From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog 62
| From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog | |
| author | Martin Campbell-Kelly |
| pages | 372 |
| publisher | The MIT Press |
| rating | 8 |
| reviewer | Danny Yee |
| ISBN | 0262033038 |
| summary | A History of the U.S. Software Industry |
From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog is a history of the software industry in the United States, down to 1995. It avoids technical details -- there's little about software engineering and programming languages, for example, or developments in computer science -- to focus on the economic and business accompaniments of technological change. And Campbell-Kelly is an academic historian, providing full references and a discussion of sources and avoiding hype or dramatisation. But From Airline Reservations is never heavy going: the less interesting tables can easily be skipped over, the references are out of the way as endnotes, and short, focused case studies make for compelling reading.
An introduction discusses industry statistics, other sources, and the restriction to the United States. The basic structure is then chronological and sectoral, with a three sector division into software contracting, corporate software products, and mass-market software products.
Two chapters cover software contracting. In the 1950s, IBM's Technical Computing Bureau and SHARE user groups were important players and FORTRAN and COBOL were developed. The Systems Development Corporation, set up to produce software for the national defense network (SAGE) required thousands of programmers and became a kind of "programming university," while the SABRE airline reservations system was the most important civilian project. As well as large systems integrators there were small software contractors, some of which were to grow rapidly.
The 1960s saw consolidation, with an increasing need for marketing and project management skills as well as casualties from a computer "utility" fad (early Application Service Providers) and the computer stocks crash of 1970. New firms continually appeared, however, with high turnover. Coverage of software contracting stops there, with a closing comment that: "Software contracting remains the most popular way of participating in the software industry, programming services enterprises outnumbering software products firms by 2 or 3 to 1."
There are three chapters on the software products industry. The first covers its origins between 1965 and 1970, with extended case studies of two leading products: ADR's Autoflow (flow-charting) and Informatics' Mark IV (file management). The significance of IBM's 1969 unbundling of hardware and software is also treated at length.
Next comes a survey of software products through the 1970s. These were classified by supplier (computer manufacturers and independent vendors, with some turnkey vendors, software brokers, and time-sharing services) and by category. The latter included systems (database systems, IBM's CICS, Unix) industry-specific (banking, manufacturing), and cross-industry (accounting, office automation, CAD) software. Campbell-Kelly suggests that the increasingly fine classification of software was itself significant.
The period from 1980 to 1995 saw "the United States' lead in software products become seemingly invincible." This is illustrated with case studies of IBM (a manufacturer) and three big independent vendors: Computer Associates (a consolidator), Oracle (databases), and SAP (ERP software). One reason for the success of the latter, a German company, was that European companies lagged those in the United States and had not yet invested in company-specific software.
Then come three chapters on the personal computer software industry. The first covers the pioneer period from 1975 to 1983, beginning with the origins of the microcomputer and the "first mover" advantage in operating systems held by Digital Research and then Microsoft. Also covered are programming languages and VisiCalc and other productivity software packages. In production and distribution "there was almost no point of contact between the booming microcomputer software industry and [that] for corporate mainframes and minicomputers."
The second chapter continues the story down to 1995. Much of this involves Microsoft, of course, but the chapter title is "Not Only Microsoft" and Campbell-Kelly argues that it has received disproportionate attention. Topics covered include the IBM PC standard, Autodesk and AutoCAD, the race for a GUI, battles between Lotus 1-2-3 and Excel and between WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, Adobe, and others. Success in the PC software industry came not just from luck, but from exploitation, deliberate or not, of the economics of increasing returns.
A third chapter looks at home and recreational software, in particular at games (and game consoles), CD-ROM encyclopedias, and personal finance software (Quicken versus Microsoft Money). Here Campbell-Kelly sees "a historical trend for software to become subordinate to the intellectual content or the complementary services offered".
Campbell-Kelly himself is British and there are occasional references to British and European companies, but the focus is on the United States. A final chapter looks at reasons for the success of the U.S. software industry: an early start and market size, clustering effects, and government support for R&D.
On "political" issues, Campbell-Kelly takes a more positive view of Microsoft than some: "Microsoft's monopolies and abuses do not seem any worse than some of the others described in this book." He also ignores free software completely, which is perhaps reasonable given the end-point in 1995, though the GNU Project and its antecedents would have made a interesting topic -- and hindsight suggests that the idea of free software was more significant than any specific product.
From Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog should command a wide audience: participants in the industry, both programmers and managers, students of economics and business, and the interested general public.
Danny's book reviews cover many other business, computing, and economic history titles. You can purchase Airline Reservations to Sonic the Hedgehog from bn.com. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews -- to see your own review here, read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
Re:What happened before (Score:1)
And yes, I am a dumbass.
Dead? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Dead? (Score:4, Funny)
The Software Industry, dead at 53. Truly an american icon...
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
"Free software" more significant (Score:5, Insightful)
I assume he means that the concept of "open software" is more significant than any particular open project, not that it is more significant than any particular software, period (open/free or not). If it's the latter, I'd have to disagree. Singular apps like VisiCalc, WordStar, Lotus 123, dBase, Windows, PhotoShop et al helped to create what the software industry is now, which in turn has helped to create an environment in which open software could even exist.
Re:"Free software" more significant (Score:5, Insightful)
Before there was a software industry, software was effectively free from hardware manufacturers. And, one typically received the source code along with it. Only with the unbundling [softwarehistory.org] and charging for software did a seperate industry for it come about - eventually necessitating the creation of an "open source" movement. So, in a sense, open software has existed before the industry itself. But Bill Gates and the industry has become entrenched to the point that the notion of software one doesn't have to pay for seems novel.
Re:"Free software" more significant (Score:5, Interesting)
Apples and oranges. The whole reason the software could be "given" away was that the two were sold as a package. People bought "systems" and "solutions" and a "cheap" system was six figures. Plus then the cost of software was easily subsidized by the hardware and support costs. You're referring to a completely different model and you can't compare that to the pc and current software.
But Bill Gates and the industry has become entrenched to the point that the notion of software one doesn't have to pay for seems novel.
The software industry was well entrenched even without Bill's help. Plus, one ALWAYS pays. Except for people who are working on "commercial" OSS, what do these programmers working on "other" OSS projects do to pay the bills. The vast majority of them write software that costs money. A "free" software market can't support itself, it is way to resource intensive. It has to be buoyed by something.
Re:"Free software" more significant (Score:2)
That "something" was typically hardware sales, software comissioned from software houses by customers or by in
Re:"Free software" more significant (Score:2)
Re:"Free software" more significant (Score:2)
Whats the point? (Score:5, Insightful)
This demonstrated is that in the last two months, no book has received less than a 80% approval rating by the author (unless you rate a 'very good' This (book) gets my lowest rating ever, seven thumbs up.
I mean honestly, a review needs to have a few lemons on its record. I think someone should review a Wrox book on Linux and have it summarized with, "This book really gobbled the cob. it wouldn't be fit to like the kitchen floor for my puppy to soil in the evenings."
Instead of calling it 'Slashdot Book Review', it should just be called 'Slashdots list of books that rule'.
That's just my opinion though, I could be wrong.
Re:Whats the point? (Score:2)
But then, of course, you'd be implying that the people who work at Slashdot would be reading these books, so...
Re:Whats the point? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Whats the point? (Score:2)
So I have to ask, what's the point? Frankly, the negative ones are far more useful.
Re:Whats the point? (Score:2)
It's probably something as simple as the bad books just don't get finished, so the reviewer doesn't write a review. The reviewers are all volunteer, I believe.
That's obvio
Re:Whats the point? (Score:1)
While not as much value as also seeing the negative ones, it's certainly not pointless.
We get to know about good books to which we might not otherwise be exposed. Sure, I'd like to see negative reviews as well, but given the choice between no reviews and only seeing the positive ones, I'd much prefer the latter.
This is not the same as rubber-stamp reviews, where any piece o' trash gets a positive review, but rather a filter blocking the negative ones.
Re:Whats the point? (Score:1)
I've read about half of this book, and I think this is a good review of the contents with something about the author's point of view thrown in. It describes the features that would make someone decide to spend their valuable time with this book.
I don't think there is anything wrong with this particular review. As far as the overall reviews go, you could find a book that has been a real disappointment and do a review. That
Re:Whats the point? (Score:4, Interesting)
While I enjoy a good slagging as much as the next person, positive reviews are ultimately more helpful to me in wading through the torrent of books emanating from the publishing industry.
I guess the exception would be when a sucky book/CD/movie/game gets overly hyped. In that case, a negative review could be very useful.
Re:Whats the point? (Score:2)
This matters because in general people don't finish books that they don't like. If I'm a third of the way through a really bad book I'm not going to say "well, I'm going to finish this books so I can write a bad review of it". No, I'm going to throw it in the trash and never think about it again.
On the other hand, on sites where the reviewer is getting paid, they'll stick with the book through the end and do the revi
Re:Whats the point? (Score:2)
But I have written some pretty negative reviews:
(Maybe I should add a "bad books" page to the site.)
Danny.
Up and Down (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Up and Down (Score:2)
1- this book only goes to 1995. What about post 1995? In terms of the computer industry, that might well be two whole epochs.
2- this is only told from one side. If it had a few authors, it might be a better view, but this is just one guy, giving HIS perspective.
Sorry, but I think I will wait for the movie.
RonB
Re:Up and Down (Score:2)
Danny.
Ahh... perspective (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent is matrix spoiler...damnit (Score:1)
Am I the only one who noticed? (Score:5, Interesting)
Technical details like "Sonic is a product of the Japanese softawre industry"...
Re:Am I the only one who noticed? (Score:1)
History of SEGA [sega.com]
Although you are right in that Sonic himself was conceived after well after SEGA was bought by a Japanese company.
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:No Open Source??? (Score:1)
Re:No Open Source??? (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
No Open Source, Free Software (Score:2)
In 1987, Sun Microsystems [sun.com], the "young upstart" company of the data center,
Sonic? (Score:3, Interesting)
That doesn't look very American to me.
SEGA (Score:3, Informative)
Sonic, I'm sure, had a huge impact on the software industry in the U.S. as well as other big franchise games, so just because it was made in Japan does not mean that it didn't impact the USA.
Re:SEGA (Score:2)
No, but it does in the review posted here. "a history of the United States' software industry." Sega may have been partially founded by two Americans, but it was founded in Japan and has always been a Japanese company (prior to its move to Japan in the 1950's, it was not called Sega and did not produce the same products - effectively, it was a different company). In fact, the original n
Re:SEGA (Score:2)
Sonic the Hedgehog (Score:1)
by archie comics.
- Dr. Robotnic
... to 1995 (Score:4, Insightful)
"...battles between Lotus 1-2-3 and Excel and between WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, Adobe, and others."
I would contend Novell's battles and missteps are equally important; and certainly worth mentioning.
to Sonic the Hedgehog? (Score:2)
apropos (Score:2, Interesting)
I'd love to find: PL/M-8 (pl/m for the 8008) and a SCELBAL book.
System Development Corporation (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:System Development Corporation (Score:2)
Danny.