Today's quick post highlights an interesting interview with Steve Mills who runs IBM's software business and who has been a key executive in IBM software for almost as long as I can remember. First note the sidebar that says:
- Software contributes $20B to IBM's revenues
- Software contributes 40% of IBM's profits
- IBM's software group has acquired 44 companies since 2000
It's a quick read and, given his power in the software industry, definitely worth reading.
Funny inconsistency: the sidebar says he joined IBM as a sales trainee. The story's last line says "I wrote assembler programs when I joined IBM." Could it be that assembler programming was part of IBM sales training in 1974? :-)
2 comments:
I think in 1974 writing in assembly code was part of the normal installation process. Of course so were patch wires and soldering guns!
I didn't check with Steve but it is entirely possible he joined IBM in Sales as a trainee Systems Engineer, many did, Assembler programming was a required skill in 1974. Even the Salesmen(for alas they mostly were then) would have had some exposure to and training in Assembler and machine operation and programming.
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