Is a transistor basically a variable resistor?

[duck_arse]

that story rings a Bell.

Could you pretend you didn't hear it..?? 

didn't have to pretend - I had to look it up, as I'd remembered it wrong this many years. I'd thought it was actually transient resistor.

[anotherjim]

transient resistor.

Dissident of no fixed abode?

When I was young, I used a public library book on transistor theory that was complete and utter bollox. I can't remember what it explained but it wasn't right. This left me with some suspicion of academic knowledge. Still, isn't it amazing how many technologies came to be without any understanding of how they actually work?

[Rob Strand]

didn't have to pretend - I had to look it up, as I'd remembered it wrong this many years.

Same here.

I'd thought it was actually transient resistor.

They already knew if the smoke got out it no longer exists.