For a long time I was Joe Schmoe. Now that I have a computer (and a laptop, and a smart phone,) I guess I’m Joe somebody. Of course they have gotten a lot smaller and a lot less expensive than they used to be.
One of my jobs in the past was working in the home electronics store at the local Sears. I remember selling a 286 computer for $1,200.00, a 386 for $1,800. They have also gotten a lot more powerful.
My Dad actually worked briefly with a company that made this their game plane. They utterly failed to foresee the future, yet thought they were ahead of it. Their whole business model was based upon the idea that “Most businesses can’t afford to own a computer, therefore we shall provide computer services,” and there was no plan B in case computers became smaller and more affordable. That was never going to happen. Look at the size of them, they thought.
The whole “mini-computer” industry was based on that premise. Think about DEC, Varian, and a couple of others that I can’t remember. Once the PC came out, the handwriting was on the wall. They didn’t adapt.
There were so many false projections about computers in the early days. Supposedly, Bill Gates thought no one would ever need more than 640 kilobytes of RAM. And an IBM VP thought the world would get by on at most six or seven computers.
Having said that, there are companies that lease printers to businesses.
This reminds me of something I just recently saw in a re-viewing of the movie “WarGames”. The way they get the WOPR to “stand down” is to have it play itself in “Tic-Tac-Toe” and “Global Thermonuclear War” many many times to show it the futility of trying to actually win a Nuclear War. Although I don’t think the phrase “Neural Network” existed back then, this is exactly how the strongest chess-player in history, “AlphaZero” and the current World Champion Program, “LeelaChessZero” became as strong as they are, playing many, many games against themselves, “learning” what works and what doesn’t in certain positions. It appears that “Machine Learning” is really starting to take off, and I for one, welcome our new… no, I mean, find it absolutely fascinating…
They used to call it “time sharing” on a computer – you could buy a membership to use somebody’s big computer, plus they charged you an hourly usage rate. I worked for a large engineering company that time-shared. They determined that it would be too expensive to buy and maintain the engineering software we were using on the time-shared computer, let alone also install and maintain a computer that could handle that software.
But technology moves quickly, and within another decade the company could afford to put personal computers on people’s desks that were more powerful than that time-shared computer.
I remember when we (my company at the time) got our first portable computer. The computer was the size of a large suitcase and the battery pack was another large suitcase and weighed about 40 lbs. But, technically, it was portable.
I interviewed for a company in San Francisco, way back when. During the course of the interview I asked them what they did. I was told they converted old memory units so they could be used with newer computers. They had megabyte storage units that were the size of a microwave oven. I immediately realized these guys had no future and left quietly.
TheDOCTOR over 3 years ago
Mad Men. Right?
rekam Premium Member over 3 years ago
Scott, I like your artwork much better!
dja1701 over 3 years ago
It sounds like Micromégas, Voltaire’s 1752 novella, and one of the first science fiction novellas ever written.
Jeff0811 over 3 years ago
For a long time I was Joe Schmoe. Now that I have a computer (and a laptop, and a smart phone,) I guess I’m Joe somebody. Of course they have gotten a lot smaller and a lot less expensive than they used to be.
One of my jobs in the past was working in the home electronics store at the local Sears. I remember selling a 286 computer for $1,200.00, a 386 for $1,800. They have also gotten a lot more powerful.
rshive over 3 years ago
Guess there have always been cynics.
57-Don over 3 years ago
Mrs. Jensen is looking good
JDP_Huntington Beach over 3 years ago
So when the boss sneezes here, I guess his chin is a drop cloth, nothing is ever going to hit his sweater or shirt.
scottartist creator over 3 years ago
My Dad actually worked briefly with a company that made this their game plane. They utterly failed to foresee the future, yet thought they were ahead of it. Their whole business model was based upon the idea that “Most businesses can’t afford to own a computer, therefore we shall provide computer services,” and there was no plan B in case computers became smaller and more affordable. That was never going to happen. Look at the size of them, they thought.
Barnabus Blackoak over 3 years ago
is that Mrs. Jenson ?
davecx over 3 years ago
The whole “mini-computer” industry was based on that premise. Think about DEC, Varian, and a couple of others that I can’t remember. Once the PC came out, the handwriting was on the wall. They didn’t adapt.
Ken Norris Premium Member over 3 years ago
About the poster: I remember hearing about a protest that had that saying on placards. One of the protesters was obviously pregnant.
poppacapsmokeblower over 3 years ago
There were so many false projections about computers in the early days. Supposedly, Bill Gates thought no one would ever need more than 640 kilobytes of RAM. And an IBM VP thought the world would get by on at most six or seven computers.
Having said that, there are companies that lease printers to businesses.
ChessPirate over 3 years ago
This reminds me of something I just recently saw in a re-viewing of the movie “WarGames”. The way they get the WOPR to “stand down” is to have it play itself in “Tic-Tac-Toe” and “Global Thermonuclear War” many many times to show it the futility of trying to actually win a Nuclear War. Although I don’t think the phrase “Neural Network” existed back then, this is exactly how the strongest chess-player in history, “AlphaZero” and the current World Champion Program, “LeelaChessZero” became as strong as they are, playing many, many games against themselves, “learning” what works and what doesn’t in certain positions. It appears that “Machine Learning” is really starting to take off, and I for one, welcome our new… no, I mean, find it absolutely fascinating…
57BelAir over 3 years ago
In the company I work for, Political posters signs etc. are specifically banned.
Mark Thomas over 3 years ago
I know I’m probably gonna get banned, but I immediately thought of John and Scott looking at those two characters.
tolkeinjew over 3 years ago
If they called it cloud services they would have a valid business plan.
ferddo over 3 years ago
They used to call it “time sharing” on a computer – you could buy a membership to use somebody’s big computer, plus they charged you an hourly usage rate. I worked for a large engineering company that time-shared. They determined that it would be too expensive to buy and maintain the engineering software we were using on the time-shared computer, let alone also install and maintain a computer that could handle that software.
But technology moves quickly, and within another decade the company could afford to put personal computers on people’s desks that were more powerful than that time-shared computer.
contralto2b over 3 years ago
I remember when we (my company at the time) got our first portable computer. The computer was the size of a large suitcase and the battery pack was another large suitcase and weighed about 40 lbs. But, technically, it was portable.
Daeder over 3 years ago
Don’t blame me, I voted for McGovern!
mistercatworks over 3 years ago
I interviewed for a company in San Francisco, way back when. During the course of the interview I asked them what they did. I was told they converted old memory units so they could be used with newer computers. They had megabyte storage units that were the size of a microwave oven. I immediately realized these guys had no future and left quietly.