A bit of reading practice The IBM PC

In July of 1980, IBM (International Business Machines) repre­sentatives met for the first time with Microsoft's Bill Gates to talk about writing an operating system for IBM's new hush-hush «per­sonal» computer. IBM had been observing the growing personal computer market for some time. They had already made one dis­mal attempt to crack the market with their IBM 5100. At one point, IBM considered buying the fledgling game company Atari to

Joking Computer for Granted

commandeer Atari's early line of personal computers. However, IBM decided to stick with making their own personal computer line and developed a brand new operating system to go with. The secret plans were referred to as «Project Chess». The code name for the new computer was «Acorn». On August 12, 1981, IBM released their new computer, re-named the IBM PC. The «PC» stood for «personal computer» making IBM responsible for popularizing the term «PC».

The first IBM PC ran on at 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 microproces­sor. The PC came equipped with 16 kilobytes of memory, expand­able to 256 k. The PC came with one or two floppy disc drives and an optional color monitor. The price tag started at $1,565, which would be nearly $4000 today. What really made the IBM PC dif­ferent from the previous IBM computers was that it was the first one built from off the shelf parts (called open architecture) and marketed by outside distributors. The Intel chip was chosen be­cause IBM had already obtained the rights to manufacture the Intel chips.

Less than four months after IBM introduced the PC, Time Magazine named the computer «man of the year».

From HP to Agilent Technology & HP

Following graduation from Stanford University in 1934, elec­trical engineers Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett went on a two-week camping and fishing trip in the Colorado mountains. On this trip, they discovered strong similarities in their attitudes toward many things and became close friends. After graduation, Bill continued graduate studies at Stanford and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) while Dave took a job with General Electric in New York state. Within a few years, and with the encouragement of one of Stanford professors, the two decided to start a business «and make a run for it».

In 1938 Dave Packard moved back to California, Palo Alto. Bill Hewlett rented the cottage behind the Dave's house and they

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began part-time work in the garage with $538 in working capital. Their first product was an electronic instrument used to test sound equipment.

On the 1st of January, 1939 they formed partnership. Coin toss decided company name - HP (Hewlett-Packard).

In the 40s test and measurement products of HP won widespread acceptance among engineers and scientists. The start of World War II turned a trickle of US government orders for electronic instruments into a stream and then a flood. New products were added and HP built its first corporate headquar­ters, manufacturing plants and research-and-development facil­ities. Production moved from garage to rented building in Palo Alto. The company gave its first bonus to employees, a $5 Christmas bonus. This later became a production bonus and - later still - company-wide profit-sharing plan. Net Reve­nue: $34,000; employees: 3; products: 8.

As a result - in 1942 - construction of the first company-owned building, a 10,000-square foot of office / laboratory / facto­ry premise. Bill and Dave designed it as an open system - without interior walls - the space could be flexible.

In the 50s Bill and Dave, with the help of their management team, developed the company's corporate objectives - the basis of its special management philosophy - and the company embarked upon a path toward globalization.

1957-1959. First public stock offering. Net Revenue: $30 million; employees: 1,778; products: 373. Following the sign­ing of the Treaty of Rome, the company established its presence outside of California with European Marketing Organization in Geneva (Switzerland) and first manufacturing plant in Boeblin-gen (Germany).

In 60s test and measurement field continued its steady growth. Company branched out into related fields such as med­ical electronics and analytical instrumentation and began to be noticed as a progressive, well-managed company and a great place to work.

Taking Computer for Granted

These years the following events happened:

• HP's first listing on Fortune magazine's list of the top 500 US companies.

• First joint venture was formed with Yokogawa Electric Works in Tokyo (Japan).

• Company celebrated its 25 anniversary. Dave Packard elected chairman; Bill Hewlett elected president.

• The company's first computer was designed.

• Net Revenue: $165 million; employees: 9000.

In the 80's the massive impact of computer technology on all product lines resulted not only in products with higher perfor­mance at lower cost, but also in radical changes in processes and the organization as a whole.

The stunning development of HP is illustrated by the data given below:

These data are in sharp contrast to the $538 in working capital that founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard began with in 1938.

David Packard died on March 26,1996; Bill Hewlett died on January 12, 2001.

Initial public stock offering raised on Nov.18, 1999 up to $2,1 billion and broke records at the largest IPO ( Initial Public Offering) in Silicon Valley history. In this year HP announced strategic realignment to create an independent measurement

UNIT 5

company composed of test and measurement components, chemical analysis and medical businesses (the name of it is Agi­lent Technologies), and a computing and imaging company that includes all of HP's computing, printing and imaging business­es (named HP).

Lefs discuss

Be so kind as to answer the following questions.

1. Why do you think the project of IBM PC was «hush-hush» and why the company decided to make its own computer line?

2. What made the IBM PC different from the previous comput­ers?

3. Can you characterize Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard?

4. How were they acquainted and what were their first steps?

5. What event stimulated almost from the very beginning fast development of the HP?

6. What was the main tradition of the HP. Why?

7. How can you explain the successful and extremely fast de­velopment of the HP?

8. Why did the HP announce in 1999 strategic realignment to create an independent company?

Relax a bit

A

Do you know where to put quotation marks?

Teacher: A preposition is not a good word to end a sentence

with. Student: You have just ended the sentence with with!

Т.йМш.Ср.ШРМЬег/ог Granted

Teacher: But do you know what did I end the sentence with with

for? Student: No, and I also do not know what you ended that one

with with with for for!

The teacher said that that that that was written on the black­board was written wrong.

Life is what happens when you are making other plans.

J. Lennon

Happiness is the only thing we can give without having. Experience is the name everyone gives to his mistakes.

Oscar Wild.

Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you.

Huxley

A

Dummies

Customer:My computer won't work. You, guys, must have

broken it when you installed the modem.
Tech. Support:What happens when you turn it on?
Customer:It won't turn on anymore!

Tech. Support:So, you don't see any lights or hear any noise?
Customer:I'm telling you it won't turn on.

Tech. Support:Is it plugged in?

Customer:Of course, it's plugged in, you moron!

Tech. Support:When you push the power button it turns on.
Customer:Power button? This computer doesn't have a

power button. Tech. Support:Sir, all computers have power buttons. Look at

the front of the case, find the word «power», and

push the button.
Customer:YOU FIXED IT! Thanks!!!

UNIT 5

What happens when you turn the computer on? The screen just stays black. Is the computer plugged in?

I took it to a repair shop last week, and they ap­parently fixed it, so it doesn't need a power cord anymore.

Is the computer a laptop computer? No, but they never gave me back the power cord, so they must have fixed it, so it didn't need it. Tech. Support:Go back to the repair store and get your power cord back. They just forgot to give it to you.

Tech. Support:

Customer: Tech. Support: Customer: Tech. Support: Customer: Tech. Support:

Customer: Tech. Support: Customer:

В

Life experience

Inflation

Ok sir, let's press the Ctrl and esc keys at the same

time. That brings up a task list in the middle of

the screen. Now type the letter 'F to bring up the

'Program Manager'.

I don't have a T\

On your keyboard, sir.

What do you mean?

T' on your keyboard, sir.

I'm not going to do that!!!

You need to pick a password. It should contain a

combination of numbers, symbols, and upper and

lowercase letters.

Upper and lowercase? I don't understand.

You know, big letters and little letters.

Oh, of course! But I have to say, you must avoid

that technical language with me!

Inflation has caused stores to adapt as well as consumers. Signs that used to read «Watch Your Children» now read «Watch Your Language».

Taking Computer for Granted

Cooking

Ann confessed to her friend: My cooking left my husband cold.

- He divorced you?

- No, he died.

Dreams

Two friends were sitting in a bar and recounting their dreams. «I dreamed I was with my fishing road ... beautiful lake, lush scenery ...».

«I had a great dream too», said the other. «I dreamed I was with two beautiful women and had the time of my life».

His friend looked at him and asked indignantly, «You dreamed you had two pretty girls and you didn't call me?!» «Oh, I did, «ans­wered the other», but your wife said you had gone fishing».

Wife: Oh, my angel, I dreamed that you bought me a

nice fur coat. Husband (feeling a trap): In your next dream wear it in good health.

«Doc», said the young man, «you have got to help me! Every night I have the same terrible dream. I'm lying in bed when the door opens and three beauties come in and start tearing off my blanket».

- And what do you do?

- I'm pushing them away.

- How can I help you?

- Break my arms!!!

UNIT 5

Infidelity

Two business colleagues were walking down the street when one of them turned to the other, looking very distressed. «Gee», he said, «here comes my wife and my mistress together». «Ohmigod», said the other, «mine too».

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1172