I will never forget Ken Olson’s directive during a presentation to employees… “When in doubt, do the right thing.” This environment was so different from every company I worked for after digital
It was really nice to see this & hear my dad’s voice after 14 years. Bitter sweet. We used to tease him that his voice was completely different at work. 😉
What a treat, that's so very neat, Alyson. My father worked for DEC for about 10 years. My first computer was a VAXmate. Some neat memories from that era, like the company picnic at Canobie Lake Park... I'm sorry you lost him...
Spend 15 years (80-95) in DEC (PR-Sales) and worked literally in all departments except human resources. From Finance to field-service to software-services to consulting to pre-sales to sales department to my own company. I based my company on the same employees care principles on DEC. It last 15 years and more than 10 ex-DEC employees came seeking for what DEC lost in late 90's when Bob Palmer got in. DEC was, IS and WILL BE the best place to work for me and many of my coworkers!
When I was in technical school in the early 90’s I learned VMS and much about the hardware and peripherals for Vax 11 series minicomputers. I was impressed all the way around with their systems. Robust, well engineered, and innovative. VMS was impressive and quite secure. DEC’s clustering solution was ahead of its time. With a company culture and management that didn’t meddle too much with the innovations and advancements that engineers were creating I can see why they managed to do what they did. Too bad they were absorbed by Compaq and then HP. Compaq was also an innovative company for many years.
Started with DEC in 1980 as an install engineer. Became a site planner and Ops Analyst. Worked at sites around D.C.. Interesting and wonderfully progressive company. Best jobs of my life.
Worked at DEC for 15 years starting '78 in chip testing. Was the greatest place to work for until Uncle Ken was fired, then you realized this place wasn't going to make it. Part of it was bad planning for the future but after Ken Olson left it wasn't the same.
Currently doing a research project on DEC’s impact on suburban New England Mill towns and the socioeconomic changes that followed. Thanks for the upload!!!!
I'm one of the ones who appreciate DEC's attitude in the PR department (pamphlets, ads etc) and their role as growing player in a growing phenomenon. Once a successful company, though, there seems to be a big void between the PDP-8 and the Alpha (still have the manual!) so that despite my fond feelings I have to feel there was a lack of vision present. (Edit: DEC is not alone in this of course, it's a lack most companies have from being "normal companies"; lack of organizational dynamics, "not in it for the tech", etc.)
We fabricated Alpha at HLO, assembles at APO. Fabulous power, just a trinket. We had tab assembly, and were ready to stamp out these processors like cookies. We were doing 525 lead devices @89% burn in pass. Our guys and girls at MLO were working on stuff around 1024 to production... and triple .They had to keep the geiunuse occupied. I miss manufacturing. We had the first tablet device. I remember when that one got shot down. Ten years before they hit the market. DEC was always a struggle between the engineers and the administrators. Ken was an engineer. The administers won.
I do miss DEC to work for. I went from DEC Scotland to Australia and met some former DEC engineers in Oz and they said the same it was like working for a family. And they looked after their workers. Not like today where companies look after the top and share holders.
I’ll second by saying I went for a job interview in 2006 and when the manager who interviewed me seem on my cv that I had worked for DEC that was enough for him. I got the job 👍 without another word.
And you will for many many years because they are totally bulletproof. I remember a guy at my work pulling a cpu module out of a production machine with no worries about how the system would cope. These old vax machines were made to military specs. They were so ridiculously over engineered they wouldn't take much to make them survive an EMP. And the OS was equally hardened. Dec used to make stuff that would run forever. Run Forever and be fast at it. I'm sure you know this but some won't: Microsoft poached one of the main designer's of VMS to head up development of Windows NT. Windows NT was basically VMS Vnext. The whole memory sectioning and process isolation came from VMS. Luv and Peace.
While at first it may seem laudable when all employees are happy, it alsomeans that there's not enough criticism and annoyance that come along with innovation.
Yes it depends. The key thing to consider is "why" are people happy at a company. This can be due to sloth and ignorance but also innovation and accomplishment.
+Kevin De Smet I am asking myself such questions regularily. I work at a company for which innovation is essential, but also aims at keeping everybody happy. A bit like DEC I suppose. I noticed that the people who are trying to innovate fastest also meet most (passive) resistance from the people that are happy with the status quo
That is true, you must remember people who find a novel new approach usually took time to come to that conclusion. Thus, you can't expect to just 'spread the word' and expect other people to instantly understand the underlying implications of the new methodology. I got kicked out of a place because I kept pushing this, so many people who see this will quickly do three things: "I don't see. I don't speak. I don't hear."
+Kevin De Smet Yeah I'm trying to prevent that, so I now resort to just silently spread mutiple ideas and then wait and see which ones stick and get some larger momentum in the departments, and then use those to pull the other ideas. It takes a lot of patience.
I Started out on VMS and moved into Ultrix and eventually other Unix flavours, Dec systems were well designed and solid engineering. A sad loss to the industry
Luis Lara why can't you bill pill key missed play Killy dug mustard gas any more hook look brew can no drink letter read done at reck cords Omni?Queen Liz yer dribble firework eater.
