IBM vs. Gartner, 1980s

“Have You Spoken to Gideon Lately?”

“Have You Spoken to Gideon Lately?”

IBM vs. Gartner During the 1980s, Part 4   As we moved forward, our responsibility was to continue analyzing the IT industry objectively for all our clients, and not about IBM in particular or for its benefit. Throughout the decade our company’s mission continued the education of all players in the IT marketplace, including those vendors who were meaningful, the large users and investors,...

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Who Ever Sues the Press?

Who Ever Sues the Press?

IBM vs. Gartner During the 1980s, Part 3   Here’s how the drama continued to unfold: In early March 1993 I was shocked to receive a call followed by a personal visit in my office by two people associated with IBM: Tom Barr and Nicholas Katzenback. Tom Barr was Cravath Swaine & Moore’s most famous lawyer and was handling the entire IBM account. Nicholas Katzenbach is a Rhodes...

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Trade-Secret Witch Hunt?

Trade-Secret Witch Hunt?

IBM vs. Gartner During the 1980s, Part 2   Several months passed  after having spoken to IBM’s Don Otis I received another critical phone call, this time an indirect call from Ron Rolfe of Cravath Swaine and Moore, IBM’s counsel and the acknowledged heavy hitter of the entire U.S.’s legal profession! So once again the lawyers were getting into the act, always persistent, always...

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“Know the Most About a Little”

“Know the Most About a Little”

IBM vs. Gartner During the 1980s, Part 1   After leaving Oppenheimer to create, launch and manage Gartner Group in 1979, I continued to personally write and publish about the IBM Corporation — just as I had done previously for my financial buy-side clients (banks, insurance companies, et al.). Forbes quoted me in 1972: “there is nothing IBM does that fails to impact every aspect...

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