Silicon Cowboys

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source: Silicon Cowboys

I started this in the hope that it might provide some interesting technical stories. But no, it's all human interest : "how did you feel?" "what was your motivation?" "what was it like to grow so fast?" Fine, I guess, if that's your thing. But don't expect to learn anything actually technical. There's nothing here that hasn't been discussed to death in a thousand stories of the 80s.

I enjoyed this documentary because I grew up in the 80s/90s with a keen interest in computers and because I'm also interested in computers today. So during that time, I used to learn about things like the ISA standard, PCs, DOS, the Spectrum computer, etc. At the time, I had no idea about the politics behind these things and the company philosophies driving these technologies. This documentary particularly uncovers these things to a good extent (particularly for the Compaq range of computers). If you have had a similar background to the one described above, then I think there is a very good chance that you will also enjoy this documentary. Otherwise, I'm not sure whether you'll enjoy this documentary--documentary probably has a niche market. One thing that stuck out from this documentary was seeing how ugly the appearance of one of the early Compaq computers used to be (probably like many computers from that era). Thank goodness we have computers these days that are more visually appealing as pieces of furniture. Was impressed by how Compaq used to demonstrate how sturdy Compaq computers were, by throwing them down on the floor.

Really good documentary, notionally about Compaq, but also about managing companies through growth, changing corporate cultures, and the development of the PC industry generally. Really good research before they filmed. LOTS of footage of the facilities, company gatherings, the factory, ads, and more. And interviewed simply everyone. Then edited together very well. Hardly any infographics, no voiceover, told very seamlessly by the voices of the interviewees.

I never thought I would like a documentary about a business, but here I am. Not only a history of Compaq but of the history of the PC industry.

Three friends dream up the Compaq portable computer at a Texas diner in 1981, and soon find themselves battling mighty IBM, for PC supremacy. Their improbable journey altered the future of computing and shaped the world we now know. I always love these documentaries about tech companies and the Internet and so forth. Having grown up in the 1980s, this feels like such an integral part of my life. I was more computer literate at 14 than I am now at 36... I could build computers, diagnose problems, and now I wouldn't try. And Compaq is an important part of that story. Doors were opened for other companies (such as Dell) and really ended the way we think about PCs. I do not equate IBM and PC, and almost never have, due in part to Compaq. Whereas we have never seen this same thing happen to Apple... which strategy works best?

I found this to be an extremely interesting documentary about a company that I grew up knowing a lot about. Compaq Computers was founded about 10 minutes from where I grew up, and I went to school with several of the children of the executives that are featured in this film. Even though I was young when they started, I remember vividly when Compaq first made their big splash by creating the portable PC - it was huge news that a local company was taking on IBM and succeeding. There was a buzz in the area, especially as they started expanding and hiring more and more people... and expanding into a huge complex nearby. While I had a pretty good understanding of the overall story of the rise of Compaq, this movie gave me a much more intimate look inside at how the story played out. You see exactly how these gentlemen took what seems like a simple idea and were able to create one of the fastest growing companies of all time, and the sacrifices that had to be made to achieve it.

Or how the underdog took on the big company and what happened next. If you are only interested in the slightest in what went on behind the scenes during the computer wars (let's call them that). Compaq took on the giant that is IBM, something that not really many had done. There had been knockoffs of IBM computers, but Compaq tried to go head to head with a colossus. That does sound insane, doesn't it? But innovation can go a long way. And good ideas do prevail ... well sometimes they do. Sometimes they are only recognized years after the fact. So Compaq came up with the portable PC. This may sound weird with technology far ahead at this point in time. But really this was innovative, and in a time when no one dared to go out of the norm and do something revolutionary. So Kudos to Compaq and the founder ... and if that whetted your appetite, the documentary is delivering on uncovering what went on back then