“It's like when IBM drove a lot of innovation out of the computer industry before the microprocessor came along. Eventually, Microsoft will crumble because of complacency, and maybe some new things will grow. But until that happens, until there's some fundamental technology shift, it's just over.” HappensGrowsTechnologyIndustryComputerInnovationFundamentalsNew ThingsComplacencyMicrosoftIbmPredicting The FutureMicroprocessor Book:Motivating Thoughts of Steve Jobs Source: Motivating Thoughts of Steve Jobs
“If, for some reason, we make some big mistake and IBM wins, my personal feeling is that we are going to enter a computer Dark Ages for about twenty years.” IfsYearsReasonFeelingsBigsAgeWinningDarkMistakeComputerTwentiesDark AgesBig MistakeIbmPersonal Feelings Book:Motivating Thoughts of Steve Jobs Source: Motivating Thoughts of Steve Jobs
“Much of my work has come from being lazy. I didn't like writing programs, and so, when I was working on the IBM 701 (an early computer), writing programs for computing missile trajectories, I started work on a programming system to make it easier to write programs.” WritingEasierComputerProgramProgrammingLazyMissilesComputingTrajectoryIbmBeing Lazy Author:John Backus
“It's the first company to build the mental position that has the upper hand, not the first company to make the product. IBM didn't invent the computer; Sperry Rand did. But IBM was the first to build the computer position in the prospect's mind.” MindFirstsHandsCompanyPositionProductsComputerIbmUpper Hand Author:Al Ries
“My big dream back then was to buy an IBM Selectric. I still have that dream. I really ought to buy a word-processor. Half the cabbies at Rocky own computers. They tell me they can write failed novels ten times faster on a PC.” WritingStillsDreamBigsHalfNovelOughtTenComputerFasterIbmProcessors Author:Gary Reilly
“I use an IBM Thinkpad. I just use it like a typewriter, but when I started using it in 1987, I thought I won't be able to write anymore, so I thought I'd go back to the typewriter. But you couldn't go back to the typewriter after using the computer.” WritingUseAbleComputerTypewritersIbm Author:Joan Didion
“It's not easy to remember, but IBM was the computer industry when I was growing up. You loved 'em. You hated 'em. You knew what they were doing. They had set a standard for mainframes. They also set a standard for great sales focus and heavy product R & D.” RememberEasyGrowing UpFocusGrowingProductsIndustryComputerStandardsHeavyHatedEmsIbmGreat SalesMainframe Author:Bill Gates
“You look at these past predictions like there's only a market in the world for five computers [as allegedly said by IBM founder Thomas Watson] and you realize it's not a good idea to predict too far into the future.” WorldLooksSaidIdeasPastRealizingFiveComputerGood IdeasFoundersPredictionsWatsonIbm Author:Geoffrey Hinton
“Artificial intelligence uses a complex set of rules - algorithms - to get to a conclusion. A computer has to calculate its way through all those rules, and that takes a lot of processing. So AI works best when a small computer is using it on a small problem - your car's anti-lock brakes are based on AI. Or you need to use a giant computer on a big problem - like IBM using a room-size machine to compete against humans on Jeopardy in 2011.” WayNeedsHumansUseProblemBigsRoomsCarComputerMachinesComplexesSizeConclusionGiantsArtificial IntelligenceArtificialLocksBig ProblemsProcessingAlgorithmsBrakeJeopardyIbmSmall Problems Author:Kevin Maney
“Every disruptive innovation is powered by a simplifying technology, and then the technology has to get embedded in a different kind of a business model. The first two decades of digital computing were characterized by the huge mainframe computers that filled a whole room, and they had to be operated by PhD Computer Scientists. It took the engineers at IBM about four years to design these mainframe computers because there were no rules. It was an intuitive art and just by trial and error and experimentation they would evolve to a computer that worked.” KindArtDifferentTechnologyDesignComputerScientistInnovationEvolveDifferent KindsExperimentationEmbeddedIbm Author:Clayton Christensen
“If being the biggest company was a guarantee of success, we'd all be using IBM computers and driving GM cars.” IfsCompanyCarComputerDrivingGuaranteesIbm Author:James Surowiecki