ABSTRACT
But-keep in mind-it is creative. And usually inspired by lofty aspirations. Unlike in Genesis, however, the Devil is not in the Garden. It is in the details.
By 1963, IBM was confident in its belief in the potential of applying computers to business problems, though its future dominance of the market was anything but assured. The horse race among IBM and what were to become known as the BUNCH (Burroughs, UNIVAC, NCR, et. al.) for market position was still in the first furlong out of the gate, all parties jockeying aggressively for the inside rail. IBM was pouring massive resources into the effort, building out manufacturing capacity, putting more feet on the street, and beefing up brainpower in its labs. My trip to White Plains in the spring of 1963 was part of a critical plan to take the race well through the first turn and put IBM clearly out in front along the back rail.
