Groups > alt.folklore.computers > #235720

Re: Harvest time!

Newsgroups	alt.folklore.computers
From	Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>
Subject	Re: Harvest time!
References	<119kf6g$9kh$1@reader1.panix.com> <119mlq6$1iqr6$7@dont-email.me> <119n714$1o7tv$1@dont-email.me> <119nd6n$1ptm0$1@dont-email.me>
Message-ID	<UySvS.40$gTHb.10@fx48.iad> (permalink)
Date	2026-10-02 18:17 +0000

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On 2026-10-02, Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

> On Thu, 1 Oct 2026 20:05:04 -0700, Lars Poulsen wrote:
>
>> On 10/1/2026 15:11, Lawrence D’Oliveiro wrote:
>>>
>>> The STRETCH machine was mentioned as failing to meet its
>>> performance goals; that was part, perhaps even the start, of IBM’s
>>> long history of overpromising and underdelivering.
>>
>> I feel there is a bit more snark here than I find justified. The
>> goal was a very large stretch, and the attempt to reach it did
>> indeed advance the state of the art a great deal, paving the way for
>> the 360 series.
>
> That, too, led to another instance of overpromising and
> underdelivering, with IBM’s FUD campaign to stop potential customers
> buying machines from CDC.

To be honest, though, this was standard behaviour throughout the
industry.  I worked for Sperry->Unisys for four years, and saw
many instances of lowballing memory requirements to get a sale
(the customer would later have to spring for additional memory,
but the sale had been made by then).  I finally left when I got
tired of keeping salesmen's promises for them.

-- 
/~\  Charlie Gibbs                  |  In this world there are
\ /  <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>      |  two kinds of people:
 X   I'm really at ac.dekanfrus     |  1. Those who can extrapolate
/ \  if you read it the right way.  |  from incomplete data.

Thread

Harvest time! David Lesher <wb8foz@panix.com> - 2026-10-01 02:06 +0000
  Re: Harvest time! Anton Antimo <anton@safunu.org> - 2026-10-01 11:26 -0300
    Re: Harvest time! Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <johann@myrkraverk.invalid> - 2026-10-01 23:44 +0800
    Re: Harvest time! David LaRue <huey.dll@tampabay.rr.com> - 2026-10-01 21:22 +0000
  Re: Harvest time! Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-10-01 22:11 +0000
    Re: Harvest time! Lars Poulsen <lars@beagle-ears.com> - 2026-10-01 20:05 -0700
      Re: Harvest time! Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-10-02 04:50 +0000
        Re: Harvest time! Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-10-02 18:17 +0000
          Re: Harvest time! Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-10-02 21:44 +0000
            Re: Harvest time! Lynn Wheeler <lynn@garlic.com> - 2026-10-02 13:43 -1000
              Re: Harvest time! James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-10-03 19:31 +0000
                Re: Harvest time! Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-10-03 21:43 +0000
                Re: Harvest time! Lynn Wheeler <lynn@garlic.com> - 2026-10-03 16:16 -1000
                Re: Harvest time! James Dow Allen <user4353@newsgrouper.org.invalid> - 2026-10-06 21:23 +0000
  Re: Harvest time! John Levine <johnl@taugh.com> - 2026-10-02 01:48 +0000

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