BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - Time Magazine this week has a test for narcissism. Anyone listening?

Califbill

Wayne.B wrote:
On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 22:05:42 -0400, wrote:

On Thu, 28 Aug 2014 16:25:55 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

Greg worked for IBM back in the days when you really had to be able to
analyze complex computer system problems while working with customers
in a courteous and professional manner, something that I'm sure you've
never done.

That is a business that simply does not exist anymore and the writing
was on the wall by 1989 or so. That is why I started putting different
cards in my wallet around 1990.
IBM did pay for about $100,000 worth of education in the early 90s for
me.
They were trying to find new markets and I was willing to be on the
leading edge on that. I pursued my other electrical interests on my
own. I wasn't sure whether I wanted to be a contractor or an
inspector/plans examiner so I sat for both suites of tests.

===

Yes, the equipment became a lot more reliable and easier to service,
and at the same time the cost of components became a lot cheaper than
the labor to service them. That was a good thing for those of us on
the end user side, at least until the data center consolidation
movement got into full swing. After that it became a constant
scramble to find a horse you could ride for a while before it got shot
out from underneath you. It was a good career though with many
benefits and I have no regrets.

The component count plummeted! NCR put out a 605 Mimi controller. 4
boards. Had has much power as an NCR 315 did 15 years before. 315
probably had 200 boards. 2 flip flops per board. Later a 14 pin DIP
package ic 74ls74 was the same thing.