Rebirth of the Tech Madman

With the blowout development in successive years, the commercial value of personal computers has become more and more obvious, and now it has formed a huge sunrise industry with an output value of tens of billions of dollars. w(ww..

Two companies, Fangyuan Computer and IBM, one is the emerging overlord of microcomputers and the other is the old king of traditional computers, both have achieved great success in the personal computer market.

In terms of market capitalization alone, the latter has reached a high of 100 million US dollars, while the former is closely catching up, reaching the level of 100 million US dollars astonishingly. It even topped the American Tobacco Company and was included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index. Among the major constituent stocks.

What makes investors go crazy is that the combined market value of Fangyuan Computer and IBM has already accounted for more than one-third of the market value of all stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index.

What this means is self-explanatory. The fierce battle between Fangyuan Computer and IBM also made the onlookers excited to witness the changes of the times when talented people emerge from generation to generation, each leading for hundreds of years.

In fact, the wave of microcomputers led by Fangyuan Computer did not only affect IBM, but had a comprehensive impact on the entire traditional computer industry.

Fangyuan-class computers, Fangyuan servers, and Fangyuan workstations have demonstrated the feasibility of microprocessor-based IT products in high-end applications with repeated successful cases.

Personal computers have popularized computer technology, making it no longer the privileged exclusive product of large enterprises and government agencies.

At this stage, various computer companies are adopting different layouts to meet this industrial revolution.

For example, although hp, authorized by the Fangyuan personal computer standard, has not directly entered the consumer market, it has still launched its own brand of personal computers, combined with the accumulation of technology in the traditional computer field, and connected it to minicomputers, becoming a small computer. A very attractive and inexpensive terminal.

Even those who are obstinately dismissive of personal computers are constantly introducing their own flagship product-the 32-bit minicomputer vax. To deal with the increasingly obvious threats to Fangyuan servers and Fangyuan workstations.

However, although the competition in these high-end fields and the enterprise market is turbulent and thrilling, it is not as smooth and hearty as the competition in personal computers for the mass market. The good-for-nothings are still more willing to talk about such superficial struggles.

In recent months, ibm- and Fangyuan PC have really competed very fiercely. The former bought out Intel, trying to make its latest model ibm- the first to seize market share and destroy the opponent's third-generation Fangyuan PC. The first advantage; while the former did not hesitate to adjust the marketing strategy. Cut the price of personal computers that were originally part of the high-end product line.

The two sides even fought an advertising war, ridiculing each other, almost to the point of spitting at each other. It can be said that there is no grace to talk about, but it has also formed a booming supply and marketing situation, which Wall Street also greatly appreciates.

In short, it can be said that those who earn a lot of popularity, no matter the industry or the enterprise, have become a star-like existence.

When the battle situation is in a stalemate, it has a graphical user interface. In the midst of long-awaited calls, it made its debut, and a press conference attracted the attention of the whole United States.

Jobs even made a bold statement that Apple will sell 750,000 mabsps this year; as a result, industry commentators generally believe that the competition in the personal computer market will become more fierce. Especially as amd announced that it has successfully mass-produced am286, which is fully compatible with Intel. With the ability to supply to computer manufacturers, Fangyuan Computer Company also immediately announced that some out-of-stock models of the third-generation Fangyuan personal computers began to resume sales.

But what happened next told people what Feng Shui turns and the world is impermanent. Big Blue went full steam ahead to produce and sell ibm-. The horse stumbled and was exposed by the media to have product design flaws.

In fact, after ibm- went on the market in large quantities, complaints of downtime are common, but even ibm, which has a very mature and stable technology research and production process system, has not exactly found the root cause. I had no choice but to pull over a scapegoat vaguely, inferring that there is a bug in Microsoft's operating system, and this problem can be solved after modification and improvement.

This reason can't help the industry and consumers believe it, even Gates himself thinks it should be like this, who made this counterfeit operating system bought by opportunism have many problems in the first place.

This is a hard time for Microsoft's programmers, and they have delivered several + versions one after another, but it still doesn't help.

While Gates was furious, he was also sitting on pins and needles. Gein Microsoft was ridiculed, and IBM had clearly shown distrust and even disgust for MS-.

Although Microsoft has been adding various new features to ms- day and night, such as supporting floppy disks with more specifications. Hard disk, and network, etc., but there is a technical gap that can never be overcome, that is, the operating system used by Fangyuan personal computer, which makes full use of the characteristics of the processor, and thus possesses the multitasking ability.

Seeing that IBM was completely restrained by the third-generation Fangyuan personal computer at this point, Big Blue was so annoyed that it revealed a message that it planned to develop a brand new operating system.

What can Gates say, his skills are not as good as others, so he had to swallow his humiliation and promised to cooperate actively, otherwise he would be kicked away by IBM, and he would not even have to eat the meat now. ┝┝══w?ww.

Therefore, ibm-the black pot of irregular downtime, whether Microsoft is willing or not, has to be carried on.

Fortunately, at this time, the angel of justice appeared.

The earliest it magazine of the third-generation Fangyuan personal computer quality door - pe once again, the special report pointed out that by tracking the experience of hundreds of ibm-users, it is found that as long as the hard disk equipped with this product is removed, the machine will stop The phenomenon disappeared.

IBM naturally has to respond to this. Fangyuan Computer has set an example before, so I can't smash the brand, right?

As a result, ibm confirmed that the findings of pe were correct, and the root cause of ibm-'s irregular downtime was the hard disk it was equipped with. As for the more detailed situation. ibm has no further disclosure.

Just having this news is enough, the eyes of Microsoft's engineers are filled with tears, it's really not easy, and finally they have been wronged. It seems that ibm is not a panacea technically.

Invisibly, the technical teams of Microsoft and IBM have also widened the gap.

...

The mess had Don Estledge in a scramble, and the flames were rising, because hard drives weren't cheap. The resulting losses cannot be ignored.

The physical structure of a hard disk is generally composed of magnetic heads, discs, motors, and main control chips. However, the current use of 5.25-inch personal computer hard drives is usually that manufacturers package the magnetic heads, discs, and motors together, and the main control The chip is connected in the form of a bus expansion board.

This approach brings a lot of trouble to the assembly of the personal computer. The most obvious disadvantage is that it takes up a valuable motherboard expansion slot.

Therefore, after adopting the same memory stick design as Fangyuan Computer, IBM also began to directly integrate the main control chip into the hard disk.

The slight difference is that Fangyuan Computer and Seagate jointly developed the main control chip, and ibm, the inventor of the hard disk. It only purchases Seagate's hard disk body, and then equips it with its own main control chip.

After investigation, it was these main control chips that lost the chain, but the more detailed reasons are still unknown, and it is necessary to shorten the scope of investigation step by step.

But in Don Estridge’s view, this work is no longer important. Personal computers are products of limited value. In many cases, the pursuit of final results and cost reduction should be the top priority in doing things. Seagate hard drives will be used in all sets in the future. The disc body and the main control chip are enough.

But how to deal with the aftermath is very tricky. You know, IBM's personal computer manufacturing base in Boca Raton has amazing production capacity, if it is at full capacity. It is easy to produce 10,000 units per day.

From this, it is not difficult to imagine how huge the number of these problematic hard drives is.

In the end, Don Estridge bit the bullet and dumped a tugboat worth of hard drives into the sea, sorting out the trouble.

Of course, the media will not miss such a good show. I caught one of them, and then I had a big meal.

No matter how big IBM is, it can't be so wasteful. Don Estridge, who is devastated, has to report the cause and effect of this quality accident to the headquarters.

The current ibm-department contributes nearly 20% of the annual sales of Big Blue, so it is highly valued by the headquarters, and a large number of middle-level managers have been sent to improve the management structure so that it can be incorporated into IBM's huge bureaucratic system. The scale expanded to more than 10,000 people, and Don Estridge was promoted to vice president. But going to the headquarters to be trained this time, I have to say, it's really hard to live with face.

After entering the meeting room, Don Estridge glanced at the huge seats, couldn't help but feel a sinking heart, and muttered to himself, is this going to hold a public trial for himself?

After finding Bill Lovo, Don Estridge seemingly inadvertently muttered, There seem to be a lot of people coming to the meeting today.

Isn't that good? It means that everyone is paying attention to your personal computer department. The shrewd Bill Lovo of course understood Don Estridge's true feelings, so he joked.

The appearance is beautiful, but it's like walking on thin ice. Don Estridge shook his head with a wry smile, Don't look at me now in charge of more than ten thousand people, but I don't know why, but I don't do things as well as before. .”

The company's soaring stock price has a lot to do with the huge cash flow brought by the personal computer department. Therefore, the headquarters must no longer allow the personal computer department to be out of the system as before, and run wherever it wants like a wild horse. Bill Lovo pointed to Don Estridge sternly.

...

With IBM CEO John Opel seated, the meeting officially began.

According to the procedure, it was soon Don Estridge's turn to make a report, so he reviewed his work mistakes in a very sincere manner.

Seriously speaking, there is nothing to complain about, and Don Estridge should be responsible for the quality accident of ibm-.

Fortunately, most members of the management committee looked at the problem very rationally, and still affirmed Don Estrich's work achievements. After all, the sales volume of ibm- in 1983 exceeded 10,000 units.

But the voice of criticism is not without. Some people said: Don? Inexpensive. In fact, there is still a considerable market demand for personal computers for use.”

Fangyuan Computer Company launched the 8-bit first-generation Fangyuan personal computer in 1979, the 16-bit second-generation Fangyuan personal computer in 1981, and last year, 1983, the third-generation Fangyuan personal computer that supports multitasking. Every product update, Fangyuan Computer Company will firmly hold the mid-to-high-end market with greater profits, and let compatible machine manufacturers compete for the mid-to-low-end market. Facts have proved that this business strategy is very successful. Don Estridge argues.

Is this comparable? The other party immediately retorted, Compatible machine manufacturers in Fangyuan PCs are all licensed, but you have released the technical standards of ibm- for free, and the so-called compatible machine manufacturers represented by Compaq are using visible The growth rate will share our interests.

The launch of ibm- was later than the second-generation Fangyuan personal computer. If I don't choose to disclose the technical standards, then I will not be able to regain the disadvantage. Don Estrich tried his best to argue with a blushing neck. He didn't expect that, What seemed to be an incomparably correct decision at the beginning has now become a stinking move, which in turn provoked attacks from his colleagues.

Okay, it's meaningless to argue more about this fait accompli. John Opel coughed lightly, IBM-'s backwardness at this stage may be related to our previous attitude. I have a copy of According to the survey report, in addition to the United States, Japan, China in Asia, Britain, and France in Europe are all clearly promoting computer education in schools, but the big cakes of Japan, China, Britain, and France are almost eaten by Fangyuan PCs alone Come on, I need an opinion on this. Don Estridge, give me your opinion.

In addition to the extraordinary scalability of the hardware architecture of Fangyuan PC to meet the needs of various customers, the more critical point is that it is backed by powerful Zheru software.

Don Estridge replied ponderingly, On our side, only the Lotus software in the field of spreadsheets can be used to great effect, and Microsoft has nothing but nothing. I suggest that in order to maintain long-term competitiveness, the software must be This link is in your hands, especially the operating system. In this way, you can even restrain those compatible machine manufacturers who don’t listen to discipline.”

Hearing Don Estridge speak so badly about Microsoft, John Opel couldn't help but feel a little gloomy, because when discussing whether to trust Gates, he sold favors and talked about the other party's mother's face. nice words. (To be continued.)

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