Big Blue counts down to birthday bash

Beverley Head
Thursday, 07 April 2011 15:44

IT Industry - Listed Tech

The countdown has begun in earnest for IBM's centenary which falls ten weeks from today, on Bloomsday.

The computer giant was incorporated on June 16th 1911 - seven years to the day after Leopold Bloom, of Ulysses fame, famously roamed the streets of James Joyce's Dublin. On Bloomsday this year IBM will - instead of handing out the Guinness - bring together current and past managing directors of IBM Australia to discuss the changes they observed in IBM, and the industry, during their tenures.

A computing industry pioneer, IBM shaped enterprise computing for much of the last century and for decades benefitted from the saying that 'no-one gets fired for buying IBM'. A mainframe, minicomputer and software leader, IBM also legitimised the personal computer era with the launch of its first PC in 1981. (The Apple Mac debuted three years later).

Initially called the Computing Tabulating Recording Company, the company was renamed more snappily as International Business Machines in 1924.

Within three years of operation the Armonk based company had racked up revenues of $US4 million, had 1,346 employees and its shares were valued at just under $US30.

Today the company has revenues of $US99.9 billion, over 100,000 employees  and a share in the company today (after multiple stock splits over the years) will set you back $US164 with a promise of tasty $US20 dividends in the not too distant future.

Mindful of its position in the computing firmament IBM has already begun a programme of events for 2011, both online and real, to mark the company's 100th anniversary.

What's planned for Australia? read on