IBM Turns 100

Posted by CmdrTaco on Thursday June 16, 2011 @02:07AM from the ai-can't-blow-out-candles dept.

adeelarshad82 writes "On this day in 1911, IBM started as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (C-T-R). It wasn't until 1924 that the company changed their name to IBM. Needless to say that a 100-year milestone is quite the feat. While some of us might know IBM for its recent "Jeopardy"-playing Watson computer, a look back shows that IBM has a long history of innovation, from cheese slicers (yes, really) and the tech behind Social Security to the UPC bar code and the floppy disk. One of the most notable leaps of faith IBM took was in 1964 with the introduction of System/360, a family of computers that started the era of computer compatibility. To date the company has invested nearly $30 billion in technology."

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Happy Birthday IBM by xednieht · 2011-06-16 02:13 · Score: 5, Insightful

A fantastic achievement, Here's to the next 100 years.

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Hope is the currency of fools
1. Re:Happy Birthday IBM by careysub · 2011-06-16 04:26 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Agreed. IBM hasn't been doing much innovation over the past 10 years
  It is one of the few American businesses today that still vigorously conducts basic research. It is also constantly churning out new technological innovations that invigorate the entire field of computing (copper-on-silicon, silicon-on-insulator, etc.).
  
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  Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
Re:Other uses IBM found for its technology by halivar · 2011-06-16 02:30 · Score: 5, Insightful

Hitler used IBM punchcard systems purchased in the 30's to facilitate the Holocaust. Of course, if IBM hadn't sold them the punchcard machines, the Holocaust would never have happened.
Next up, we'll tackle Boeing's complicity in 9/11.