Conference 7.286::digital

    Who is Mr. Olson? Never met him.
    

    Or, do you mean Mr. Ken Olsen?
    

    re: .0
    
    It's Olsen with an "e" not an "o"
    
    "jackin' the house", Bob

    .-1 easy! PLEASE. 8~)   <- my first VAXnotes smiley face, I hope I did
    								it correctly
    
    Morris, has hit upon a great idea, however it is spelled. We, all the
    DECkids from around the world, enter replies as to how Ken has touch
    our hearts and minds. They all get collected here over the next few
    months, then on 1-Oct, when the old man splits, he is given this list
    of thoughts and feelings of the many many people that have been with
    him and his Digital over the years; at least those of us who are still
    employeed such that we have access to this eConf. (Sorry, not trying to
    have a touch of negative, it's just so damn hard to forget our fallen
    brethren.)
    
    (.0 author/Morris, or moderators, clean-up the spelling of Ken's name,
    and let's start again. PLEASE.)
    
    Henry

    Ken is a class act, I feel privileged to have worked for him for
    the past 8+ years, hope he stays around in some capacity.  I'll
    miss his many parables and pearls of wisdom.

    Total class.

    jeff

    Ken,
    	In 1961 I learned binary/octal/deciaml/hexadecimal from
    my father, then a tech sargent in the air force, while he
    was studying to crosstrain from communication to computers.
    Dad couldn't get the logic flow of Fortran down quite tight
    but it seems I could so we worked on his homework together.
    I got to see all kinds of HW from full IBM systems to 19"
    rackmounts, with Honywell, CDC, Burroughs, and Univac's all
    over the country over my father's shoulder from then until
    I left for college. I was going after Math but seems my dad
    knew the school had a computer programming minor option in
    that math department and that they were scrapping an IBM
    709, I seem to remember, and buying a DEC-10. Dad said to
    study hard, I was going to enjoy myself. Well looking back
    I did enjoy myself, and I think that my computing "personality"
    is very "DEC'ish". I learned, however, while at the university
    that conversion of data from 1 system to another was always
    a pain and getting the data from 1 to the other was just as
    bad. I think I had my first glimpses of incompatable and
    proprietary systems back in the early 60's however by '71 I
    knew from first hand professional experience something was
    wrong and used to dream of transportable SW/Data and of systems
    that were all "hooked together".
    	I now look back over these 30+ years of having "computers
    in my blood" and am amazed at the change, well beyond what I
    dreamed. I look at all of the Niche markets and the vendors
    there. I look at this VAXstation-3100/M38 on my desk and the
    MAC IIfx at home. My dishwashers speaks. The Newton Personal
    Digital Assistant from Apple will hit the market soon. In awe
    I wonder about this.
    	I weep openly.
    	I know, within my very soul, that Ken Olsen more than any
    other single individual owns the eternal patent on the computing
    environment that blesses us today and provides the first stage
    platform of a computing reality that will become ubiquitous
    within my lifetime. Knowing this I smile openly.
    	I am pleased that Ken now does not have to worry about the
    mundain mechanics of the day to day operation of a large and
    diverse multinational company such as Digital. For that matter
    where else can I even say Ken in such an open and fond manner
    without having ever even seen the man in person. When one so
    profoundly alters the ground that he travels across can I other
    than aspire to follow with respect. Thank you Mr. Ken Olsen for
    laying the groundwork of infinite possibility within such a short
    time and in such a culturely open way and thus in some way being
    an influence on my individual creativity.
    	I now wonder. Is there a way to install FDDI on him so that
    data capture of some of his pure idea threads can be done?
    	I weep openly.
    	Thank you for your contributions to mankind Mr. Olsen
    	I weep openly, now from sadness but from sheer joy.
    						Doug Baker
    

    I first heard of DEC when I started work on a pdp11 in a lab at UCLA in
    1974.  I had used IBM 360, 1620 and UNIVAC 1108? before that.
    
    The design of the machine and of RT-11 made a tremendous impression on
    me and ever after, working for DEC was a frequent day dream.  That
    dream became real in 1986, when I joined Sales Support in DC.  I have
    followed Ken's opinions on the computer industry since UCLA.  Haven't
    always agreed, but he has always presented a consistent vision that I
    feel is correct.  
    
    The essence of the vision as I see it is:
    
    "The job won't be done until the user doesn't have to know..., and it 
    will never break."
    
    We've made great strides in 20 years.  Digital has taken the world
    closer than any other vendor.  The closest thing to the dream that ever
    went production was ALL-IN-1.  Technology has cut the legs out from
    under that for now, but the success of ALL-IN-1 validates the vision.
    
    Here's to the guy who put keyboards and screens in the hands of
    millions!
    
    Hope he has fun watching the wild ride ahead.
    
    Frank
                                

Re .1:

>Who is Mr. Olson?  Never heard of him.

He's the husband of that lady who used to do ads about Folgers Coffee. :-)

Steve Kallis, Jr.

    .1 - silly willie.  you know I meant Olsen.

    I first heard of Digital while working at a small printer company
    called Centronics in Hudson, NH.  I was just out of highschool (1974)
    and had decided to join the Navy rather than go right into college.  I
    spent the summer at Centronics working with engineers/technicians
    repairing printers.  One day the conversation turned to a company that
    was opening a place in Salem and Nashua, a company called DEC.  Each of
    them talk of DEC in sort of hushed tones and spoke of how great it
    would be to work for them.  There was a feeling of reverence about the
    company.
    
    Four years later, I was out of the Navy and after a year of school and
    driving heavy equipment in Colorado I returned to Nashua looking for a
    job.  By then, a friend worked for DEC and asked me to come out to MK
    for lunch and to show me around.  Wow!  What a building, great place to
    work and so close to home.  While in the cafeteria a mutual friend saw
    us and asked if I was working.  Not yet, but I am looking.  They needed
    a financial analyst in her group and she'd put the word in for me. 
    Although I had absolutely no experience I was one of two finalists. 
    When the other person got the job, I was told that although I wasn't
    ready for that job, they did have something in the shipping dept. if I
    wanted it.  It paid $5.25 per hour and I figured it would be a good
    place to start and learn about the company and industry.
    
    Thirteen years later I'm still here.  Went from shippping to
    typesetting, to documentation designer, to software editor, to CSSE
    engineer to communications coordinator, where I currently labor.  I
    can not think of any other company where a raw young man, with no
    practical experience other than a desire to work hard could have been 
    given such opportunity.  What small measure of personal and
    professional success I may enjoy I credit to Ken Olsen and the company
    that he created.
    
    From the bottom of my heart I thank him for creating such a company.  I
    realize that things surely do change and, for reasons far beyond personal,
    I hope that Bob Palmer takes whatever steps necessary to preserve the
    values of the "old Digital" while doing whatever is necessary to stoke
    the fires that drive this company.
    
    I hope Ken enjoys his next career!
    
    Marv
     

    In the early seventies, I was driving up to Canobie Lake Park in Salem,
    N.H., for the  annual DEC picnic. I passed Ken on the way. He was
    driving a 3-4 year old Ford Pinto Runabout, with his wife and kids in
    the car, and a bumper sticker that read "I (heart) DIGITAL". 

    Ken was one of us. Need I say more?

    Thanks, Ken, for everything!

    Peter Benoit

    Shortly after I started working here (1969), I was walking outside
    Building 12 one noontime.  There was some sort of problem with the
    pipes just outside Building 12, and there was a backhoe and a big
    hole in the ground.  Down in the hole, wielding a shovel, was...Ken.
    
    That's the best example I've ever seen of just doing what needs to
    be done, even if it isn't your assigned job.
    
    Thanks, Ken, for not having any pretenses.  

       During my 15+ years at DEC, I've had the distinct privilege of being
    directly in Ken's presence on three occasions. The first time (1977)
    was at the Mill when I walked into the Building 12 Men's room that was
    nearest to the Main Lobby, and Ken was at the sink washing his hands.
    The second time (1980) was at the Employee's entrance (South door)
    of the MKO facility while I was just returning from a Lunchtime walk.
    note: The Helicopter had just landed a few minutes before and I got
    the opportunity to hold open the Employee door for Ken and another
    gentleman who was with him on that Helicopter flight. The third time
    was a few years later (1985) when I got called back prematurely from
    a short-term Medical disability (a few broken Bones) to do a special
    project for Ken at the request of Dave Grainger (Customer Services VP).
    note: The initial meeting for that special project was held in Ken's
    office with four people in attendance: Ken, my Manager's manager,
    my Manager, and Me. I would like to take this opportunity to thank
    Ken Olsen for founding DEC in August of 1957, and for his 35 years
    of loyal service to the World's best corporation...
    
    						respectfully,
    
    								Bob
    

    
    In March of 1973 I came to DEC with a little over a year of college
    education and a minimal background in electronics.
    
    In the years since, I've enjoyed four distinct careers in this company:
    manufacturing, training, software support and engineering. I have a
    few more undergraduate courses under my belt, but still no sheepskin.
    
    My eternal thanks, Ken, for fostering an environment where one's
    course is determined not by what hangs on your ego wall, but by what
    you're willing to learn and do.
    
    --------
    
    I met Ken once, though I only realized it after the fact. I was
    on the manufacturing floor at MR1 around 1975, coddling a rather large
    dual-processor DECsystem-10 through the end of its 72-hour acceptance
    run before shipping it off to the NSA. Near the end of those runs, you
    got a little touchy about people poking around and knocking cables
    loose, so when I saw a suit doing just that, I ran over to see what was
    up. He was just curious. I offered to answer any questions he might
    have, and asked him to be careful of the cables that were laying all
    over the floor. He smiled and thanked me politely. After he ambled away to
    poke into something else, my supervisor came over to see if I knew who
    I had been talking to. I spent the rest of the day wondering if I had said
    anything that would cut short my fledgling career. Over the years, I
    learned that I'd had absolutely nothing to worry about.
    

21-Jun-1992                  Worldwide News                      LIVE WIRE


         Seeking contributions to a book of Ken Olsen reminiscences 

  Since the announcement of his retirement, many Digital employees have been 
  expressing a desire to communicate to Ken Olsen their personal messages. 
  The DELTA Program is providing an opportunity for this by asking the 
  participation of all employees in commemorating this very important 
  milestone for both Ken and Digital.

  DELTA invites contributions to a book of memories, which will be presented 
  to Ken Olsen upon his retirement.  Those wishing to share a reminiscence can 
  send it as an automated mail message to DELTA DSC @OGO or CAPNET::DELTA_DSC.
  Messages will be accepted for inclusion until August 31.  DELTA will have 
  your memories of Ken and Digital bound into a book, which Ken will receive 
  before his departure.  For more information, call DELTA at DTN 276-8226.

  Please share this invitation with your colleagues who may not be regular 
  readers of LIVEWIRE.

    re: .15
    
    Terrific idea!!  If possible, would someone post an external address
    to which submissions can be mailed by those who wish to contribute
    and won't have time to do so electronically before being terminated.

    The external address for the DELTA office is
    
          DELTA  OGO1-1/M08
          40 Old Bolton Road
          Stow, MA   01775
    
          Attention: Maxine Crowther

    I've got a feeling that the book is going to be bigger than the Oxford
    English Dictionary!
    
    Marv
    

    re . 18 Wouldn't that be wonderful!!!  Maybe we'll bring it out in
    Volumes like Time-Life Books!

    This note has a pretty good sampling of praises for Mr. Olsen.  Why not
    send a few his way.
    
    mld

From:	HPSRAD::DZEKEVICH    "MRO1-2/S10, 297-6346" 22-JUL-1992 14:23:54.01
To:	CAPNET::DELTA_DSC
CC:	DZEKEVICH
Subj:	Message for Ken's retirement scrapbook....thanks, great idea!

This message is for Ken's retirement scrap-book.

From:  Joe Dzekevich
       VAXft/OSFft Engineering
       MR01-2/S10
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wish you the best of luck, and may you have many good fishing trips.

You know, that for the last 18 of my 21 years here at Digital, I have been
calling you "Uncle Ken" when I mentioned your name to my collegues during the
course of various projects that I have worked on (PDP11/20, MASSBUS/RS04,
11/45, GT40, GT48, MINC, IVAX, SBOX, VAXft).  "Uncle Ken" rings very true to
me, for it sums-up your very positive qualities:  leadership, trust, always
being a gentleman, family values and a code of ethics. 

Jim Walls and I were talking today over in PK2 (7/12/92).  We were surprised
to see you retire, but we felt good about it too.  Jim put it correctly when he
said that after 35 years of hard work and long hours it is time to make
some time for yourself and your family, and as you have stated, it's time to
go fishing!  We are sure, though, that we will find you tinkering on a project
now and then in our travels within Digital.

So, it's been a pleasure working for you indirectly on many projects.

"Uncle Ken", best wishes and enjoy the next chapter in the great adventure!

Regards,
Joe Dzekevich
VAXft Engineering

I never met Ken personally, being a UK employee the opportunities are 
few, however I have one memory that will remain. In 1983 I attended 
the first 'DECtown' in Boston. It was my first trip to the States and 
I was incredibly impressed with the presentations, exhibition and 
overall logistics of the whole event. On the last morning all of the 
European and GIA employees assembled for a closing session, we didn't 
expect Ken to be there but he just walked, unannounced, on to the 
auditorium stage to be greeted by a spontanious standing ovation which 
lasted quite a few minutes. I believe that not just the company but 
the whole computer industry owes Ken such a tribute for his unique 
contribution to the way we live and work today.

Richard Bell
UK EIS Consultant 

    Dear Mr. Olsen,
     I have been employed by your company for 18 years. I want to take this
      time to Thank you for the years I have spent with this company.
     My kids Thank YOU each September for the company outings,My family
     thanks you for the turkeys at Christmas time. I Thank You for 
     flowers that have been sent, and donations that have been made in
     honor of loved ones.  
     I don't know if you'll ever see this but  from the bottom of my heart
                       THANK YOU!
    
      Best wishes    
       41181
     

 Back when I started at DEC -some twenty one years ago- Ken still had
"tea" with all his new engineers. That occasion alone inspired me for
many years and I always thought of Ken in the Mill as a real down to
earth person as well as a technical visionary and a business
entrepreneur. 

 Perhaps my fondest memory occurred one summer Saturday in the hot
Mill working on an electrically noisy RK05 power supply problem. The
production line was shut down and designing the power supply fix was
time critical. Ken stopped by with his white sleeves rolled up as I
was soldering in a snubbing filter capacitor with a pair of pliers and
a hot soldering iron. Ken stepped forward to show me how they "did it
in the old days" (no pliers) and promptly dropped everything with a
burned finger. While fanning his hand, he mumbled, "I guess I should
leave it up to younger engineers!" He left with words of encouragement
and -with the encouragement- the fix was designed a day later. He was
always a real down to earth person and sure knew how to use people- me
at least! 

 On another occasion, I awoke one winter morning to a house that was
VERY cold. The stack control on the furnace had gone so I went to
River Heating Supply in Maynard instead of work at the Mill. I was
being waited on when Ken walked in and said good morning to me and my
badge , and the man behind the counter. The parts man dropped me like
a hot potato to ask Ken what he wanted, and Ken politely told him to
wait on me first, as I was there first. River Supply did not have my
stack control, but Ken told me of a place in the next town that did
and wished me well! I was there long enough to hear that Ken wanted a
piece of threaded pipe! 

 Ken is a brilliant entrepreneur and technologist, but never lost the 
ability to be a real person and appreciate everyone for who they were.
I sincerely hope he is very content in his retirement and future 
activities, whatever they may be. Quite a person!
    

    
    
    I remember the days (daze) back in the early to mid seventies when it
    was not unusual to come in to work on Monday and then go home only to 
    realize it was now Tuesday - and not mind it a bit. I remember when we
    made it to FORTUNE 500. (that was cause for a weekend lawn party with
    the group and some of the managers including Harold long and Jack
    Shields). I remmebr us making FORTUNE 300. I remember seeing Ken in the 
    halls at the mill in a rumpled suit and driving his old Pinto, I
    remember arbitralliy being able to walk into Ken's, or Gordon Bell's, or 
    Dick Best's, or Jack Shields' office and not have to worry about any 
    reprisals. I remember asking Ken to judge a rubber band powered model
    car race that a bunch of us techs and engineers were planning. His
    answer was  ---- NO ---- I want to be in the race. Bbecause we wound
    up getting busy again we never did have that race but the next time I
    saw Ken he asked about it. 
    
    My family remmbers the company outings at Canobie Lake, the hours that
    I was not there, the times that I was able to leave early to be at a
    ball game or school play, the frustration when things didn't go right
    at the office, the bounce when the next pay raise came in, the
    depression and anger at pay freezes, the joy of being able to take a
    month of vacation to tour the country, the bitterness at the expense of
    health and life insurance, the releaf when I found out we were covered
    after the car accident ----- shall I go on. If you notice there is one
    good for every bad thing and if I keep going I do believe that I would
    eventually run out of bad before good. 
    
    Am I bitter about the possiblity of me being TFSO'd:
    
     -- Yes because I have given nearly 19 years of my life to the company 
    ******AND****** 
     -- No because the company has given me a decent education and certainly a
    number of excelent benefits.
    
     -- Yes becuase I have seen good people let go and, in my opinion anyway, 
    some bums kept on 
    *****AND*****
     -- No because it is absolutely necessary to do something about the top 
    heavy personell count.  
    
     -- Yes because I may now have to face the prospect of job hunting in a
    glutted, age discriminatory market.
    ******AND****** 
     -- No because it is a chance to break out of this complacent rut I can now
    see I've gotten into and do something constructive for myself and
    family for a while.
    
    After nearly 19 years I guess I can sy thanks for the memories and
    maybe I can move on if forced to.
    
    badge 22366   

Dear Ken,

I started working for DEC in November 1972. First location was good ole 
5-4 and Gloria Porazzo's Modules Assembly group. At that time, you
would come by to meet with Gloria and you always made a point of taking a 
stroll down the assembly line and said hello to "the girls". 

The first Christmas I worked at DEC, the 5-4 gang held their usual "pot 
luck luncheon". (Yum! I can taste all those goodies as I write!) Anyway, in 
an effort to show the ladies that I can be fun, I got dressed up in a Santa
Claus suit and passed out lolly pops. Half way through this process, you 
came walking down the hallway and I froze. Was I about to get fired for 
goofing off? Would you condemn me to purgatory? Of course not... You 
were all smiles from the moment you saw me! I gave you your lolly pop and 
we both continued to pass out the pops together.

For many years after that, you called me by name. Granted, calling someone 
by name is no big deal, but when the president of the company you work for, 
takes enough interest in you, that he remembers YOUR name out of the 
thousands of people he meets, to me that is very specal. I have and 
will continue to cherish memories like that for years to come.

Since that time, I have worked at various facilities, performing a variety 
of tasks for several organizations. After 13 years of manufacturing 
experience, I was put on Digital's first "re-assignment" phase. Not only 
did I find another job within DEC, I was accepted into the Programmer
Training Program (PTP). This was quite a career boost for me. Rather than
getting a "pink slip", I was given the opportunity to better myself. Now I 
have the chance to say, "Thank you for providing the training I have 
recieved over the years".

Today, once again, I am working on my resume, looking through the JOBS 
NOTES file and VTX JOBS. For some reason, I see this as another opportunity 
to better myself and Digital by projecting a positive outlook, seeking 
positions where my skills will prove to benefit me and the company that I
truely believe in. 

Best wishes on your "retirement" and what ever the future may hold for you.

Most Sincerely,
Norma J. Donahue
Badge# 18584

    I came to DEC fresh out of college and very green.  I was hired as a
    receptionist in Santa Clara, CA and distinctly remember my parents
    disappointment when I told them about my new job.  They couldn't
    believe I was happy to be a receptionist after completing a Bachelor Of
    Science Degree.  Anyway, I told them that I didn't intend to be a
    receptionist all my life and was just looking for a "foot in the door"
    to DEC.
    
    It is now ten years later and I am working in Corporate Marketing in
    Massachusetts.  I marvel that I have had so many different
    opportunities to grow and be challenged.  I always said that I would
    stay with DEC as long as I was continuing to learn and contribute.
    
    I met Ken one evening when he came out to California to address the
    field.  I remember a collegue of mine asking Ken what advice he would
    give to a recent college hire and I was amazed when Ken said "take time
    to smell the flowers".  Basically, he said that it is important first,
    to take care of things in your personal life before you can give to the
    Company.  
    
    I will never forget this.  It is a very powerful message.  Thank you,
    Ken.
    
    Robin Adriani
    138685