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10 most stupid mistakes in high-tech
Why are some of the largest transactions in the world of high technology does not destined to happen, but the most promising products and remain only in the plans? Because the relevant people and companies either do not understand what is missing, or is not able to anticipate further developments. If certain facts have been formed in another way, maybe now we would not know neither Apple, nor Microsoft.
A leader in the search industry – leaving Google far behind – would be Yahoo.This article you would read on the computer brand Xerox, using the CompuServe service and listening to your favorite music through RealPod. They say we are all intelligent afterthought. Taking advantage of the view already past events, we have compiled a list of the most annoying of missed opportunities in the history of high technology.
1. Yahoo missed Facebook
In 2006 Facebook was two years and the majority felt that the social network – only the virtual sandbox for the children of the most prestigious universities. In the world of social networking 8,000,000 Facebook users are a drop in the sea 100 millionth registered on MySpace. So when Yahoo offered to buy the brainchild of Mark Zuckerberg (Mark Zuckerberg) for a round sum of $ 1 billion – nearly twice what Rupert Murdoch (Rupert Murdoch) issued in 2005 for MySpace – Mark kept saying take the money without hesitation. That is what happened: In June 2006, Yahoo and have not yet reached the age of 23 years and Mark signed a contract. Later, Yahoo has published data on the unsatisfactory state of their finances and literally over night and its shares fell over 22%. The then CEO, Terry Semel (Terry Semel) as a countermeasure reduced the amount of the transaction to 800 million dollars. Zuckerberg declined. But two months later, when Yahoo went back to the initial conditions, it was already too late. Today Facebook boasts 250 million users, and its value as a rough estimate – and depending on who estimates – ranging from five to ten billion dollars. Three years have passed, and Yahoo, replacing two directors, still struggling for survival.
2. Real Networks wrapped iPod
People think that the iPod invented by Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs). Конечно, это не так. Of course, this is not true. Just exactly he had agreed to the proposal Fedella Tony (Tony Fadell), to which the fall of 2000 denied the company Real Networks, did not appreciate his idea to create a new type of music player (as, indeed, Fedella former employer – a company Philips). By that time, MP3-players have long been on everywhere, but the concept Fedella somewhat different from the standard: smaller, thinner body, and content delivery system, which gives music lovers an easy way to fill the new music player. Steve Jobs, incidentally, is known for participation in the promotion of design player iPod. Today is the system of content delivery is known under the name «iTunes», and the Apple owns nearly 80% of the digital music market. Tony Fedell worked in the division, which develops iPod, until November 2008 and left. Real Networks still producing players, but its income can hardly be compared with the fact that Apple receives only with iTunes.
3.Sony and Toshiba decided not to come to agreement on a single format drives.
Few format war cost to participants as expensive as the battle disc format of high resolution. In one corner of the ring was Sony with its format Blu-ray, and in another – Toshiba with HD DVD. Since 2002, disputes between the two adversaries had not abated: every enlist allies in support of it is its format. In 2008, Sony plunged a knife into the back of the enemy, “having had” for $ 400 million in one of the most important supporters of HD DVD – the company Warner Brothers Studios – now support Blu-ray. Interestingly, in the mid-nineties, the same two companies fought for different video formats in high definition. Then the question was settled by combining the best features of both formats. The result is a Digital Versatile Disc (digital versatile disc) or DVD. Having missed the opportunity to create a single high-definition disc format, the two companies have suffered significant losses. And joined forces in 2002, today it was possible to enjoy the domination drives high-definition video market carriers. Today, however, at 10 sold DVD-ROM drive has a disc format Blu-ray, but the future belongs to video streaming and video delivery systems on request.
4. Microsoft, and not Digital Research
And this is a classic example.In 1980, when IBM was looking for some developer’s disk operating system for a new personal computer IBM, the choice was not in favor of Microsoft. In fact, none other than Bill Gates has suggested the “Big Blue» IBM to take a chance with Gary Kildalloig (Gary Kildall) of the company’s Digital Research, which was already the author of the operating system CP / M for microcomputers. According to legend Kildalloig did not consider the proposal as IBM , he wanted the plane. But in reality it was this: Gary Kildalloig flew to a meeting with another client, and his wife were assigned to negotiate with IBM. IBM did not consider the proposal attractive, Dorothy sent representatives of the company off. “Big Blue” again turned to Gates. He and his partner Paul Allen (Paul Allen) immediately issued a MS-DOS, which was based on the development of Tim Paterson (Tim Paterson) QDOS (from the English Quick and Dirty Operating System or OS in a hurry), she made based on the CP / M. As a result, IBM began to supply consumers their first PC and MS DOS (for $ 60), and a version of CP / M (over 240). Survived less expensive product. Before the creation of DOS largest Microsoft has been developing different versions of the programming language “BASIC”. And after the DOS … well, you know what happened after. But who knows, would be the Microsoft of the company that we know without a contract with IBM?
5.Xerox is in a different direction
And yet another classic story.More than 10 years before the advent of computers for Macintosh and Windows, and even long before microcomputers MITS Altair, lived the Alto – the world’s first computer with a windowed user interface. In this formulation, Xerox was a mouse, can be connected to the LAN and vizivig “(arranged by the principle” what you see, what you get “) editor-in text documents. But back in 1973 PC market was not yet and why Xerox did not know what to do with Alto. The company produced several thousands of such computers, which have found their place in the universities. According to legend, in 1979, Steve Jobs visited the Research Center of Xerox Corporation in Palo Alto, and then many of the features of the Alto were embodied in the “apple” computers, Lisa and Mac. Soon at Xerox realized the error and started a company to promote the graphic workstation, Xerox Star, which was based on technology developed for the Alto. But to say that it was too late – to say nothing. Next: Five more annoying bugs, including the history of Napster, CompuServe, and Craigslist.
6. Recording industry is on thumb
Perhaps in no other industry like the music, you can not count so much missed opportunities. In 1999, Shawn Fanning, file sharing (Shawn Fanning) Napster opened the world of people is incredibly easy to share music in real time. Record companies immediately filed for Napster in court for aiding in copyright infringement. Then CEO Hank Barry, Napster (Hank Barry) asked representatives of the music industry with a proposal to distribute music in its network on the principle of broadcasting – and to pay royalties to performers. This appeal was never heard. Napster users quickly migrated to other P2P-networks (such as Gnutella and Grokster), and music “pirates” have become the main enemy of the RIAA. In 2000, the site MP3.com has launched a service allowing users to upload songs from the CD-personal collections and distribute them to any other user. Record companies have filed for service to the court for aiding in copyright infringement and eventually won. Service MP3.com was sold and changed the business model. Recall also the processes RIAA v. Grokster, Morpheus, Kazaa, and tens of thousands of music “pirates”. Of course, today in the world of digital music is dominated by selling subscriptions to music content and streaming services like Pandora. And if the monsters of the market recording together with Napster, MP3.com or other provider of such resources, rather than to plead with them, now control the sale of digital music they could and the problem of piracy is no longer standing would be so dire.
7. CompuServe: a missed opportunity to seize leadership in the network
Look at today’s Internet and you will see a network filled with interactive resources and social networks, complete set up user-generated content. We can say that this is just more polished version of the resource CompuServe, launched somewhere in 1994. However, instead of becoming a leader in the field of new network technologies, CompuServe lost the fight AOL and its 50 billion of “free» CD. It says Kip Gregory (Kip Gregory) in his book “How to find clients in the Internet world» (Winning Clients in a Wired World), in early 1990 CompuServe Information Service was a “remarkable set of benefits to which the other was still pacing and steps: base loyal customers, a lot of information about their preferences, most valuable knowledge base and almost total absence of competitors. ” “The reason why the service was unclaimed … probably lay in the reluctance to invest in these benefits, then to monetize them.” Then came the company AOL and proposed a uniform unlimited calling (as an alternative to hourly rates CompuServe) and a simple interface, adding to their aggressive marketing of CD-ROM drive. Companies that previously used CompuServe forums moved to the Internet, technology is supported by CompuServe forums bad. In 1997, AOL bought CompuServe and, ultimately, at the end of last June CompuServe sunk into oblivion. According to Gregory Kip, the cause of the failure of CompuServe was not a missed opportunity, but a whole series of them. “I believe that the fate of [CompuServe] can serve as a lesson on how to bury a good idea.”
8.Craigslist: newspapers are not able to see the ominous portent
The newspapers are dying “, but still faster disappearing newspaper ads. And “gun killings, many are investing in the hands of the resource Craigslist. Most blame this mostly free service for posting ads in the fact that he knocked the ground from under the feet at traditional ads, feeding the newspaper for many years. In 2005, the classified ads have brought more than 17.3 billion dollars to owners of newspapers and magazines. Since that time, the proportion of such resources as Craigslist (as well as Amazon, eBay and Google) on the market, at least doubled (according to the Pew Research Center), while the share of traditional thematic ad was half that. If then, in 2005, when advertising-related announcements have dominated the market, a consortium of newspapers bought Craigslist, the situation could arise quite differently. However, for this they had to first persuade the transaction Craigslist founder Craig Newmark (Craig Newmark). In January 2008, in an interview InfoWorld Newmark said that the role of his company’s “death” newspaper industry has been greatly exaggerated – and not least by the newspapers. “I think the biggest challenge newspapers today – these are the facts”, – said Craig Newmark.
9. Google at a time when there was no Google
In the mid 1990′s most advanced search engine was not a system of Yahoo, Alta Vista, Lycos and Hot Wired. It was the search engine Open Text. Like Google today, Open Text became famous for its speed, accuracy and inclusiveness. In 1995, the owners of the company’s Open Text argued that their system has indexed every word in the nearly 5 million documents, which formed the then world wide web. In the same year, Yahoo introduced a search technology Open Text in their services. But after two years of joint work with Yahoo Open Text has decided to discontinue development of its search technology and proceeded to work on enterprise content management systems. A year later, the scene came Google. Most likely, the Open Text underestimated the potential of search engines. “If that’s the highlights from a number of Open Text search engine of its time, so this is what they managed to create a search technology that is most similar to the applicable Google», – noted consultant on public relations, Steve Parker (Steve Parker), who worked on advertising startup search technologies Open Text in Yahoo. «Google entered the market, lagging behind the industry for three years, and it was simply necessary to consider whether they will invest more quickly and whether they have enough time to bypass the leader. If the situation on the market has developed differently, it is quite possible that would have been a different position. ”
10. Microsoft saved wasted “apple”
10 years ago, Apple has had great difficulties. Mac’s sales have fallen. They pushed the cheaper production of clones of Power Computing and Radius. The company was in financial difficulties, the value of the shares of Apple stock was at $ 5, and the company’s management sought a new CEO in place Gil Amelio (Gil Amelio). In this situation, Apple unexpectedly receives the necessary financial infusion of $ 150 million dollars from the most unexpected source – from Microsoft. In addition, Microsoft promised to continue to develop its office productivity software for MacOS. Negotiations and Steve Jobs – Future Consultant Apple, which booed at the conference Macworld Expo, when he announced the deal. After some time, Jobs took over as “interim» CEO Apple.And what happened then, we all know. What would happen if Microsoft gave Apple sink? We would shake their music on our WinPhone through WinTunes, and market online music and movie experienced stagnation, or worse – would be controlled by Hollywood. And perhaps we would all have been eagerly awaiting the appearance of a better alternative of Windows.
Why are some of the largest transactions in the world of high technology does not destined to happen, but the most promising products and remain only in the plans? Because the relevant people and companies either do not understand what is missing, or is not able to anticipate further developments. If certain facts have been formed in another way, maybe now we would not know neither Apple, nor Microsoft.
A leader in the search industry – leaving Google far behind – would be Yahoo.This article you would read on the computer brand Xerox, using the CompuServe service and listening to your favorite music through RealPod. They say we are all intelligent afterthought. Taking advantage of the view already past events, we have compiled a list of the most annoying of missed opportunities in the history of high technology.
1. Yahoo missed Facebook
In 2006 Facebook was two years and the majority felt that the social network – only the virtual sandbox for the children of the most prestigious universities. In the world of social networking 8,000,000 Facebook users are a drop in the sea 100 millionth registered on MySpace. So when Yahoo offered to buy the brainchild of Mark Zuckerberg (Mark Zuckerberg) for a round sum of $ 1 billion – nearly twice what Rupert Murdoch (Rupert Murdoch) issued in 2005 for MySpace – Mark kept saying take the money without hesitation. That is what happened: In June 2006, Yahoo and have not yet reached the age of 23 years and Mark signed a contract. Later, Yahoo has published data on the unsatisfactory state of their finances and literally over night and its shares fell over 22%. The then CEO, Terry Semel (Terry Semel) as a countermeasure reduced the amount of the transaction to 800 million dollars. Zuckerberg declined. But two months later, when Yahoo went back to the initial conditions, it was already too late. Today Facebook boasts 250 million users, and its value as a rough estimate – and depending on who estimates – ranging from five to ten billion dollars. Three years have passed, and Yahoo, replacing two directors, still struggling for survival.
2. Real Networks wrapped iPod
People think that the iPod invented by Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs). Конечно, это не так. Of course, this is not true. Just exactly he had agreed to the proposal Fedella Tony (Tony Fadell), to which the fall of 2000 denied the company Real Networks, did not appreciate his idea to create a new type of music player (as, indeed, Fedella former employer – a company Philips). By that time, MP3-players have long been on everywhere, but the concept Fedella somewhat different from the standard: smaller, thinner body, and content delivery system, which gives music lovers an easy way to fill the new music player. Steve Jobs, incidentally, is known for participation in the promotion of design player iPod. Today is the system of content delivery is known under the name «iTunes», and the Apple owns nearly 80% of the digital music market. Tony Fedell worked in the division, which develops iPod, until November 2008 and left. Real Networks still producing players, but its income can hardly be compared with the fact that Apple receives only with iTunes.
3.Sony and Toshiba decided not to come to agreement on a single format drives.
Few format war cost to participants as expensive as the battle disc format of high resolution. In one corner of the ring was Sony with its format Blu-ray, and in another – Toshiba with HD DVD. Since 2002, disputes between the two adversaries had not abated: every enlist allies in support of it is its format. In 2008, Sony plunged a knife into the back of the enemy, “having had” for $ 400 million in one of the most important supporters of HD DVD – the company Warner Brothers Studios – now support Blu-ray. Interestingly, in the mid-nineties, the same two companies fought for different video formats in high definition. Then the question was settled by combining the best features of both formats. The result is a Digital Versatile Disc (digital versatile disc) or DVD. Having missed the opportunity to create a single high-definition disc format, the two companies have suffered significant losses. And joined forces in 2002, today it was possible to enjoy the domination drives high-definition video market carriers. Today, however, at 10 sold DVD-ROM drive has a disc format Blu-ray, but the future belongs to video streaming and video delivery systems on request.
4. Microsoft, and not Digital Research
And this is a classic example.In 1980, when IBM was looking for some developer’s disk operating system for a new personal computer IBM, the choice was not in favor of Microsoft. In fact, none other than Bill Gates has suggested the “Big Blue» IBM to take a chance with Gary Kildalloig (Gary Kildall) of the company’s Digital Research, which was already the author of the operating system CP / M for microcomputers. According to legend Kildalloig did not consider the proposal as IBM , he wanted the plane. But in reality it was this: Gary Kildalloig flew to a meeting with another client, and his wife were assigned to negotiate with IBM. IBM did not consider the proposal attractive, Dorothy sent representatives of the company off. “Big Blue” again turned to Gates. He and his partner Paul Allen (Paul Allen) immediately issued a MS-DOS, which was based on the development of Tim Paterson (Tim Paterson) QDOS (from the English Quick and Dirty Operating System or OS in a hurry), she made based on the CP / M. As a result, IBM began to supply consumers their first PC and MS DOS (for $ 60), and a version of CP / M (over 240). Survived less expensive product. Before the creation of DOS largest Microsoft has been developing different versions of the programming language “BASIC”. And after the DOS … well, you know what happened after. But who knows, would be the Microsoft of the company that we know without a contract with IBM?
5.Xerox is in a different direction
And yet another classic story.More than 10 years before the advent of computers for Macintosh and Windows, and even long before microcomputers MITS Altair, lived the Alto – the world’s first computer with a windowed user interface. In this formulation, Xerox was a mouse, can be connected to the LAN and vizivig “(arranged by the principle” what you see, what you get “) editor-in text documents. But back in 1973 PC market was not yet and why Xerox did not know what to do with Alto. The company produced several thousands of such computers, which have found their place in the universities. According to legend, in 1979, Steve Jobs visited the Research Center of Xerox Corporation in Palo Alto, and then many of the features of the Alto were embodied in the “apple” computers, Lisa and Mac. Soon at Xerox realized the error and started a company to promote the graphic workstation, Xerox Star, which was based on technology developed for the Alto. But to say that it was too late – to say nothing. Next: Five more annoying bugs, including the history of Napster, CompuServe, and Craigslist.
6. Recording industry is on thumb
Perhaps in no other industry like the music, you can not count so much missed opportunities. In 1999, Shawn Fanning, file sharing (Shawn Fanning) Napster opened the world of people is incredibly easy to share music in real time. Record companies immediately filed for Napster in court for aiding in copyright infringement. Then CEO Hank Barry, Napster (Hank Barry) asked representatives of the music industry with a proposal to distribute music in its network on the principle of broadcasting – and to pay royalties to performers. This appeal was never heard. Napster users quickly migrated to other P2P-networks (such as Gnutella and Grokster), and music “pirates” have become the main enemy of the RIAA. In 2000, the site MP3.com has launched a service allowing users to upload songs from the CD-personal collections and distribute them to any other user. Record companies have filed for service to the court for aiding in copyright infringement and eventually won. Service MP3.com was sold and changed the business model. Recall also the processes RIAA v. Grokster, Morpheus, Kazaa, and tens of thousands of music “pirates”. Of course, today in the world of digital music is dominated by selling subscriptions to music content and streaming services like Pandora. And if the monsters of the market recording together with Napster, MP3.com or other provider of such resources, rather than to plead with them, now control the sale of digital music they could and the problem of piracy is no longer standing would be so dire.
7. CompuServe: a missed opportunity to seize leadership in the network
Look at today’s Internet and you will see a network filled with interactive resources and social networks, complete set up user-generated content. We can say that this is just more polished version of the resource CompuServe, launched somewhere in 1994. However, instead of becoming a leader in the field of new network technologies, CompuServe lost the fight AOL and its 50 billion of “free» CD. It says Kip Gregory (Kip Gregory) in his book “How to find clients in the Internet world» (Winning Clients in a Wired World), in early 1990 CompuServe Information Service was a “remarkable set of benefits to which the other was still pacing and steps: base loyal customers, a lot of information about their preferences, most valuable knowledge base and almost total absence of competitors. ” “The reason why the service was unclaimed … probably lay in the reluctance to invest in these benefits, then to monetize them.” Then came the company AOL and proposed a uniform unlimited calling (as an alternative to hourly rates CompuServe) and a simple interface, adding to their aggressive marketing of CD-ROM drive. Companies that previously used CompuServe forums moved to the Internet, technology is supported by CompuServe forums bad. In 1997, AOL bought CompuServe and, ultimately, at the end of last June CompuServe sunk into oblivion. According to Gregory Kip, the cause of the failure of CompuServe was not a missed opportunity, but a whole series of them. “I believe that the fate of [CompuServe] can serve as a lesson on how to bury a good idea.”
8.Craigslist: newspapers are not able to see the ominous portent
The newspapers are dying “, but still faster disappearing newspaper ads. And “gun killings, many are investing in the hands of the resource Craigslist. Most blame this mostly free service for posting ads in the fact that he knocked the ground from under the feet at traditional ads, feeding the newspaper for many years. In 2005, the classified ads have brought more than 17.3 billion dollars to owners of newspapers and magazines. Since that time, the proportion of such resources as Craigslist (as well as Amazon, eBay and Google) on the market, at least doubled (according to the Pew Research Center), while the share of traditional thematic ad was half that. If then, in 2005, when advertising-related announcements have dominated the market, a consortium of newspapers bought Craigslist, the situation could arise quite differently. However, for this they had to first persuade the transaction Craigslist founder Craig Newmark (Craig Newmark). In January 2008, in an interview InfoWorld Newmark said that the role of his company’s “death” newspaper industry has been greatly exaggerated – and not least by the newspapers. “I think the biggest challenge newspapers today – these are the facts”, – said Craig Newmark.
9. Google at a time when there was no Google
In the mid 1990′s most advanced search engine was not a system of Yahoo, Alta Vista, Lycos and Hot Wired. It was the search engine Open Text. Like Google today, Open Text became famous for its speed, accuracy and inclusiveness. In 1995, the owners of the company’s Open Text argued that their system has indexed every word in the nearly 5 million documents, which formed the then world wide web. In the same year, Yahoo introduced a search technology Open Text in their services. But after two years of joint work with Yahoo Open Text has decided to discontinue development of its search technology and proceeded to work on enterprise content management systems. A year later, the scene came Google. Most likely, the Open Text underestimated the potential of search engines. “If that’s the highlights from a number of Open Text search engine of its time, so this is what they managed to create a search technology that is most similar to the applicable Google», – noted consultant on public relations, Steve Parker (Steve Parker), who worked on advertising startup search technologies Open Text in Yahoo. «Google entered the market, lagging behind the industry for three years, and it was simply necessary to consider whether they will invest more quickly and whether they have enough time to bypass the leader. If the situation on the market has developed differently, it is quite possible that would have been a different position. ”
10. Microsoft saved wasted “apple”
10 years ago, Apple has had great difficulties. Mac’s sales have fallen. They pushed the cheaper production of clones of Power Computing and Radius. The company was in financial difficulties, the value of the shares of Apple stock was at $ 5, and the company’s management sought a new CEO in place Gil Amelio (Gil Amelio). In this situation, Apple unexpectedly receives the necessary financial infusion of $ 150 million dollars from the most unexpected source – from Microsoft. In addition, Microsoft promised to continue to develop its office productivity software for MacOS. Negotiations and Steve Jobs – Future Consultant Apple, which booed at the conference Macworld Expo, when he announced the deal. After some time, Jobs took over as “interim» CEO Apple.And what happened then, we all know. What would happen if Microsoft gave Apple sink? We would shake their music on our WinPhone through WinTunes, and market online music and movie experienced stagnation, or worse – would be controlled by Hollywood. And perhaps we would all have been eagerly awaiting the appearance of a better alternative of Windows.
