4 ms·

Showstopper is a must read for anyone who is interested in living a pure engineering life. David Cutler is one of my heroes and I'll quote: "What I really want

Showstopper is a must read for anyone who is interested in living a pure engineering life. David Cutler is one of my heroes and I'll quote: "What I really wanted to do was work on computers, not apply them to problems" I'd also recommend listening to his interviews on YouTube. There are two long interviews, one by David's Garage and the other by CHM. Both very long and inspiring so I keep going back to them when I'm driving.

ghaff 2y ago
If we're recommending Showstopper (which I do), I'd add Soul of a New Machine about Data General, where I worked for many years--but a bit later.
- markus_zhang 2y ago
  I have read that too, twice. I love the part that they talked about the microcode, and all others too. Maybe you should write a post about your experience too :) I'm sure it's going to be a blast to read.
  - ghaff 2y ago
    As I say, I was a bit later--mid-eighties--but I knew Jim Guyer who was one of the microkids as I recall. Helped setup an interview for Command Line Heroes podcast. Do need to get back into writing. Next week. Really.
    - markus_zhang 2y ago
      Please do! Do you plan to write a book or blogs? Please let us know. I'll look for the podcast at least.
      - ghaff 2y ago
        https://www.redhat.com/en/command-line-heroes/season-4/minicomputers https://www.redhat.com/en/command-line-heroes/season-4/minic... Another interesting pub from around the same period you may be interested in: https://archive.org/details/year-in-dev https://archive.org/details/year-in-dev
        markus_zhang 2y ago
        Thanks! I found it and just listened the podcast. It's pretty interesting albeit a bit short. I'll read the second link too tonight. Thanks again for sharing.
        ghaff 2y ago
        They kept the podcasts fairly punchy. Actually both myself and Tom West's daughter were interviewed for it and we were both trimmed in the interests of length in favor of people they they were able to get who had first-hand involvement.
        markus_zhang 2y ago
        Ah that's unfortunate. I wish they kept everything in record at least.
        ghaff 2y ago
        Productions of things in any format, whether text, audio, or video, don't tend to preserve the cutting floor stuff--especially for public consumption. It's unedited. It's unvetted. It's not the material you're putting out for the public.
        ghaff 2y ago
        One of the things I'd add is that, while Edson de Castro was clearly remarkable in a lot of ways, he really wasn't that open to a lot a new things. Reluctance to cede control to retailers was one of the the nails in the DG/One's coffin although it was probably also before it's time. But there was a general secretiveness as well. I was once in an executive briefing center presentation to a customer maybe a day or two before a relevant product announcement. My skip manager I think basically said, what the hell I'll tell the customer about what's coming. Ed walked walked in to say hi to the customer and she quietly erased what she had written from the white board.

ghaff 2y ago

If we're recommending Showstopper (which I do), I'd add Soul of a New Machine about Data General, where I worked for many years--but a bit later.

markus_zhang 2y ago
I have read that too, twice. I love the part that they talked about the microcode, and all others too. Maybe you should write a post about your experience too :) I'm sure it's going to be a blast to read.
- ghaff 2y ago
  As I say, I was a bit later--mid-eighties--but I knew Jim Guyer who was one of the microkids as I recall. Helped setup an interview for Command Line Heroes podcast. Do need to get back into writing. Next week. Really.
  - markus_zhang 2y ago
    Please do! Do you plan to write a book or blogs? Please let us know. I'll look for the podcast at least.
    - ghaff 2y ago
      https://www.redhat.com/en/command-line-heroes/season-4/minicomputers https://www.redhat.com/en/command-line-heroes/season-4/minic... Another interesting pub from around the same period you may be interested in: https://archive.org/details/year-in-dev https://archive.org/details/year-in-dev
      - markus_zhang 2y ago
        Thanks! I found it and just listened the podcast. It's pretty interesting albeit a bit short. I'll read the second link too tonight. Thanks again for sharing.
        ghaff 2y ago
        They kept the podcasts fairly punchy. Actually both myself and Tom West's daughter were interviewed for it and we were both trimmed in the interests of length in favor of people they they were able to get who had first-hand involvement.
        markus_zhang 2y ago
        Ah that's unfortunate. I wish they kept everything in record at least.
        ghaff 2y ago
        Productions of things in any format, whether text, audio, or video, don't tend to preserve the cutting floor stuff--especially for public consumption. It's unedited. It's unvetted. It's not the material you're putting out for the public.
        ghaff 2y ago
        One of the things I'd add is that, while Edson de Castro was clearly remarkable in a lot of ways, he really wasn't that open to a lot a new things. Reluctance to cede control to retailers was one of the the nails in the DG/One's coffin although it was probably also before it's time. But there was a general secretiveness as well. I was once in an executive briefing center presentation to a customer maybe a day or two before a relevant product announcement. My skip manager I think basically said, what the hell I'll tell the customer about what's coming. Ed walked walked in to say hi to the customer and she quietly erased what she had written from the white board.