THe IBM way

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“the feedback we received from clients indicated there was certain pride factor attached to using ibm products. People sensed their clients felt they were serious about their business because they used ibm products.” LoRRAInE WonG, one of the first women to join the IBM Office Products Division’s sales team IBM showcases the power of word processing, 1973 3 2 • t h e i b m w a y of important documents were printed on time. “We had sold several Magnetic Card Selectric Typewriters to the firm, and of course we had provided training, but the secretary was not one hun- dred percent confident she could complete the task so an engineer and myself stayed with her until the job was finished,” said Ms Wong. Magnetic Card Selectric Typewriters featured computer-interfaced typing mechanisms and a magnetic storage device for recording, editing, and replaying typed material. These machines were among the first to provide word processing capability in any form. Not only did IBM introduce new equipment designed to help businesses operate more effec- tively, the company also arranged word-processing seminars and group training sessions so that operators could gain the maximum benefits from their equipment. “We really felt we were working as business partners when we saw the difference our products could make in the workplace,” said Ms Wong, adding that building friendships and partnerships was one of the fun aspects of the job. Seminars and exhibitions were also seen as an ideal way to introduce new products to clients. This was how, in the early 1970s, IBM launched a range of console copiers. The new copier used a “specially developed photoconductor” that IBM
patented in 1965. The 40-inch-high model could churn out letter- or legal-size copies at a 600-per- hour rate from a roll of plain white paper. The first plain paper copier in Hong Kong was installed at Oak Electronics. “At first it was the larger companies that bought copiers but smaller companies soon realized they could save time and money on printing costs for documents that only needed to be duplicated for reference,” said Ms Wong. At about the same time as the copiers were introduced, a new generation of dictating machines and typewriters with various input/output word processing features were launched. “it was always rewarding when i introduced new products such as the magnetic Card selectric typewriter that visibly made life easier for secretaries and improved the quality of the finished work.” GLoRIA KWonG, who joined IBM in 1967 as a service secretary and later became the first female salesperson for the company’s office products Most selective Mark twain, writing a letter to his brother on an early- model typewriter in 1875, typed: “This is the first attempt i have ever made, and yet i perceive that i shall soon and easily acquire a fine facility in its use.” Similar to the sentiments of the famous author, the introduction of IBM’s Selectric Typewriter to the Hong Kong office environment created a favorable impact. Unlike traditional typewriters, the selectric typewriter featured a sphere no larger than a golf ball, which car- ried all the alphabet characters, numbers and punctua- tion symbols. The system allowed secretaries to type faster and produce outstanding results. Accomplished by merely switching a lever, legal and business letters could be composed in twelve pitch (twelve characters per inch), in place of ten pitch, the more commonly used format for routine correspondence. as each new model was introduced, they sported even more user-friendly features and time-saving technology. In 1973, the IBM Correcting Selectric Typewriter became the first machine in the his- tory of typing to actually make typing errors disappear from original copies. Equipped with a special “Lift-Off” tape, the typewriter enabled a typist to virtually lift off erroneous characters from typed copy. IBM Selectric Typewriters became among the most popular typewriters for use in schools and universities, as well as in most aspects of business. While the Selectric Typewriter became the product of choice for typists, those whose names appeared on business documents appreciated the clear, crisp, high-quality presentation. Businesses of all kinds, but particularly in the legal and financial sectors, relied on Selectric Type- writers to produce their business documents. P a s s i n g t h e w o r d • 3 3
Page 1 and 2: THe IBM way Celebrating 50 years in
Page 3 and 4: This book is dedicated to all IBMer
Page 5 and 6: Of course, no journey is without it
Page 7 and 8: Hong Kong plays a distinctive and v
Page 9 and 10: 1 8 0 8 80 F o r e w o r D D O M I
Page 11 and 12: t h e e a r l y y e a r s beginning
Page 13 and 14: a firm foothold in Hong Kong. Not e
Page 15 and 16: IBM office equipment could help the
Page 17 and 18: floor by floor, as they introduced
Page 19 and 20: type Next-generation machines and a
Page 21 and 22: Looking up Pedder Street towards IB
Page 23 and 24: At the same time, IBM also introduc
Page 25 and 26: Customers and children look at IBM
Page 27 and 28: IBMers pose before the backdrop of
Page 29 and 30: IBM signs its first S/360 contract
Page 31 and 32: The System/360 is unloaded from a w
Page 33: the word t h e 1 9 7 0 s With IBM t
Page 37 and 38: throughout the region, fueling the
Page 39 and 40: IBM System/34 makes its debut in Ho
Page 41 and 42: and then upgrade to larger systems
Page 43 and 44: Inside BOCG’s computer room, 1979
Page 45 and 46: t h e 1 9 8 0 s and revolution Loca
Page 47 and 48: Bank (which was acquired and merged
Page 49 and 50: esearch, analysis and storage of pa
Page 51 and 52: networking power eMerges as interes
Page 53 and 54: IBMers take a group photo in the 19
Page 55 and 56: Chan Kay Cheung At The Bank of East
Page 57 and 58: embraced, PROFS provided an electro
Page 59 and 60: of building new public housing prop
Page 61 and 62: Although the end of the 1980s broug
Page 63 and 64: hubert ng Hong Kong CSL has had a l
Page 65 and 66: Lou Gerstner rallies the Hong Kong
Page 67 and 68: greater than its parts. There was n
Page 69 and 70: IBM and Hongkong Telecom (now PCCW)
Page 71 and 72: sUpercharGeD stUDIes considered by
Page 73 and 74: The IBM e-business Conference & Exp
Page 75 and 76: Kong. The same year, IBM set up its
Page 77 and 78: and the Institute have also agreed
Page 79 and 80: Secondary school students working w
Page 81 and 82: Participants in the Exploring Inter
Page 83 and 84: m i l l e n n i u m a n d b e y o n
Page 85 and 86:
Daniel lai The relationship between
Page 87 and 88:
Welcoming party for Business Consul
Page 89 and 90:
The On Demand Community go green IB
Page 91 and 92:
Opening an e-Business Hosting Cente
Page 93 and 94:
tomer. In the case of T3, a HK$1.48
Page 95 and 96:
“Our tea breaks were like mini co
Page 97 and 98:
During a journey that began with fo
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