The Computer Chronicles - Profile of Big Blue - IBM (1985)

I love to see Gary get so uncomfortable when pitching his own products, you can always see it all over his face. Imagine if Gary had a Steve Jobs or Steve Balmer on his team, he could have taken over

I wonder if it was exciting or frustrating that every show they made was obsolete in three weeks?

Things were moving so fast at that point, looking back it was staggering

Basically because the various computer systems were versions of the original IBM design, that are referred to as IBM Clones and run on the same type of software packages as IBM PCs run on themselves. IBM figures that people use a Clone and later on they will buy their second PC as an actual IBM PC itself.

Now IBM doesn't even make computers. 😞

My man was ready for Xoom calls 30 years early.

To think...IBM no longer makes PC's. That thought wouldn't just be unthinkable when this video was made it would have been laughable. They really got chewed up in the 1990's by clone computers and the hobbiest. With 16 billion dollars in losses they closed their personal computer shop up for good.

Gary Kildall and IBM... I can feel the tension.

IBM could be credited for helping the Nazis become ruthlessly efficient too. But, I am sure IBM wouldn't want to use that as a selling point.

Hm, they seem to omitted some of their history between ~1938 - 1943. Wonder why.

Still there huh? No one says IBM but they’re there. Sneaky fuckers.

Do not forget IBM never fired anyone before 1990, basically the IGM guys at the time, thought they had a job for life and until 1990 it was like that.
Totally different mentality people were respected and identified with their company big time.

I've been watching episodes of Computer Chronicles over the last few months. Whenever they talked about PC, they were always talking about "waiting for what IBM will do" or "wondering what IBM will do next", I always wondered why they didn't just ask IBM or why IBM weren't telling anyone. This episode explains why all that mystery around IBM exists. I never knew they were such a secretive company.

This show is from 3/14/85, and I'm watching it on 3/14/23

"Apple is just a huge vertically integrated advertisement."

Wow. 38 years and nothing has changed.

Back then super shoes with computer in it at 100 usd. Today 2023 super shoes (without computer, only with carbon plate) sold in 250 usd 😂

I guess AT&T did not have any impact on the market at all.

I wonder if Paul was wearing pants during his spell checker segment?

Everything Schindler said about IBM and their secrecy then could apply to Apple now!

Interesting. IBM have 're-invented' themselves many times over, again and again. They've always been top heavy in highly critical governmental and commercial super data processing, research, development, acquisition and super strategic consulting services on global scale. Not much different today, just out of sight from the average consumer.

Spoiler alert*

Amazing intellectual discussion you seldom see today at this level.

This was almost 35 years ago to the day (3/9/2020).

the random access segment amazed me a robot able to play back a musical instrument lol

I build men . . .

IBM downfall came from the arrangement with Bill Gates. He signed an agreement to let them use MS-DOS as a non-proprietary software. Then Gates gave it universally to all of IBM's competitors. Once Gates made Window as a universal operating system the the software and hardware differences along with price begain to disappear.

IBM new investment is in quantum computing.

IBM has long ago sold off their PC business. Their mainframe business is built on lies and fears. It too will be dead once CEOs realize the hardware and software is nothing special. Just a lot of hype built up by IBM and ITs that depend on it for their livelyhood.

Wow, the history was wrong right out of the gate, IBM bought the Tabulation company that invented the punch card machine used for the census and many railroad companies. They did not invent it.

Lack of quality control and a clear vision was the doom of IBM's consumer business.

My, how the mighty have fallen...  :(

507 views? This planet is a sad place :/

$95 for a spellchecker hehe