As the old saying goes, “No one ever got fired for buying IBM.” Ever since IBM came to the forefront of business technology systems in the 1950s, they’ve been one of the driving forces in business computing. Sure, they’ve had their ups and downs, but on the whole they’ve been one of the single most important forces in IT systems.
On the whole, there have been three major factors for IBM’s growth in the world of business technology systems: Innovation, Commoditization, and Reliability.
Innovation
Reading over a list of IBM’s accomplishments over the decades is practically an all-in-one list of the development of computing itself. Among their many contributions to business technology systems:
- 1946: The first circuit-based calculator
- 1956: The magnetic hard drive
- 1961: The Selectric typewriter, the first word processor
- 1971: The floppy disk
- 1987: The anti-virus suite
- 1998: The first gigaprocessor
- 2011: The AI that won at Jeopardy
This innovation continues to this day, with the introduction of their new PureFlex line of computers, which seek to simplify the running of complex networks through intelligent automation and self-administration.
Commoditization
IBM was the first company to see the potential of putting computers everywhere. Thanks mainly to IBM’s work, computers went from being creatures the size of a room that required PhDs to run to devices that could be on any user’s desk. While they can’t claim the first ever personal computer, they advanced computing significantly both at work and at home, turning it into an industry rather than just a hobbyist’s pursuit.
In much the same way, they seek to leverage their PureFlex line to put advanced networking into the hands of businesses that can’t afford a stable of high-priced engineers to run it.
Reliability
This was the true reason that no one ever got fired for buying IBM. Aside from a brief period in the 1990s, IBM’s machines have always been among the most robust and reliable in the world. From their early business machines to their ThinkPad line of laptops, which are currently in use on the International Space Station, an IBM product had a long and reliable life.
Similarly, their new PureFlex line seeks to bring this reliability to networking, making it as stable and reliable as a telephone system.
From the 1950s to today, IBM has stood for advancements in business technology systems. With their latest servers, it seems that this trend will only continue.