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IBM used to sell computers directly to consumers. They don't do that anymore so it's normal that IBM isn't on anyone's mind for a long time now. My mom knew IBM

IBM used to sell computers directly to consumers. They don't do that anymore so it's normal that IBM isn't on anyone's mind for a long time now. My mom knew IBM pretty well decades ago when she was a typist. Nowadays she wouldn't have a clue if IBM still exists or what it does.

ghaff 3y ago
If you go back before the IBM PC, the average consumer might well know they made typewriters and probably have some notion about them selling big computers to banks and the like. They'd almost certainly be vague on anything beyond that.
- cafard 3y ago
  Fifty years ago, when I had nothing to do with the tech industry, I knew that IBM made computers. I didn't know what those computers looked like or who used them, but I knew they made them.
mikestew 3y ago
IBM used to sell computers directly to consumers. For a brief, maybe fifteen year period out of their 100 year history. And even those weren't big sellers. Point being, I don't know that it was ever reasonable to ask the "man on the street" what IBM does, and expect anything but a vague answer. Hell, my mother used to program their 370s and System/38s (precursor to the AS400). I haven't asked, but if asked the same question, I wouldn't be shocked if her answer were, "wait, they're still in business?"
- bluedino 3y ago
  My grandmother has been retired for years, she worked as an accountant. Any time there's a conversation about computers, she'll pipe in with remarks about how "Compaq makes the best computers".
- cbarrick 3y ago
  > For a brief, maybe fifteen year period out of their 100 year history. More like 34 years. The IBM PC debuted in 1981, and they sold their PC business to Lenovo in 2005. > And even those weren't big sellers. Still, let's not downplay the impact that the IBM PC had on the industry.
  - mikestew 3y ago
    More like 24 years, but point taken. I thought the PC end was sold off in the late 90s.
KyleSanderson 3y ago
What? They absolutely still do, it's through Lenovo and IBM still writes the majority of firmware and drivers for it.
- ghaff 3y ago
  And Lenovo is a separate company even if IBM does some of the under-the-covers engineering. The average consumer (or even the not so average one) has no idea what firmware is or drivers are and Lenovo isn't even much of a consumer brand anyway.

ghaff 3y ago

If you go back before the IBM PC, the average consumer might well know they made typewriters and probably have some notion about them selling big computers to banks and the like. They'd almost certainly be vague on anything beyond that.

cafard 3y ago
Fifty years ago, when I had nothing to do with the tech industry, I knew that IBM made computers. I didn't know what those computers looked like or who used them, but I knew they made them.

mikestew 3y ago

IBM used to sell computers directly to consumers. For a brief, maybe fifteen year period out of their 100 year history. And even those weren't big sellers. Point being, I don't know that it was ever reasonable to ask the "man on the street" what IBM does, and expect anything but a vague answer. Hell, my mother used to program their 370s and System/38s (precursor to the AS400). I haven't asked, but if asked the same question, I wouldn't be shocked if her answer were, "wait, they're still in business?"

bluedino 3y ago
My grandmother has been retired for years, she worked as an accountant. Any time there's a conversation about computers, she'll pipe in with remarks about how "Compaq makes the best computers".
cbarrick 3y ago
> For a brief, maybe fifteen year period out of their 100 year history. More like 34 years. The IBM PC debuted in 1981, and they sold their PC business to Lenovo in 2005. > And even those weren't big sellers. Still, let's not downplay the impact that the IBM PC had on the industry.
- mikestew 3y ago
  More like 24 years, but point taken. I thought the PC end was sold off in the late 90s.

KyleSanderson 3y ago

What? They absolutely still do, it's through Lenovo and IBM still writes the majority of firmware and drivers for it.

ghaff 3y ago
And Lenovo is a separate company even if IBM does some of the under-the-covers engineering. The average consumer (or even the not so average one) has no idea what firmware is or drivers are and Lenovo isn't even much of a consumer brand anyway.