Slogan: Think!
Это не просто известная компания, это нечто большее. Начав задолго до компьютерной эры, она не только оказала влияние на современные компьютеры — IBM essentially created their modern look. There are companies whose history fits in a few paragraphs. Books can be written on the history of IBM.
The story began back in 1911, on June 15th. It was then that it became known about the merger of three American companies at once: Computing Scale Company of America, International Time Recording Company и TMC (Tabulating Machine Company). The combined company was named CTR (Computing Tabulating Recording).
What they just did not do at first: under the brand CTR produced a wide variety of electrical equipment. Meat cutters and watches were produced. In general, the assortment of the company was very wide. But a special article was occupied by the so-called tabulation machines (tabulators), developed in 1889 by Herman Hollerith. These devices have been used for the census since 1890. Cholerite even founded a company to produce them - already named above TMC. If desired, these devices can be called one of the first computers.
Gradually, tabs become one of the main activities of CTR. In 1924, the company was renamed to the familiar to us IBM — International Business Machines. The word "International" in the name appeared due to the entry into the Canadian market.
Without much harm to itself, the company survived the Great Depression. The US entry into World War II brought IBM multi-million dollar orders. At first, the company produced weapons, and then, in 1943, the company's first computer appeared - the famous Marc I. It was the first programmable computer made in the USA. This electromechanical monster weighed 20 tons, occupied an area of several tens of square meters and made an infernal noise during operation. But he fully justified all the hopes placed on him.
So IBM started working with computers.
In 1952 IBM выпускает свой первый компьютер на радиолампах — IBM 701. О мясорезках уже никто и не вспоминал. На компьютерах IBM For the first time, a high-level programming language was used - FORTRAN, which is still used in scientific research. In 1959, the company's first computers built on semiconductors were introduced. IBM the first begins the mass production of universal computers. These were machines of the System/360 family. Standardization is coming to the world of computers. From now on, it was not required to rewrite the software for each individual model.
Contribution IBM in the development of the world of computers is huge. These are hard disk drives (in other words, hard drives), first introduced on September 13, 1956. And floppy disk drives (floppies), developed in 1971. And the SQL structured query language used in all relational databases. And most importantly, the IBM PC, introduced in 1981. This computer marked the beginning of a new era - the era of the PC architecture. The device that engineers from Apple, completely changed the idea of what a computer should be. However, herself IBM the production of cheap computers was of little interest. She actively sold licenses and already in 1986 ceased to be the leader in the personal computer market. Later (2004) IBM generally left this market, both desktops and laptops, having sold its business to a Chinese company Lenovo. Generally, IBM easily parted with industries that brought little profit. So, the company's hard drives became the property of history, and the assets were acquired by Hitachi. Refused IBM and from the business of manufacturing printers - now it is engaged in Lexmark.
Today, the company is engaged in the production of supercomputers (its models take first place in the Top 500 Supercomputers), high-performance servers, processors and software. IBM is one of the ten largest manufacturers of various electrical and electronic equipment around the world. A very important part of the company's work is research and development and consulting.
First time IBM used a bulky and indistinct round logo. Then, in 1947, it was abandoned. It was replaced by a new one, which has not changed much to this day. Sometimes a corporation IBM called big blue. The origin of this nickname goes back to the 20th century and is not entirely clear. Version three. The first, being the most plausible, suggests that the reason for this lies in the fact that the company's first computers were blue in color. The second version claims that the reason lies in the ancient advertising of computers that easily defeated a giant dressed in all blue. Well, the last, simplest, version says that the reason is in the blue letters on the logo.
One of the company's most famous slogans is simple Think! (more complete version: “I think, therefore IBM. Think"). It was developed back in 1930 by CEO Thomas Watson. Subdivision IBM business consulting uses in advertising "Need some new thinking?". The slogan is also known. Business on Demand.
