5 ms·

It’s not just that she overcame odds as a woman in the tech business that amazes, but that she was so clearly someone who cared about people, and chose to risk

by laurex 3y ago

It’s not just that she overcame odds as a woman in the tech business that amazes, but that she was so clearly someone who cared about people, and chose to risk her business and reputation more than once to stay true to her values. That’s perhaps even more rare in this industry than being a successful female CEO.

garius 3y ago
Something I didn't have space to mention in the piece was that during the recession of the early eighties, Vector went out of their way to support their dealer network. They offered loans and let dealers delay payments on deliveries to get them through the tough times. It arguably cost them ground against IBM because it squeezed them further financially. But it was also another reason the Dealer network remained fiercely loyal to Vector - especially under Harp.
- TMWNN 3y ago
  Thanks for the article. Benji Edwards's earlier article was the first time I really became aware of Vector's existence. There are noticeably fewer mentions of the company in Freiberger and Swaine's Fire in the Valley (1984) than, say, Cromemco, and far fewer than IMSAI.
ThomPete 3y ago
there are no odds as a woman in the tech business. The tech industry is on of the most inclusive industries because it measures talent and value creation not features no one can do anything about
- worik 3y ago
  > tech industry is on of the most inclusive industries because it... Where have you been? That ignoring history
  - DontchaKnowit 3y ago
    [flagged]
    - worik 3y ago
      > Every tech company on the planet is tripping over themselves to hire/promote more minorities That is because of the problems than have been mounting in tech because people only hired people that looked like them. I do not understand what the problem is with DEI. (I am not in the USA, perhaps I am missing out). Making sure that no one is left behind, because they were over looked, seems like a good thing to me.
      - deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
      - hackerlight 3y ago
        That's a real problem. People want to hire people that are just like them. Same school, same degree, same personality, same age, same political affiliation. I have seen the bias for the same race and gender, and not just white on white but with all races selecting their own, although that's on the down low. I don't know what the current MO of DEI programs is, but I hope they're expansive by also targeting ageism and other present day discriminations.
        px43 3y ago
        Tons of companies out there still do "culture fit" interviews because they are very intentionally trying to hire a mono-culture.
      - userbinator 3y ago
        When you start hiring people because of who they are, and not what they can do, it won't be long before that shows in the results you get. DEI has effectively replaced competence with identity politics.
- barrenko 3y ago
  No industry is inclusive, nor will ever be, that is almost by definition.
- cgh 3y ago
  Not in the 1970s, which was when these events took place.
- AlecSchueler 3y ago
  > The tech industry is on of the most inclusive industries The irony being that by saying this you're literally dismissing the voices and lived experiences of many many women in tech who would say otherwise.
- 0xEF 3y ago
  ITT: likely male HN users weighing in on how difficult or not difficult it is to be a woman in the tech industry. I'd love to hear thoughts on this take about just how inclusive the tech industry from women, or LGBTA or BiPoC individuals.
  - saagarjha 3y ago
    Unfortunately Hacker News might not be the best place to solicit that opinion, given the demographics of its users…
  - rubylark 3y ago
    I'm a third generation "woman in tech" (grandma did punch cards, mom did COBOL) and I haven't had any problems that I keep being told I'm supposed to have. I suspect discrimination is location specific. The most I get is the annoying "you guys..." pause to think "...and gal". (PSA: "you guys" is gender neutral)
- vidarh 3y ago
  It might well be true that it is "one of the most inclusive", but that does not mean it doesn't also have an extensive history of discrimination.

by laurex 3y ago

garius 3y ago

Something I didn't have space to mention in the piece was that during the recession of the early eighties, Vector went out of their way to support their dealer network. They offered loans and let dealers delay payments on deliveries to get them through the tough times. It arguably cost them ground against IBM because it squeezed them further financially. But it was also another reason the Dealer network remained fiercely loyal to Vector - especially under Harp.

TMWNN 3y ago
Thanks for the article. Benji Edwards's earlier article was the first time I really became aware of Vector's existence. There are noticeably fewer mentions of the company in Freiberger and Swaine's Fire in the Valley (1984) than, say, Cromemco, and far fewer than IMSAI.

ThomPete 3y ago

there are no odds as a woman in the tech business. The tech industry is on of the most inclusive industries because it measures talent and value creation not features no one can do anything about

worik 3y ago
> tech industry is on of the most inclusive industries because it... Where have you been? That ignoring history
- DontchaKnowit 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - worik 3y ago
    > Every tech company on the planet is tripping over themselves to hire/promote more minorities That is because of the problems than have been mounting in tech because people only hired people that looked like them. I do not understand what the problem is with DEI. (I am not in the USA, perhaps I am missing out). Making sure that no one is left behind, because they were over looked, seems like a good thing to me.
    - deleted 3y ago
      [deleted]
    - hackerlight 3y ago
      That's a real problem. People want to hire people that are just like them. Same school, same degree, same personality, same age, same political affiliation. I have seen the bias for the same race and gender, and not just white on white but with all races selecting their own, although that's on the down low. I don't know what the current MO of DEI programs is, but I hope they're expansive by also targeting ageism and other present day discriminations.
      - px43 3y ago
        Tons of companies out there still do "culture fit" interviews because they are very intentionally trying to hire a mono-culture.
    - userbinator 3y ago
      When you start hiring people because of who they are, and not what they can do, it won't be long before that shows in the results you get. DEI has effectively replaced competence with identity politics.
barrenko 3y ago
No industry is inclusive, nor will ever be, that is almost by definition.
cgh 3y ago
Not in the 1970s, which was when these events took place.
AlecSchueler 3y ago
> The tech industry is on of the most inclusive industries The irony being that by saying this you're literally dismissing the voices and lived experiences of many many women in tech who would say otherwise.
0xEF 3y ago
ITT: likely male HN users weighing in on how difficult or not difficult it is to be a woman in the tech industry. I'd love to hear thoughts on this take about just how inclusive the tech industry from women, or LGBTA or BiPoC individuals.
- saagarjha 3y ago
  Unfortunately Hacker News might not be the best place to solicit that opinion, given the demographics of its users…
- rubylark 3y ago
  I'm a third generation "woman in tech" (grandma did punch cards, mom did COBOL) and I haven't had any problems that I keep being told I'm supposed to have. I suspect discrimination is location specific. The most I get is the annoying "you guys..." pause to think "...and gal". (PSA: "you guys" is gender neutral)
vidarh 3y ago
It might well be true that it is "one of the most inclusive", but that does not mean it doesn't also have an extensive history of discrimination.