
"Amen!! Thanks." (New Jersey)"Thanks for passing Bob's thoughts on to us. ... Of all the technical people I have known in this department I admired Bob the most not only for his technical knowledge (his famous notebooks) but for his honesty in assessing a situation and solving problems regardless of the barriers thrown up by others." (New Jersey)
"I worked for Bob a good number of years and unfortunately what he says is correct. It may be too late. The bill is in the mail." (New Jersey)
"This should be required reading in Wilmington and Barley Mill." (New Jersey)
"I regret deeply that I never met this gentleman. I would sign each item in his letter. Please would you submit to him my regards and my respect." (Germany)
"We'll miss Bob. The sage of R&D had a way of perceiving reality." (Wilmington)
"Bob expressed my own (hidden) thoughts as I for myself could never express them better. This is valid for each single word!!" (Germany)
"Well said.!! ... I want to say again that I really have enjoyed working with you. You are quite a gem amid the lumps of coal and gravel in DuPont management! In all my dealings with you you have always been honest, decent, and caring. ... I hope that our management will heed your warning, but I do not hold much real hope that any change will happen." (North Carolina)
It is obvious that I touched a nerve within the technical community with my memo. While quite gratifying to me personally, these comments are still a source of frustration since there seemed to be nothing that anyone at my level or below it could have done to have changed the way things played out in our departments.
(Last rev. 7/9/97)