Five computers to rule them all?

[mattx]

Thomas Watson - again trying to sneek his way out of the 'gaff' he made back in 1943.....

 

 

Five computers to rule them all?

 

Thomas Watson founded IBM - the world's largest provider of computer systems and services - but what he's really remembered for is something he never actually said about how the world will only ever need five computers.

 

"What I meant back in 1943 was that there was only a market for five computers at that time - a prediction which held true for maybe another decade. And, anyway, everyone makes predictions in this business that turn out to be rubbish," Watson told Turing and Dijkstra.

 

' Of course thats what you meant Thomas, I believe you..... ' Nudge, Nudge ;)

[torledo]

looks like some of the legends of computing are getting in a tizz over the future of computing......proof that some things never change.

 

Dead boffins deflate the cloud ? The Register

 

I could be wrong, but IBM is now such a diversified IT company, that i wouldn't have thought the future success or otherwise of the traditional PC model kept them up at night....they've long since branched into IT services, they've sold the PC business, and in case anyone missed it they do tend to sell the odd supercomputer and they do sell tonnes of big unix iron and storage. All in all a company well set for whatever model of computing we see in the future.

 

I don't think he needs to be so defensive about what he said in 1940's !!!!

[sparkeh]

Five computers to rule the world:

 

1) Bertha

2) Holly

3) HAL 9000

4) The Red Queen

5) Eddie

 

And what a world it would be!

[Geoff]

What? No Skynet?

[sparkeh]

What? No Skynet?

 

No, that one computer to destroy the world

[Gatt]

What about LCARS?

 

[K.C.Leblanc]

How about Ernie, the computer that does the premium bond numbers.

[jcollings]

How about Ernie, the computer that does the premium bond numbers.

 

Thought he was the fastest milkman in the west?

[witch]

What about Deep Thought?