Conference 7.286::digital

	I think that's folklore. There is a reserved parking place in the
	Mill Yard that I think belongs to KO. I think Security insisted on
	it, since there are crazy people here with long range rifles, who
	..., well, best left unsaid, but they've arrested some idiot who
	planted bombs near his home.

	If you have Red Brigades over there (and I think you do), don't
	argue about the reserved parking spot.

I will try to find who is the guy who told me this story and will post here
more about it. I was visiting the Mill last June and didn't see any sign for
a specific president's car place.

I work at the MIll, and I have never seen a reserved place except for 
handicapped parking, and van pools!

In my orientation into DEC last year, I was told the Mr. Olsen does not 
have a private parking spot. 

Gale

Possibly he flies in by helicopter?  :-)

But?... Mr Alpert is the same gentleman that I just answered to in LIFE.NOT !...
Hello! did you post your entry in human::sys$notes:whoareyou ?

Didier_#24_there

Give me a break... Mr. Olsen only lives three blocks from the mill. He 
could walk to work.

Mr. Olsen has decided not to take a private parking space to maintain the 
image that all people in his company are equal.

Gale

Mr Olsen doesn't live "three blocks from the Mill" as far as I know, but in
Lincoln, 15 miles away.

Didier_who_was_staying_in_Lincoln_last_June

Dider,

	 During my introduction to DEC last summer, we had a volleyball game 
with our new managers. When we drove to the DEC field, we were pointed out 
that a house we passed was Ken Olsen's house. Maybe it wasn't exactly three 
blocks (I guess-ta-mated) It was not 15 miles. 

Anyway... the issue is..he does not have a resevered parking spot. I asked 
at work yesterday.

Gale

	I think that more important then the reserved parking stop
	KO doesn't have are the privileges that we 'little people'
	do have.

	For example, helicopters. Anyone in the company who needs to
	take a helicopter between plants may. You just call up Aviation
	give your badge and cost center and off you go. In most companies
	you have to be (or have permission from) a major big wig to do
	anything resembling that.

	Also I have arranged plant tours for school groups on short notice
	with no work needed by my managers. I have gotten conference rooms
	booked in plants other then my own. Again with out the need to 
	involve a manager. I have arranged aid to many customers over the years
	that would have taken higher (sometimes much higher) approval at other
	companies. I am sure that the last few lines do not impress some of you.
	I worked for another computer company for over two years.  Believe me
	the average DEC employee has more authority and resources then the 
	average first line manager does at some other companies. And most of
	us take our resources for granted.

Alfred

Alfred, you pointed out something which surprises me a little..

You said, that "the avarege DEC employee, has more privilege than a first
line manager in other companies..." (sorry if it is not exactly the same 
you said)...

Now, I read or heard somewhere (can't remember) that the big difference
inbetween DIGITAL and IBM, is that at IBM, managers take decisions,
and at DIGITAL, they agree....meaning that at IBM a manager can take a
decision, which he thinks is good for the company, while we (our managers)
have first to go through the whole tree of managers, to have a decision
accepted...

Forget IBM, and forget that they certainly also have to go through a
certain management tree...remains the fact, that it seems to me, that the
routing for a new and good idea is much too long. And the day it is 
accepted, other companies will already have it on the market...

Couldn't this be a sign of "lack of trust" ? Or is it just a wrong
organisation of the whole?

Norbert

RE: 10

	There are several levels and types of privilege. All companies
	handle them differently.

	For example, in sales the level that is required to give a special
	discount varies. At Prime (in the US anyway) the district manager,
	who is the next level up from the salesman, can give huge (by DEC
	standards) discounts on HIS OWN authority. At Perkin-Elmer, the
	district manager can give small discounts and his boss can give
	big ones. At DEC it takes some one at or around the VP level to
	give special discounts. In this case, other companies 'trust' more.

	On the other hand, a software specialist at DEC can contact a
	developer directly. This was not always true but is now. Even
	VMS will talk these days. At other companies, as it used to be
	at DEC, you have to go through channels.

	The level required to obtain hardware for home use is lower here
	then at other companies. At DEC most any cost center manager can
	(will is another issue) authorise you to take home equipment. I
	know companies where it takes a VPs signature.

	The helicopter ride (see .9) is another 'little' authority that 
	is restricted at other companies but not at DEC.

	The ability to use DEC resources (mostly computer time) for midnight
	projects is unheard of at some companies. In fact, the ease of getting
	computer resources for company projects is amazing to people from
	some companies I have heard of. Outside of DIS, how many people at
	DEC wait more then a few minutes to get additional privileges on
	systems here? A person goes to the system manager, says I need foo
	privilege to test this new program, system manager says ok. Or ok
	but when you are done it goes away. At other companies it's ok fill
	out this paper in triplicate, get 5 signatures and we'll review your
	request.

	Consider also interNET usage. No DEC employee has to ask permission
	to access the ARPA or UUCP networks through our gateways. At other
	companies and schools it requires special permission and is closely
	watched.

	IBM managers often have vast power by DEC standards. They seldom
	require sign off from great numbers of people to get started on a
	project. DEC manager usually do need lots of sign off to get started.
	However, once the project is started they can usually get vast
	resources VERY quickly. 

	A big problem with a customer can also get someone low in the chain 
	of command big authority very fast at DEC. It does happen.
	I know a software specialist who was once told, in effect, "anything
	you need and can't get let me know and I'll get it for you" by someone 
	representing KO. You better believe he got everyone and everything 
	he needed to fix the customers problem.

	In general, at DEC, the little authorities are available at lower
	levels then else where. The big authorities are, perhaps too often, 
	available only at higher levels then say IBM. All companies are not 
	IBM nor are they all DEC. As they say on the advertisements, your 
	authority may vary, use this information for comparison only.

Alfred _getting_long_winded_

re .0

Sounds like one of those stories that, true or not, tells a good deal about
the working atmosphere at Digital. It goes along with first names, simple
dining facilities (some places having vending machines for everyone), and no
titles on office doors. One can meet with someone and no idea about that
person's title or rank. It's a good style and important to the way that we
work.

kh_who_gets_a_good_parking_spot_by_getting_to_work_early

                                   -30-

I hate to shatter peoples' image of DEC as a People Company, but recently
there have been some changes.

KO DOES indeed have a personal parking space outside the door to MLO10. Within
the past few weeks, a number of new parking spaces have been created in that
same vicinity and Ken's secretary has been parking there.

5 years ago, Ken used to park up the hill by MLO1 and walk down to his office.
A number  of times we used to pass each other (I started out working 3rd
shift. aarrrgggghhhhh!) on the hill by the former, infamous "three deep"
parking lot.

About 3 years ago they created "COMPANY VEHICLES ONLY" spaces across from
MLO12 (MLO22?), where the VP's secretaries used to park their Personal vehicles.
BJ (Bill Johnson and other VP's) park in front of MLO12, in the "VISITORS
ONLY" parking area. I once parked there to off-load a rainbow to my office
on MLO12-1, and promptly got a DEC Parking ticket (so I left the vehicle
there for the rest of the day!). I assure you that BJ, KO, the secretaries,
et al do NOT get parking tickets!

To cover up these parking privilige changes, they post the spaces as "COMPANY
VEHICLES ONLY" (neither KO, BJ, et al have DEC Company vehicles, to the best
of my knowledge).
 

					Len

I have to agree that people (me) take their privileges for granted.  I've 
wandered all over ZK to get an answer to a question or help with some problem.
Noone, absolutely noone, has told me to see their manager to get approval to 
get help.  Likewise, I've had people come from very random places, walk into
my office and ask for help.  I may not know the answer, but I'm always
happy to give it my best effort.  

Doing this just seems like the DEC way.

    KC

I'm pretty sure Norbert is right (remember, I'm Olivier, we had New Year's
night together with Didier).

I really think that when you see market situations such as looking at every 
other manufacturer doing business with IBM-PC compatible hardware, and, us, 
trying to sell a magnificent Rainbow, I become much more confident in saying 
that we've adopted a "conservationist" (don't know the right term in English) 
position that's not the one that a MARKETING people would have adopted.

Sorry for such a long sentence, but this comes directly from heart : I've been 
teached Computers through Micros and I can't bear to see so much money wasted, 
trying to make people sure that technology is the best, even better than 
money.

I've been told in a Salesmen Seminar (I was working at Tandy - Radio Shack 
before, that's not the best company to work but is the best one to sell 
anything, even SIDA - bad joke !!!), well then in this seminar, we were told 
that the good product wasn't the one that's perfect nd that you're to sell, 
but the one people com to buy.

If anyone has another version of "How to sell anything to anyone", I'm really 
interested in.

I'm happy to communicate (Just ask PRSIS4::DTL or PRSIS3::DTL if I'm not !!!)

Bye, and read you later on PRSFSA::IPS, PRSIS4::TREGER, PRSIS3::TREGER


Olivier

Olivier, could you introduce yourself in PRSIS3""::SYS$NOTES:WHOAREYOU.NOT
please?

So, suppose Ken Olsen really does not have his own parking spot. Why does 
everyone immediately assume that that is GOOD (conversely, why do those who 
say that he does not have one assume that that's BAD)? Personally, I would 
prefer to see KO spend his time thinking about marketing rather than looking 
for a parking space.

						- Victor -

re.17
KO might be thinking about marketing while he looks for a parking lot, as
well as an engineer might think about his project while he is doing the
same.
 Fred_who_does_not_care_about_KO's_privileges_but_likes_to_argue.

If KO has a discreet parking place close to ML010, this doesn't really bother
me, but what does bother me is the fiction that he doesn't!  We've got enough
good things, like Alfred said, and I think they're good enough alone to be
examples of our privileges without having to make up myths about a president
who hikes through the parking lot.  And maybe the original (apocryphal) story
doesn't mean that KO doesn't have a reserved parking place, but that he doesn't
have a labelled reserved parking place.  The country manager in the story
could have the same thing, by having spaces marked "Foo Parking Only" or
"Security Parking Only", and then making sure security knows his or her car.

Of course, maybe the story that KO parks in the regular lots is a ploy to
dissuade mad bombers--rather than try to determine which ford out of twenty
or so in the central area is KOs, they've got to figure out which one out of 
hundreds is his.

Most people I know are certain that KO lives in Lincoln, and I think I remember
from the news stories about the bomb threats years ago that this was the
case.

Heck, if you got to choose between Lincoln and Maynard, what would you choose?

Yes, Ken does in Lincoln - on the intersection of some of the busier streets
in Lincoln (not that there are very many busy streets in Lincoln). 

An Wang lives about 2 miles (still in Lincoln) from Ken. An has a full-time
guard in his driveway, while Ken's house is about 30 feet from the street
and fully visible (although I've never seen anyone in his house when I went
by).

Jack

        Wow!  This note sure did get a lot of interest.
        
        It also made a point that seems to have been overlooked
        in the fervor over whether or not KO has a "private"
        parking space.
        
        Ken (who does indeed live in Lincoln) does not have an
        assigned space, but he does typically arrive at work
        early enough to see some of the 3rd shift (Yawn_n_n!)
        going home.  At that time in the morning he has the ability
        to choose almost *ANY* parking space he wants!
        
        Many things have changed over the years, not the least
        of which is the fact that Ken finally gave up on his
        old brown Pinto  --  and accepted a company car (not
        a limo, that's not his style,) but (I think) an Escort
        which he parks with in the area reserved for company
        cars near building 12.
        
        All the rest of us have the same privilege.  If we want
        to arrive at work early, we can park almost anywhere.
        If we have a company car, we can park it in any available
        company car space.
        
        =-=-=-=       =-=-=-=       =-=-=-=       =-=-=-=   
        
        I think the fact that individual workers have the authority
        to "do what is right" is the best example of the fact
        that (for the most part) DEC applies the principles
        expressed earlier (putting the customer first) to the
        way we do business.  The worker is the one closest to
        the customer (be he internal or external) and the rest
        of the company is structured to support that worker's
        ability to help the customer.
        
        True, this is an imperfect world, and DEC is no exception,
        but the majority of the people I have worked with (both
        in the field and internally) have understood and supported
        that founding principle:  (paraphrased)
        
        'We will do what is right, for our customers and our employees.'

    re: .21
    
    Have I missed something?  Where do I pick up my company car??
    
    	- Jerry

    > ... is the fact that Ken finally gave up on his old brown Pinto  --  and
    > accepted a company car (not a limo, that's not his style,) but (I
    > think) an Escort ...
    
    I heard that this was done when Ken joined the Ford Motor Company
    Board of Directors.  It was felt that a Pinto did not meet the image
    that these people had.  I understand that they offered Lincolns
    and Mecuries, but Ken would not accept them.  After more discussion,
    he accepted (or bought) an Escort.
    
    Now there's a *real* man.

    Ken does have a reserved space in the Mill. It is located behind
    building 10. It is frequently used by his secretary!
    
    Ken does not have a Digital company car. As a director of Ford,
    he gets the use of two new cars each six mnths. The first time,
    he blew their mind by taking a Pinto (his wife, however, did choose
    a Continental).
    
    You sign up for a Digital company car by moving to the field.

>>          You sign up for a Digital company car by moving to the field.

    Or you can become a Vice President :-)
        
        q

    Ken pulled up to the Valet Parking at the Westin Hotel for DECworld
    in some type of 4 wheel drive (Blazer type - I could not see the
    make)
    
    

I believe it is a Ford Aerostar.

    Found out (fromt he sales manager where he got it) that it is a
    Bronco.   Not that it is important but at least the fact is straight
    now.
    
    

< Note 96.0 by CRETE::EDMONDS >
                           -< }- Responsibility -{ >-

    At the MicroVAX II Pre-Announcement for Consultants, KO cleaned
    up his own and others' juice and coffee cups, left on the conference
    table while attendees were getting their lunch.
    
    Everyone in the room was wearing a two (women) or three-piece dark
    suit, pin stripped.  Bally or similar wing-tips and white shirts
    with silk ties (or bows).
    
    Ruth
    

    A couple of weeks ago someone knocked at Ken's door at 2 in the
    morning in his Lincoln home. He personaly went to the entrance and
    saw a joungster with long dirty hair, badly dressed, curious looking,
    etc... He opened the door and asked the guy about what he wanted.
    The guy asked for a phone to give a call. Ken replied "Of course!
    come in and use that phone..."
    
    (from a secure source)

    
      re .8   The house that you passed by (near PKO) is used as a second
    home or meeting place by Mr. Olsen.  However, don't go near it,
    it has a vast security system.
    
    					PRC

    re .31:
    
    The house next to PKO1 is "the little brown house". It is a conference
    center reserved to Ken. It contains a living room style conference
    room. It has a kitchenette. And a small back room that Ken sometimes
    uses to get away from his office.
    
    The security systems is similar to the other buildings in PKO.
    
    The house was owned by "a little old lady" when DEC bought the PKO
    site. She would not sell. But DEC took an option on the house for
    when she died. When she did, DEC renovated the house to its current
    configuration.
    
    The house is not Ken's. Anymore than the other houses DEC has picked
    up and uses as conference centers. Like the "Headmaster's House"
    at Boylston. Or the Lancaster House. Or the house on the LKG site
    that is being renovated for the same purpose.

    A number of years back - when Digital was substantially smaller.
    
    I ran into Ken's secretary putting money into a parking meter
    on the street in Maynard near the Bldg. 12 where Ken's office
    was located.  I said, "is that Ken's car?" and she answered, "yes,
    he arrived at work late, and there were no more spaces in the
    parking lot."
    
    I believe that says a lot for a man, who founded this company,
    yet who believes in a democratic workplace.
    

    re 33:
    
    It would have been even more democratic if Ken himself had been
    feeding the meter.
    
    Does that really come under a secretary's job description?  (`;
    
    Don

He can't do that any more.  Meter feeding is now illegal in Maynard.  When
your two hours is up, you have to move.

/john

    I always wondered...how can they tell if you fed your meter, or
    are there for the first round?
    
    Or are parkers on the "honor system"?

    well... the "meter maid" walks past the car, and notes the time
    and the registration number... if it is still there 2 hours later
    and the meter hasn't got a penalty flag or whatever showing then
    by definition you fed the meter.

    ever notice little chalk "X"es on your tires?
    
    Deb
    

    I've seen (elsewhere) meter enforcements officers go so far as to
    make an alignment mark on the tire and on the ground.  If the two
    marks are still lined up after the appropriate interval, then clearly
    the car has not moved.
    
    Burns

I was in Carmel and recall that you were not allowed to feed the meters (they
chaulked your tiers) AND if you tried to move you car within the same
parking space you received even a stiffer fine than for just overparking!

-mark

    I'd heard that there were some places (Washington, D.C. comes to
    mind) where the police WERE NOT permitted to chalk tires because
    of a severe law suit.
    
    The story went something like this:
    
    A police Officer chalked the tires of a gentleman's mazeratti.
    The Gentleman cought the officer in the act and charged the officer
    with vandalism.  The gentleman placed the police officer under
    "citizen's arrest".  The case went to trial.  The judge in the case
    decided that it was indeed vandalism to deface an individual's car
    by chalking the tires.  A lawsuit followed.  The District paid a
    large sum of money.  Police in Washington no longer chalk tires.
    
    BobW
    

> < Note 9.40 by NAC::SEGER >
>
> I was in Carmel and recall that you were not allowed to feed the meters (they
> chaulked your tiers) AND if you tried to move you car within the same
> parking space you received even a stiffer fine than for just overparking!

And if you are a repeat offender, you get to go see the Mayor and his 
.44 Magnum, "the most powerful handgun in the world". Do you feel lucky, punk?

:-)

Jim

    HEAR! HEAR! I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE!!! MY GOD, THE MAN'S
    WORKED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS TO BUILD THIS COMPANY UP. GIVE HIM
    A BREAK!!

    I agree with the sentiment in .43, but there may also be a security
    recommendation in there too: reserved spots tell the crazies who's
    in their office. 
    
    There are "visitor" slots you'll note, and I would really be surprized
    if security ticketed KO's car!
    
    rmm
    

.21>        Ken (who does indeed live in Lincoln) does not have an

    
    I think he lives in Weston...the reference to Lincoln was,I
    think,because he was at Lincoln Labs just before he founded DEC.

    re .45: KO home town
    
    According to my 1982 phone book:
    
    Olsen Kenneth H, Weston Rd, Lincoln, MA, 259-9083

    I'm gonna tell it the way I see it.  Ken Olsen parks whatever car
    he is driving outside of building 12.  Whenever he is not around
    (doing whatever else where) I've noticed that his spot is empty
    while the other spots outside of building 12 are full.  There is
    no sign by the spot he parks in.  So you can't really say that it's
    reserved for him, but like I said when he isn't around no one parks
    there.
    
    (I know this because the hall way by my office over looks his parking
    spot and I've seen him get into or out of his car when I pass by the
    window.)

    Sounds like a simple example of the respect most DEC employees have
    for "Uncle Ken".

>        Sounds like a simple example of the respect most DEC employees have
>    for "Uncle Ken".

    Are you sure it's not because that spot is marked "SECURITY VEHICLE"?
    

    I'm positive that there is no marking there.
    
    But, just after I posted the reply, I did notice a sign lying down
    on the ground by the spot.  It looks like there's been too much
    talk, and security is going to put a sign up.  I'll let everyone know
    what happens when it happens.

    tangent from 583
    
    A reserved parking spot is an assertion that some employees are
    given perks not given to other employees, not by virture of business
    need, but by rank (or in Digitalese: salary level).
    
    This is the slippery slope.
    
    The next thing will be use of first class travel and accomodations
    by one group of employees, and required booking into double rooms
    for another group of employees.
    
    Then we'll start to see the flow of information and the ability
    to contribute based on what rank in the corporation one has and
    not on ability.
    
    Frankly, I agree with Ken Olsen that executive perks are nonsense, but
    he's fighting an irresistable tide.  Most senior managers think
    his ideas are quaint, and the no-perks idea the quaintest.
    
    It's poison to employee morale for managers to "fix" a parking problem
    by awarding themselves reserved spaces.  It puts the managers out of
    touch with real employee concerns.
    
    The overall effect is a corruption of the corporation, when more time
    and energy is spent in making sure that perks remain scarce and are
    awarded to the brown noses.  Career management over customer
    satisfaction.