Dell branching beyond computers

Years ago in a TV interview Michael Dell was asked if Dell Computer Corporation would get into making software, and Dell replied, no, he was only interested in making computers, that was all he cared about. I liked the answer.

Now, according to the AP, Dell Computer Corp. is preparing to purchase Ross Perot’s information processing company (also located in Texas) for $3.9 billion. To me this represents a further loss of focus by a company which has already sadly lost its focus.

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Dan M. writes:

The issue is that with the ubiquity of broadband connections, the small mobile handheld revolution (iPhone), and the advent of cloud computing (generic computing resource and storage made available to subscribers via the Internet), the personal computer will become increasingly obsolete. If personal computing resource moves within the network (the cloud), personal computers require less and less capability. They need not be particularly powerful, as the power resides within the network—they become dumb terminals, or minimally powerful machines. That’s why Dell needs to hedge its bets.

Gintas writes:

Dan wrote: “If personal computing resource moves within the network (the cloud), personal computers require less and less capability. They need not be particularly powerful, as the power resides within the network—they become dumb terminals, or minimally powerful machines.”

Computing was once like this, then came the PC revolution. The Information Technology wheel turns like this, I believe the “thinkers” in Information Technology call it “Progress.” Proverbially it’s “the grass is greener.”

Posted by Lawrence Auster at September 23, 2009 02:50 PM | Send