The IBM (I've Been Mulling) PC

[Chuck Guzis]

On 7 May 2009 at 12:09, Warren Wolfe wrote:

> As I understand it, they wanted the ability to TRANSFORM it into a
> terminal, the IBM 3270 PC, not necessarily have it BE one.  They were
> legitimately out to make the PC market their bitch, as was the
> mainframe market at the time.  At least, that's how I saw it.  It took
> a while for it to register that the PC market was going to be big with
> business, but when it did, the 400 pound bear started moving.  They
> would have done it, too, I suspect, except for the PS/2 debacle.  It
> must suck to be right, and STILL lose one's arse.

Actually, it wasn't the IBM PC, XT, AT or PS/2 that established the 
market, but rather the proliferation of cheap far east clones.  A 
Taiwanese "XT" couldn't be touched as far as bang for the buck.

I've been trying to establish the truth of what a Taiwanese friend 
told me at the time--that the Taiwanese government bankrolled a lot 
of the groundwork and produced documentation and reference designs.

But all this is for now is just one person's account.

--Chuck