kosmasp
Or how the underdog took on the big company and what happened next. If you are only interested in the slightest in what went on behind the scenes during the computer wars (let's call them that). Compaq took on the giant that is IBM, something that not really many had done. There had been knockoffs of IBM computers, but Compaq tried to go head to head with a colossus.That does sound insane, doesn't it? But innovation can go a long way. And good ideas do prevail ... well sometimes they do. Sometimes they are only recognized years after the fact. So Compaq came up with the portable PC. This may sound weird with technology far ahead at this point in time. But really this was innovative, and in a time when no one dared to go out of the norm and do something revolutionary. So Kudos to Compaq and the founder ... and if that whetted your appetite, the documentary is delivering on uncovering what went on back then
John Putman
I found this to be an extremely interesting documentary about a company that I grew up knowing a lot about. Compaq Computers was founded about 10 minutes from where I grew up, and I went to school with several of the children of the executives that are featured in this film. Even though I was young when they started, I remember vividly when Compaq first made their big splash by creating the portable PC - it was huge news that a local company was taking on IBM and succeeding. There was a buzz in the area, especially as they started expanding and hiring more and more people... and expanding into a huge complex nearby. While I had a pretty good understanding of the overall story of the rise of Compaq, this movie gave me a much more intimate look inside at how the story played out. You see exactly how these gentlemen took what seems like a simple idea and were able to create one of the fastest growing companies of all time, and the sacrifices that had to be made to achieve it.
garyreg-80241
I was astonished that there was no mention of networking or the role it played in the proliferation of PCs. Digital Equipment Corporation was a leader in networks, power workstations and service in 1998, when Compaq acquired them for $9.6 Billion. Again no mention of this although they said "Compaq merged with HP in 2001" although Compaq's strengths in servers, business consulting and services acquired from Digital, where a major factor in the merger.
JustCuriosity
Silicon Cowboys was very well-received at its world premiere at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. Whereas the narrative of the era is usually the competition between Apple and IBM, this film based on a book by Compaq's founder, refocuses the narrative on the competition between IBM and the PC clones led by Compaq. The film's David vs. Goliath narrative arc is absorbing and entertaining. It presents a highly entertaining history that avoids getting lost in technical detail that would overwhelm and confuse non-tech geeks. They focus on intriguing accessible concepts such as the Compaq's introduction of the concept of first portable PC – weighing at 28 pounds - as the predecessor to the modern laptop and eventually the tablet and the smartphone. The filmmakers were able to dig up tons of entertaining archival footage and conduct extensive interviews with most of the major players in the 1980s clone wars. The editing and the music are fabulous. The period music and look evokes the nostalgia for the 1980s. Highly recommended for those who want to try to understand a technological revolution that they may have lived through, but didn't fully understand at the time.
AD
