Watching the second half of the Revenge of the Nerds video was fascinating to me as I followed along with this historic time line involving IBM, Microsoft, Seattle Computers, Intel, and Compaq. Some of the seemingly minor decisions regarding copyright, company purchases, and software purchases have developed into major corporate and computing history. Microsoft buying the rights to an operating system for IBM for $50,000 (I found further reading at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Computer_Products and posted the cool business card from SCP!) from SCP is amazing. This strikes me as analogous to buying Manhattan for $28 and buying the Louisiana Territory for $15 million.
The reverse engineering done by Compaq is also historic, not only in how it was done, but in its legality. Taking on IBM was gutsy and there are many other people and companies that are doing with right now as they take on Microsoft. Going back through corporate history, I find it amazing how companies who once dominated their industry (Woolworth, Sears, K-Mart, GM, Chrysler, etc.) are either in decline, bought out, or bankrupt. Who will it be next?
I recall my older cousin, Johnny, getting a job with IBM in Rochester, Minnesota, immediately upon his college graduation from UW-LaCrosse in 1975. Everyone in my family was in awe of him and his computing acumen. Even though I had no interest in computer hardware or software at the time, I was impressed with the immediate success he came upon by virtue of his hard work in earning his college degree. Johnny was the first one in my family to earn a bachelors degree and he certainly was a role model for me as I became the second to earn a degree in 1983.
I now have a better understanding of how Microsoft grew to dominate the operating system industry. Because Gates had the rights to sell software to all PC manufacturers in the mid-1980s, his company grew unbelievably fast. Our society's fascination with his management style, software prowess, and wealth is more understandable to me after watching these videos. I am now very curious about LINUX and open-source software and how they affect Microsoft's future growth.
4 comments:
Did your cousin ever talk about the interesting relationship between IBM and Microsoft? My uncle is still working for IBM...it would certainly be interesting to get his opinion - the movie may be a little biased...who knows.
While watching the video, I was also surprised to find out that Compaq was in on the competition in a different way - I am typing on one now and love it, but hadn't heard of it when buying this laptop - who knew it was such a big player? Perhaps it came and went and then started to become more competitive again...the route that many companies take...
isn't it interesting to be somewhat in the middle of all of this - I think to some extent we take for granted all of the innovation going on around us. Someday this era will be noted as quite significant - the rise of personal computing, the start of internet use among "average joes" and all that goes with these things. I think it's become such a part of everyday life that we forget how important this all is!
It's interesting to see how many people know of someone who worked for IBM. There was a time in the 90's when IBM started downsizing, and I remember people being let go, or starting to work from home. I think they were the first go offer that option. Who knew their idea of having home workers could lead to such innovative thinking by others. IBM doesn't have to pay for a lot of big buildings and office space, as their help is already at home!
I'm curious Jim, would you endorse this type of innovation to your students? If a student came to you and described this type of information appropriation, how would you respond? I think the culture of the time was a direct influence on how these "rebels" started.
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