big blue ==>
International Business Machines
<company> (IBM) The best known American computer manufacturer, founded by
Thomas J. Watson (born 1874-02-17), known as "Big Blue" after the colour of its
logo. IBM makes everything from mainframes to personal computers (PCs) and has
been immensely successful in selling them, chiefly to business. It has often
been said that "Nobody has ever been sacked for buying IBM".
The IBM PC in its various versions has been so successful that unqualified
reference to a "PC" almost certainly means a PC from IBM, or one of the many
brands of clone produced by other manufacturers to cash in on IBM's original
success.
Alternative expansions of "IBM" such as Inferior But Marketable; It's Better
Manually; Insidious Black Magic; It's Been Malfunctioning; Incontinent Bowel
Movement, illustrate the considerable antipathy most hackers have long felt
toward the "industry leader" (see fear and loathing).
Quarterly sales $15351M, profits $689M (Aug 1994).
Home.
(1999-04-07)
Nearby terms:
Internal Translator « International Algebraic
Language « International Atomic Time «
International Business Machines » International
Computers Limited plc » International Core War
Society » International Data Encryption Algorithm
|