-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces at
classiccmp.org
[mailto:cctalk-bounces at
classiccmp.org] On Behalf Of Chuck Guzis
Sent: 15 September 2012 03:34
To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: Microsoft cordless phone
On 14 Sep 2012 at 21:08, William Donzelli wrote:
It seems that every good sized computer company
explores
the telephone
market, and many actually bring some sort of
product to
market, mostly
leading to disaster. USR, IBM, and Data General
all come to mind.
IBM did pretty well with their acquisition of Rolm. I still have a
Rolm frisbee for playing with the dogs.
Interesting perspective. In Europe IBM already was a telephone provider:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_1750,_2750_and_3750_Switching_Systems
and in Europe the ROLM was not a success as a replacement. The IBM switches
used "normal" touch tone phones, where as the Rolm needed proprietary
handsets. Looks like they did better in the states,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROLM
but the data and telephony integration that the Rolm delivers just doesn't
work well for IBM sites where you use 5250 or 3270's on CO-AX or Twin-Ax
connections.
OTOH, telephone companies didn't do all that well
in the computer
business.
I think again it might be different in Europe. Is Siemens a Telephone or a
Computer company? They did pretty well at both...
--Chuck
Dave Wade G4UGM
Illegitimi Non Carborundum