Conference 7.286::digital

	i found your thoughts on dec culture perceptive, but a little
scary.  is this what we have come to?  is this the real dec, split in
half, fragmented, and full of isolated individuals that feel they
missed out on the beginning, somehow can't get connected, can't share
the old stories about ken walking the halls on saturday's in the mill.

	well, let me share some of my stories and my perceptions having
lived a lot of it for the last twenty plus years.

	
	when i first got to dec, in the spring of 1967, there were about
two thousand people worldwide wearing those digital badges you spoke of.
the first thing that came to mind was, i wish i had been here two years
ago! some of us, even then, felt out of place, distant, unconnected.  what
was the culture, and how could i fit into it.  we were hiring about
twenty-five to thirty people a week back then, and that seemed incredible.
we still shared the mill with other companies.  when you took the elevator
up and down, we would pass these other companies.  our only interactions
were smiles and waves in passing. they did however, alway's seem to have
better vending machines. 

	the average age was about twenty-two or three, and it was the
sixties, so the culture within dec at the time was one of business, and
one of rebellion.  some of us were missing the war, and some were able to
show the scar's of war.  in any case, the majority of individuals were
young, most of us were making money for the first time in our lives, and
a lot of us were misplaced soles from around the country trying to start
out in life and have some fun.  most of us were single.  we worked hard
and we played hard.  we grew up together, fooled around together, got
engaged, got married, fooled around, got in trouble, as one big wave
growing within dec.  we changed from long hair,cords,and short skirts
to short hair and three piece pin striped suits for all of us.

	the things that held us together were both business and personal.
we knew each other and those that we didn't know were automatically
accepted because we were growing up together.  we didn't see
competition, we were leaders in a industry and we worked mostly with
the scientific community, everyone was either an engineer or a technician,
or trying to be one. our mentors were old, at least thirty five, some as old
as forty, with real grey hair and everything.
the marketing and sales people were also engineers, but were trying on a new
role.  we had windows for air conditioning, oil on the floors that many
of us slipped and fell on, and spiders that feel on our heads when they
sprayed the mill, we fished out of the windows, made blow guns from
conduit (help from the m.i.t dropouts), rode around on fork lift trucks,
our offices were simple fiberboard sheets with staples holding them
together, some had trim strips and some didn't.  i saw people come for
interviews and leave saying that they would never work in a dump like
this.  it looked pretty good to us. this is were we worked and played.
this is were we spent our day's, nights, weekends, trying to design
and build products.  this is were we came back to after being in the
hospital for exhaustion, after working till we dropped.  this is the
place were we busted into the stockroom over the weekend, because we
needed the parts to put in a last minute change. this is where we used
heat guns to cook our suppers, so we could keep working.

	this was the place that when there wasn't any work, we sorted
screws, swept parking lots, painted lines, read technical manuals, or
were moved to other groups to help until things picked up.  this was
not the place were we had to worry about getting kicked out, or getting
pink slip surprises late on friday afternoons.  we felt like part of
the business, we put in our time, our energy, our youth.  we were
committed to the company and the company was committed to us.  this was
understood through actions, not on documents.  we were not told, we were
shown, through everyday interactions.  if we had spare time, we were
sent for training, everyone needed to learn more, no one knew where this
business was going, we just knew we were going together.

	i talked to an individual a few weeks ago and he told me that
dec was out of control, that there was no way that we could manage
moving from 125 thousand people to 150 thousand people without falling
apart.  i laughed, and said that when i started there were two thousand of
us, and that now there were 115 thousand of us, and i was still here.
that we were still making it, and that we knew how to grow because we
never stopped growing.  his picture in time, was just that, and five
years from now he would probably be telling someone else the same thing. 

	dec has a culture, but it didn't stop years ago like most people
believe.  we are in it now, becomming a part of it, adding to it. these
are the good old day's. the new people just have to stay around long
enough to see it.

	our company has changed over the years and i assume it will
continue to change throughout time.  we have learned a lot together
and some of us, who have been around longer, will tell you that we
wish a few things didn't change.  

	those things are honesty, and integrity.

	there are too many people today who lost or missed a couple of
norms we had in the past, and relied upon day to day.

	when we were in trouble, we told someone. we didn't hide things.
we asked for help and help would come.  when we made mistakes, our mentors
would pick us up, dust us off, smile and send us onward.  today if 
someone fails, we put them out to pasture, some come back, some don't.

	when we plan our projects we tell people what they want to hear,
not what it will take.  we let people do this and then we blame them later,
instead of sharing our historical knowledge of how long it really takes,
and guiding them out of trouble.

	it used to be o.k. to say i screwed up and need help.  i haven't
seen anyone admit that in years. at least not early enough to help them.

	i can remember when we said we had hired too many business 
graduates, it feels like we hired to many financial grads, now.


	in closing let me say that dec has a culture, and if you stay
around long enough you will understand it, not because you talked to a
lot of the old folks, but because you became a part of it, lived it
slept it, loved it. the legend is the mystic, and like any legend some
people go looking for it.  as for the clock tower, is it working yet?


	my message to you is not as clean, i didn't spend a lot of time
fixing the spelling, and grammer, because i'am here on a saturday doing
what i need to do, to keep us competitive, profitable, and in business
for the long haul. that's the dec way! a piece of the culture.  i don't
have all of the distribution lists that you have, but i challenge you
to send this message out to the same.


					a 1967 immigrant

  RE: 491.2

  That's the place I wanted to work.  That's how I like to work.  Unfortunately,
now I work at Digital Equipment Corporation, 100 zillion employees strong.  In a
crowd like that you can supply every ounce of energy to the company and it will
disappear in the wink of an eye.

  Anyway, I loved the feel of that note and hope that others can look back
in 10 or 15 years from now and feel the same way.

John
A late-coming 1983 immigrant

I'd like to express my thanks to whoever wrote that and to you, Simon,
for reposting it.

reg

RE: .0, .1, .2, .3

  I've been in the computer business for 20 years. With DEC since 81.
  What I see in both culture notes is the company I came to work for. 
  It's still changing, and still the same.

  Reading these responses did get me to go back and add one more line
  to my JEC response.  It's always been there but not in writing:

       "Do what's right, at the right time, to assure 
        customer satisfaction - whatever it takes."

    
    I've been with DEC since 1972 when we had 5-7000 employees ( 5000
    at the start of the year, 7000+ at the end). Does that make me an
    imigrant? When I read note the previous notes, it feels like it.
    
    Most of what was described still existed in 1972 and I still remember
    the last non-DEC business in building 3 and how we felt when we
    finally had ALL of the Mill to ourselves. BIG time stuff!
    
    I belive I am probably one of the few folks who worked part time
    for DEC in the early years before getting smart and making it
    permanent. In 1967, DEC had a part time shift that worked for 4
    hours each night working on the PDP8. We used to test the CPU
    wiring panel by hand in those days. We had two people working
    on each CPU. One person had a wire with two alligator clips and
    the other a printout 1 inch thick. The person with the printout
    would give two pin numbers to the second person and he (only guys
    in that group) would place a clip on each pin. If the result
    was correct we did the next one and so on for about 2 hours per
    CPU. If the result was incorrect, we would manually rewire the
    circuit appropriately. By the way, most of us were GIs stationed
    at Fort Devens and played soldier by day and technician by night!
    
    It took another 5 years before I had computer training and applied
    for a job in that old rundown mill that I had never seen in the
    daytime. It really hadn't changed much, but we did take up more
    space by then. I still fell like I am going home whenever I walk
    those halls ( miss the wet floors though - for those of you that
    are confused, the wetness came from the Lanolin in the floors that
    turned into liquid when it was hot like 100 degrees in the summer
    on ML5-5!)
    
    Our group was the first non-facility type to move into MR1. What a
    trip that was! I was part of the Computer group that moved into the
    fishbowl and I was working 3rd shift, Sun-Thu then. When I showed
    up Sunday night at 23:00 (rest of the group's first day was Monday)
    I nearly gave the GLOBE Security guard a heart attack when I woke
    him up! He didn't know anyone was coming to work. Several things
    I remember; the place was full of Bats! At night they would dive
    bomb anyone walking the halls. Working with security and a couple
    of good brooms, we finally got rid of them. The carpets were different
    colors, left over from RCA and we were told that your rank and status
    as an employee of RCA could be quickly identified by the color of
    the carpet your desk was on! If you were next to a window, you were
    really big stuff and probably a department head or something. I
    can remember walking through the tower (MR2) with Security when
    there was only outside walls and nothing finished. When NR was built
    I occasionnally went with the roving patrol to check out the buildings
    before they had their own security. We would have breakfast at an
    all night diner on rte. 20. Some real good days, those!
    
    Yes, DEC is changing, and for the better in some ways. I have never
    had the itch to leave, but I must admit that I miss some things
    the way they were. I can tell you that the stories of Ken wandering
    around are true. I used to see him in the Mill at night when I was
    working. Not often, but I did see him.
    
    I guess that's quite enough for now. It is such fun reliving some
    of those old stories. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy.
    
    							Art
    

From:	ENOADM::GARDNER      12-MAR-1988 01:49
To:	HANZI::SIMONSZETO
Subj:	RE: Comments on culture

YOU MAY USE MY NAME, BUY THE WAY IT'S LARRY GARDNER.  HOPE YOU ENJOYED
READING IT. I HAVE RECIEVED A LOT OF GOOD COMMENTS, AND I APPRECIATE
YOURS, THANKS

				LARRY

    I was originally going to write a book for this response but decided
    something shorter is best. I've only "officially" been with DEC
    10 years but was "hooked" on DEC starting with a PDP-8 in high-school.
    For reference purposes only I am a military brat and so have been
    all over the world.
    
    My non-book is this:
    
    DEC is really an extension of everything that made this nation great.
    Teamwork and team spirit and the desire to grow and be better tomorrow
    than we were today or yesterday.
    
    Take a short example: the sixties race to the moon. We did it because
    the determination, desire, {fill in your favorite 1000 adjectives
    here} were there and most important, THE PEOPLE WERE THERE. There
    was cooperation, etc. and it happened. 
    
    DEC is a lot like this philosophically. This company's "culture"
    is a subset of the nation's melting pot "culture". Both (nation
    and company) are great because of this culture. But there's more.
    
    Yes there will always be certain companies that stroke their people
    with colored rugs or whatever, but hopefully THIS company (AND THIS
    NATION) will go on with the same value systems that brought us to
    where we are today and will carry us (hopefully) thousands of years
    into the future.
    
    To get to that future, we will HAVE to learn to
    merge/absorb/convert/change with people who are NOT like us or our
    culture. When we learn how to do that this company will be more
    than "just another company" with "some specific culture". Learning
    to value  ALL things in their proper perspective (...do the right
    thing...) will make us more than (personal bias here) the best company
    to work for (or one of the 10 best if you've seen the list).
    
    Yes we will change. But if the original history says anything, enough
    people will "do the right thing" and we will evolve and grow as
    we should. Mistakes will be made, but that's necessary for the
    evolution of the whole.
    
    [The above text was condensed ala Reader's Digest style. I apologize
    and am completely responsible for misrepresentations, errors, etc.]
    
    						Just another DEC person

        There are some 50,000 Dec employees, many of whom have worked
        hard and long with Digital, and feel an integral part of the
        culture, who would take exception to what you have just said.
        
        I am talking about the employess of Digital, that are not part
        of "this nation". 
        
        The United States of America, does not, have the patents on
        innovation, patriotism, determination, (1000 + adjectives).
        There are in fact, many characteristics of other cultures,
        which both DEC and the U.S. population, have a strong tendency
        to avoid. One of the most obvious examples is the NIH (Not
        invented Here) syndrome.
        
        Sorry to bring you out of the clouds, but there is a real world
        out there....
        
        q
        

       
       
       	DEC is changing. Some for the better, some for the worse.

       For the worse, we have people who would rather say "Let'm 
       leave if he wants more money" to someone who deserves it and
       situations like the Area people without the tools they need.
       
	For the better we are still able to be competitive and come
       out with some really neat stuff. DEC still offers the oppurtunity
       for someone with enough determination to go from driving a car
       from PK to MR (screw the O's) delivering SPR's to being a system manager
       who gets to seriously influence and correct some of the products coming
       out of NaC. (and gets the nickname "Shell Answer Man")
       
       	It's a great company and a great culture and I don't ever want
       to see either go away.
       
       						mike
       						A DECcie
       						Start Date: Oct '80
       
       	p.s. If the people above sound familiar it's not your imagination.

     Many thanks to Simon for sharing Larry's thoughts.
     
     It certainly  waxed nostalgic for me and I have only been with DEC 8
     years (a very recent "immigrant"!).
     
     My first job with DEC was as a 3rd shift Supervisor in  the  Maynard
     Board Shop  (a culture all unto itself!).  Occasionally someone in a
     suit would meander  through MLO7,8,&9 (if you know where MLO9 is you
     must be a Millrat  ;-))  early  in the morning (~6ish).  Each time I
     saw him I would say "good  morning"  or  some  such  and  get a like
     response, but I had no idea who  I  was  talking  with.    Only  one
     morning as I was leaving and came around  the  corner of MLO4 rather
     quickly and almost bumped into KO coming the other way did I realize
     that my early morning visitor on those mornings was none  other than
     Ken himself.
     
     Having subsequently had  the  privilege  of  talking  with Ken a few
     times, he leaves me  in  awe  of his talent and "greatness".  Ken is
     still  very  much  personally  involved  in    his  "pet"  projects,
     oftentimes to the chagrin of the engineers chartered with developing
     these "pet" projects. I am very glad to work for Ken's DEC!
     
     When I  joined  DEC,  HyComp  was  still  occupying  MLO3-4 (and had
     a few reserved parking spaces between MLO3 and MLO1).
     

     Some of the changes over those 8 short years that I do not like:
     
     Even in the "hallowed halls" of the Mill,  I  see  fewer  and  fewer
     people who just say "hello" when they pass you by!!  Passing someone
     without  saying "hello" was a very rare occurrance 8 years  ago  (in
     the  Mill).    [When I worked in PKO3 and said "hello"  to  familiar
     faces  that  I saw in the hall each day, I would get  weird  stares!
     Glad to have spent 7 of my 8 years in the Mill.]
     
     What I see as a trend of very poor raises (5-7%) for the "masses" of
     good-excellent workers and 30+% raises  and  bonuses  to  the  VP's.
     This General Motors approach to labor  and management is NOT the DEC
     way that DEC was built upon.   I  personally  know  of many valuable
     employees who have left DEC due to poor  raises and 30-50% increases
     offered  from   outside.    [And  some  of  these  people  had  very
     specialized training, some  of which is NOT taught at ANY College in
     the US!  The  available  resource  pool  is  extremely  limited  and
     insufficient to supply the needs of DEC and other companies.]
     
     Promotions without raises have become  the  norm!  In Engineering it
     used  to  be quite possible to  get  substantial  raises  due  to  a
     promotion in addition to a normal salary  performance  raise.   Now,
     even  if  you  change  jobs  into a higher level, even if  it  is  a
     different  field,  all  you  will  eventually  get is the same raise
     (maybe the  manager  will  steal 1% from someone else!) as you would
     have  originally got  (per  salary  plan)  without  the  "unplanned"
     promotion.
     
     Too  many  middle-level  managers  who don't know the DEC  'culture"
     and/or don't have the "guts" to raise problems and/or question their
     upper  management,  but  operate much as they had at their  previous
     companies (such as Raytheon, GM, etc.).

    I've only been here seven years, but feel that this "home" called
    Digital will attract me for a long time to come. This is my third
    5+ year company as a professional, and I *liked* the others, I met
    great people in them, and did well but was never satisfied.
    
    The difference? .....Values. I learned quickly that Digital requires
    managing change, though some of the behaviors around me hadn't changed
    in years and were frustrating. Although I'd been in both small and
    large companies, had worked for ethical and responsible people,
    I never really appreciated the value-system studied long ago in
    school. Awhile ago I took an internal course that shared metrics
    on the values of executives in other large companies compared to
    ours: highest priority values here came out "Accomplishment" and
    "Human Treatment" compared to other companies' "Power" and "Financial
    Reward". Think about it -- these are some of the non-changing cultural
    entities in our ever-changing technology world.
    
    Truly, those of us newcomers bring culture as well as experience
    to Digital -- we're prone to bring along the best-of-what-we-knew
    and forget about the rest. But I now realize that those ethical
    people in other companies were still changing their behaviors to
    work the power system. We see it here, but I doubt that power behaviors
    can change our underlying values. The open environment that encourages
    this type of exchange should see to that.

    
    I for one got all teary eyed remembering the old days... when Digitals
    first rule " Always do what is right..in each situation " whether
    it be a Customer or an Employee...that and the honesty and integraty
    of the individuals who worked at dec back in the old day..(i.e.
    1973 when I came we truly Worked together and around the clock to
    make digital succeed in it's earnings, at the end of the month and
    the quota's were met or surpassed EVERYONE was Proud of Digital
    and themselves for making it happen...you saw the reults of your
    labor...and shared in the glory...Not hard to tell I'm talking about
    good ole' mfg. huh!....WE the many have worked for so long with
    so little..etc. etc..remember??
    
    	I help set up the MR..building and the first nro building and,
    and , and , and this is the DEC culture...(remembering) getting
    a chance to talk to K.O. at 9:00 or so when he used to pull his
    surprise  visits..although we always new when he was coming...he
    guy's remember the GRAPE_VINE...it was always 99% correct, anyways
    in mfg. K.O. used to walk around WMO alot he'd  show up in his little
    FORD-PINTO and check out the facility..Nice Guy he really is..and
    remember the Mid-70's Yuppies...Barry Cioffii..Bell Cross..and,
    and, and..  Sorry to rattle on but true to heart DECIES tend to
    do this, It's the feeling of PRIDE...Digital instills in you if
    you look around today you just don't find that anymore and the 
    NEW_BEES really don't CARE..
    
    	AS Bob Hope says .2
    
    		THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES   8^)   8^)
    
    						MAC
    

RE .13:

	I resent that.  I have not been here anywhere as long as you have and 
I DO care.  (I'll admit that there are some that don't though but some of 
them have been here longer than I have.)

    Me too...
    
    When I first became a DEC customer in about 1976, I learned that
    one thing I really wanted was to work for 'that' company. It took
    me three tries (my timing was TERRIBLE - started in November, 1983!,
    and the second time, the group I was interviewing moved to where
    I had just migrated from, so I had to pass it up for the short term)
    but I finally made it in March of 1987.  What I found was that things
    had changed a bit from what I remembered.  There were a LOT more
    people, and I discovered that Digital was not where everyone pulled
    together as has been described in an earlier note (and as I had
    expected it to be). But then I realized that, unlike the image we
    sometimes had from outside, this was like any company - it's made
    up of people.  And, with them being what they are wont to be, there
    were all kinds. I still have the feeling that the early spirit is
    here, but perhaps not as widespread as I would like.  I, for one,
    am doing my best to propagate the 'old ways' as best I can.  In
    any event, in the aggregate, I LOVE it here, and wish I had made
    the move much earlier.  Sure, some things are tough, but that's
    part of the challenge now. I wouldn't change for the world.
    
    BTW - the things I didn't like as a customer are still the things
    my customer/friends are complaining about.  The more things change...
    
    Gary

    My father-in-law has been with DEC quite a while and he would tell
    stories of the Board shop and manufacturing, of KO coming up to
    "the floor" for lunch, or to stop by to wish his two digit badge
    employees Merry Christmas.  My father-in-law's Digital and my Digital
    are very different.  I started at DEC four years ago, working in
    Manufacturing in the mill with some of those two digit badge employees,
    there was a sense of pride and real sense of DEC there, emotions
    I can't explain and probably will never experience again.  But that
    experience will stay with me the rest of my life, all those ghosts
    are still there, you feel real DEC culture in the Mill.  I have
    since never felt part of that DEC, but instead a part of Digital
    Equipment Corporation, still enjoying my job and proud of our
    accomplishments but knowing my father-in-law's views of DEC culture
    and mine are worlds a apart.
    

    re: .16
    Yeah, I know the feeling. I, too, have been noticing that I've changed
    companies without changing jobs.
    
    Started working at DEC, now at Digital Equipment Corporation.
    
    Dave

     Re: .16 by SPGOPS::MARINO 

>    My father-in-law has been with DEC quite a while and he would tell
>    stories of the Board shop and manufacturing, of KO coming up to
>    "the floor" for lunch, or to stop by to wish his two digit badge
>    employees Merry Christmas.  

     I know  your Father-in-Law (Tony Marino) and have worked with him in
     the Board Shop. Tony is  a "first class" guy.
     
     Ken STILL goes  around wishing Merry Xmas to ALL Millrats each Xmas.
     I rarely go to the Cafe, but this Xmas eve-afternoon I went up there
     with our group.  KO  and  Jack  Smith  came by and wished us a Merry
     Xmas.  When I was on  MLO3-4  he  did the same.  In our current digs
     (MLO6-1) Ken rarely appears, but we are  at  the  end  of a dead-end
     street!
     
>     But that experience will stay with me the rest of my life, all those
>     ghosts are still there,  you  feel  real DEC culture in the Mill.  I
>     have since never felt part  of  that  DEC,  but  instead  a  part of
>     Digital Equipment Corporation, still enjoying my  job  and  proud of
>     our accomplishments  but  knowing my father-in-law's views  of  DEC
>     culture and mine are worlds a apart.
    
     There still is some semblence of the "old"  DEC culture in the Mill,
     maybe that is why I hated working in PKO3  for  the year I was there
     (the only other place I worked at DEC) and missed the Mill so badly.
     BTW, this is true even in Engineering at the Mill, I  think the that
     the buildings themselves hold a lot of the "mystique" of DEC.
     
     Maynard  Manufacturing  was  not  a  place  I enjoyed, I liken my 15
     months in the Board Shop to serving a sentence at MCI-Walpole (Mass'
     maximum security prison).   As  a  3rd shift supervisor in the Board
     Shop, I had worse working  conditions  than the direct labor folks I
     supervised.  However, the Maynard Board Shop "hung together" and was
     a very tight group (of mostly "old  timers"),  and  rumor  persisted
     that  once you got into the Board Shop,  you  could  never  get  out
     (couldn't get jobs in other parts of DEC).   I worked with many fine
     people in the Board Shop, but I couldn't wait to  get  out  and  get
     back into Engineering (and work "human" hours - days!).
     
     One thing I have to agree on (but only to a  point)  with  the Board
     Shop attitude,  they only really respected management who had worked
     their way up,  not  those of us who were hired into management roles
     from the outside.  A lot of the unfavorable changes in DEC today are
     due to the massive influx  of  middle-level management from outside,
     people who don't know the "DEC  Culture"  and  don't bother to learn
     it!  These people try to turn  their  groups  into  clones  of their
     former  companies (the Raytheon's, Stone & Webster's, etc.    {these
     examples  are place that I have previously worked and  found  to  be
     "stuffy"  and  repressive}) with all the formalities and "thou shalt
     not question management's  decisions" attitudes that these companies
     exhibit.  The solution:    I  am  not  sure, maybe required training
     courses in "DEC culture", listening  to  some of KO's speeches (most
     are on videotape in the DEC  libraries),  listening to Admiral Grace
     Hopper's  speeches  ("it  is  easier  to  apologize,   than  to  ask
     permission"), etc. especially for all management personnel.
     

    My flame gets HOT when I hear some of the people around me complain
    about how TERRIBLE DEC is and how this or that problem really gets
    them down...
    
    I worked for "another computer manufacturer" for fourteen years
    before coming to DEC in Jan. '82.  The guys who "complain" don't
    know what they've got in this company!
    
    Those of you who are close to the mill....perhaps there is a greater
    sense of pride for you than for us DECies in the hinterland, but,
    when my father-in-law died only a couple months after I came on
    board, and I got a personal note of condolences from K.O., I knew
    I'd made the right choice.
    
    DEC may have some problems, but, I am GLAD I work here!
    
    john bean

I have been with D.E.C. for the past 12 months and the culture I have seen 
in that time  is as follows:

(1) It's not what you know it's who you know... Yes, the "old boys " 
network is alive and well !!

(2) Individualism exists to such a degree that no one reports directly to 
anyone and hence everyone is responsible but no one does anything !

(3) Excess personnel exist in certain areas while other areas are left with 
a shortage and cannot meet their targets. However, there is a reluctance on 
the part of the "empires" to release personnel as this would be admitting 
that either they have no work to do or that they did not need them in the 
first place.

Re .0 I have the following questions:

(a) "Access to the network ...is the most coveted perk"  I do not see how a 
tool to carry out your duties can be regarded as a perk. (Anyway my bank 
manager would not accept it as collateral!)

(b) "..our most valuable asset, the Ring" I find it strange to hear a  
person from Corporate Personnel describing any companies' most valuable 
asset as being anything other than it's people. 
Is this a new insight to the meaning of the advert. used in UK papers-
"You and Digital...you'll notice who comes first"  !!


A recent (1987) Barbarian...

     These are some of my thoughts about DEC Culture on having been
     here since 1979;
     
     The acculturation process;
     
        The process to become acculturated to DEC is a rather rough process
        for anybody coming into DEC from any other more formal
        organizational structure (I came from Raytheon/Intel/A small
        start-up). It seems that there are three stages that everybody
        seems to go through as they become used to DEC (I did and many
        of the new people I managed did likewise);
        
        1. How does anything get done around here ?
           
           The first stage any newcomer faces is the confusing way that
           things get done around here. The concensus process at face value
           seems highly inefficient, and it seems just as you think you
           have a direction, some objection comes from left field, forcing
           a re-setting of your work.
           
           Most newcomers are totally lost. The lack of formal organization
           structures, titles, and formal responsibility/authority makes it
           look like this place is disorganized chaos. The newcomer assumes
           that it is their fault for not understanding the organization.
           
           No amount of orientation seems to ameliorate this feeling, since
           the reaction is at an emotional level, and oreintation reaches
           only the logical level. 
           
           This stage lasts about 1-6 months.
           
           
        2. We did it better at XYZZY Corporation !!!
           
           After awhile the newcomer finds that the confusing way that
           decsions are made and implemented are no clearer. The network of
           interactions is very large, very informal, and constantly
           changing. The process appears very inefficent. The newcomer
           begins to believe the problem is not in himself but the
           organization at large. After all the newcomer knows that
           they are a capable person, so the inability to truely affect
           their environment is due to organization or lack there of.
           
           You begin to hear comments like, "Where I used to work, we
           would have had this decided a long time ago." 
           
           This is the point where unfortunately we can lose good people,
           because they get frustrated and disheartened, and they opt
           to go elsewhere.
           
           This stage lasts from about 6 months to about 2 years (and
           in some people never pass to the third stage). This stage
           is the best place to have mentors available.
           
           
        3. DEC Acculturation
           
           The final stage is where the newcomer recognizes the DEC people
           network, and begins to understand the way that it works. 
           
           Form this point on the newcomer begins to understand that the
           capital one uses is their reputation, their knowledge, and their
           persuasive skills.
           
           As time progresses they become more adept at networking, and
           working to affect their enviornment in an effective manner. 
           
           
        After I passed into stage 3, I used to joke if they made me a vice
        president the today, the only people who would show up in my office
        the next day would be classified as; 
        
          a. People who didn't know any better.
          b. People who were from the NOD (No Output Division)
        
        The reason for this is that being magically given an important
        title, doesn't bring with it the respect of others (that must be
        earned), or the networking to know who to see to get what done (and
        conversely who to avoid).
        
        Having learned the system, it can be worked efficiently and
        effectively, but it's long time to get to this point. 
        
        /jim
    

    I won't tell you any stories about the old days(I could,having worked
    for DEC 20+ yrs. and starting in Maynard) What I want to say is
    this: About 3.5 years ago,I had to attend a motivational type seminar
    at a local hotel.(other employees from other departments were there
    too) In exchange for several days of free lunch,we had to watch a lot
    of tapes of some guy trying to motivate us.All I could think of
    was: Have we sunk this low? Does DEC have to make this man richer
    in the mistaken belief that their employees need pushing to do better?
    I think DEC should have saved it's money.All upper management has
    to do is get the company back to the original ideals that built
    DEC into a big corporation. For instance,let's have the higher-ups
    show the employees that they really care. All those many VP's could
    get out in the field and spend some time at *each* DEC facility
    to listen to concerns,gripes etc. Is that a crazy idea? VP's have
    more important things to do,you say. What could be more important
    than taking care of your workers? Think about it.
    
    That's my opinion...comments?

    Re: .-1
    
    I agree totally. If more VP's or whatever got out to see the troops the
    way KO did DEC would be a VERY different company.
    
    							Warren
    

    Oddly enough I'm in the position of defending Digital's vice presidents
    on this one:
    
    (1) VP's come into the field: Just last night Jerry Witmore (VP/Basic
    Industries Marketing) came down to talk to Software Services in
    the New York Area.
    
    (2) VP's come to customers: VP's come to call on customers to cement
    the relationship and make the commitments for Digital.
    
    (3) VP's are resources to the field through something called "executive
    partners".  This where a Digital VP is paired with a customer CEO
    or VP as a peer.
    
    I really do think VP's are "in touch" with the field.  Perhaps you're
    not inviting them.

>    I really do think VP's are "in touch" with the field.  Perhaps you're
>    not inviting them.

Lets see.  If there are ~40 districts, and the VP in charge of SWS went to one 
district for even one day a month, he'd see all of them about once every 4 
years.  I don't remember seeing, or hearing about, any VPs wandering through 
cubes and talking to specialists to find out whats happening here in 
Minneapolis in the last 4 years...  

Its a nice abstraction, but reading about VPs and K.O. wandering around 
finding out what their employees are doing is like peeking through a 
keyhole into another world.  Hell, my DM lives in a room downstairs and HE
doesn't even wander through my cube to find out whats going on.

D

    There are only 9 areas in the United States.  It's practical for the
    DM's to meet with all the AM's and country management (ie VP's) several
    times a year.  It's practical for the UM's and Software Consultants  to
    meet with their AM and the area staff several times during the year. 
    
    The traditional name for these meetings is "kick-off" even though
    they can happen anytime during the year.  At the meeting in your
    area, you could/should get a VP to attend.
    
    At meetings that include software specialists, we've thought that the
    appropriate guests are area VP's, area staff, or from corporate,
    product managers or development project managers.
    
    Somebody here once decided to hold a meeting with about 2,500 in
    Madison Square Garden: it was a disaster.
    
    "Management by walking around" is one of the aspects of Digital's
    management philosophy that didn't make the cut.  It's been labeled as
    "quaint" and lives on only in fond memory. 

                               
    	The DEC culture has definately lost something in the realm
    of "teamwork". It might be apparent to the manager whose juggling
    development of a chip in Japan, another product/option in Ireland,
    a power supply from Hong Kong, etc - but not to the "lay" engineer.
    
    	Everywhere I look I see "locks" on every door. The implication
    saying "if you dont belong here - dont come in". "Oh, they were
    installed because people will *steal* things..." OK. So what does
    that say? We cant trust the integrity of anyone who'd have the aptitude
    to try looking here for something, or a solution. Great attitude.
    
    	Groups, even those supposedly "working together" on the same
    project, are becoming these little autonomous entities - some nearly
    attaining "untouchable" status. People balk at "learning something"
    from one another, as their personna becomes all wrapped up in - or
    even part of - a design. And as long as "they" are'nt the ones who
    "fail" - who cares what happens? It's just an extension of the New
    Age Individualism of today's society - which, BTW, no one has mentioned
    relative to the DEC culture. 
    
    	And when you talk of "today's society", which DEC employees are
    a part of, what ever happened to integrity? It got sold out to the
    convience of whatever best suits the individual, and is completely
    dependant on the situation.
    
    	Joe Jas

	During class a few weeks ago at Bedford, everyday I left
    left the security guard asked to see the inside of my backpack
    which had/has my badge dangling off of it which he noticed each
    time.

	At first  I  said  no.  That  it  was an invasion of my privacy,
    especially  since  I'm  obviously  an  employee,  why  should  I  be
    mistrusted?  He said he has to check since he checks everyone's bags
    since there was a recent theft in the area.  I let him look
    inside my bag and told him I think this "isn't very nice". He agreed
    and said he had to check.

	"This company doesn't trust it's employees" is the message I 
    received while furthering my training at the companies expense.
    Not only was I insulted, but it's stupid to assume that I would go
    to Bedford to steal anything when I have access to any DIGITAL
    facility [of course, I'd never steal which is the point of this
    entry anyway, right]?

	Is this  the  New  DEC,  er,  DIGITAL?  One  that  insults  it's
    employee's  by  not  trusting  them?  Or,  worse  yet,  what did the
    customers think when they were asked to have their bags checked?  If
    I were one, I'd be MIGHTY p'd off!  Heck, I am anyway!
    
    Come on DEC Security!  You can do better than that!

    

    Re: .28
    
    Perhaps you have a *constructive* suggestion as to how to better handle
    the theft situation?
    
    I guess it's a fact of life that theft does occur, but criticism of
    current procedures does no good unless you can offer a better
    solution. 
    
    -  David

    
    
    For the people who resent their bags being searched..........
    
    Unfortunately, this is becoming a necessity. I don't like it when
    it is done to me, however, we the employees have brought it on
    ourselves.
    
    The offices in the building where I work are constantly being hit
    by light fingered individuals. We continually lose items as small
    as staplers to terminals, modems, and for the trusting souls that
    leave excess cash in their desk........(change for vending machines),
    this also disappears.
    
    Security here, will check whenever some personal belonings
    disappear as well as Dec property.
    
    The company and security is doing their job, as unpleasant as it
    may be. As far as I know Dec has always had the policy stated that
    they had the right to search employee's belongings (bags, boxes,
    briefcases, even cars I believe), if the need arises.
           
    my own humble opinion

    re: .28 to .30
    
    Is a backpack bigger than a briefcase?  Were they checking
    briefcases too?  Can you fit a tape with proprietary info
    into a briefcase?  Or a memory board?  Were the guards
    checking briefcase-carrying customers wearing suits and ties,
    or just backpack-carrying DEC employees wearing jeans?
    
    I've got no problem with Security, it's a tough job, I'm sure.
    But procedures that invade privacy or search one type of person
    and/or container in preference to another cannot be justified
    on the grounds of company security.
    
    As a comment on the culture of the new Digital, it seems that
    increasingly outrageous policies covering increasingly wide
    domains ("keep your desk clean", e.g.) are being embraced
    under the security umbrella.  There were several times where
    I couldn't get into my own office area in the Mill because
    some fanatic kept changing the combinations and not telling
    the employees.
    
    Does this really sound like "Do the Right Thing"?
    
    Chris
    
    P.S.  It was my understanding that employees can take magtapes
          and listings out of a facility.  Oh well, there you go again.
    

	        
    	
    	First off, I was NOT criticizing the Security OFFICER who
    	had asked to inspect my bag, in fact, if you go back and 
    	read my reply you'll see that I didn't blame him.  So why
    	don't you hold off on your slams about being on the other
    	side of the fence [one that I HAVE been on by the way]!
    	How many levels of authority in DEC will be "just following
    	orders" before this place becomes full of policy spouting
    	droids?
    
    	If there was a better effort to see that memory boards,
    	tapes, etc were not left out in the open by instructors
    	then this wouldn't have to be a problem in the first place 	
    	now would it?
    
    	Now I'm sure I'll get someone who USED to be an instructor
    	jumping down my throat.  Well, hold on to it.  
    	
    	If someone robs a bank, does the bank institute
    	a policy that every bank customer will be frisked when leaving?
    	Of course not, they TIGHTEN SECURITY and institute new measures
    	that will ensure that people do not have to be frisked which
    	would be an admission that they do not trust their own security
    	measures.   
    	
    	PS:	Actually a few people went by when I was being
    		"checked" that had briefcases and suits.
  

    
    
    	How about setting up metal detectors since anything WORTH
    	stealing in BEDFORD is probably made out of metal?  Unless
    	someone thinks these manuals are worth something...?
    
    	That way the security guard could search under VALID
    	suspicion instead of picking people to check over...
    
    

        I used to think I would resent being told to open my "parcel"
        when entering or leaving the premises but it doesn't bother me
        any more. Not that I'm getting soft, only here and there, but
        the need for tighter security is increasing.

        The theft of items is only one aspect. The loss of the company
        jewels could be disastrous.

        And GUIDO; I visited a customer site that required me to open
        my brief case for inspection on entering AND leaving. Not only
        that, all the guards carried 38 specials!

        From someone that does not like the personal encroachment of
        authority.

        whadhesay? :^)

Today I attended an LRP meeting at the Westford Regency.  During a break I had a
chat with someone from security who was asked to sit outside the room and check
people's badges since a lot of confidential information was being discussed. He
told me that earlier someone didn't want to show him his badge and accused him
of invading his privacy!  Can you believe that one? 

-mark

    re .33
    
    Didn't think I was slamming anybody. I thought I stated I was
    expressing my humble opinion.
    
    Obviously, you don't feel anybody can, if he doesn't agree with
    you.
    
    
    I state again, due to the unfortunate case of LOCKED desks and cabinets
    being broken into, and DIGITAL property, as well as personal property
    being stolen, we are forced to put up with this inconvenience.
    
    Sorry if my humble opinion hurt your feelings.
                                                  

	This note seems to have degenerated already, I'll not restrain
	myself anymore. 

re: security
	
	I see security officers as working on the same side of the fence,
	protecting company I work for and me personally ( ever had a bomb	
	alert ?). Asking to show a badge or a suitcase is probably an unpleasant
	duty, one should help them to make it as smooth as possible, just as I 
	have sometimes very unpleasant duty to refuse somebody access via X.25 
	on our test system or account or a document.

re: 0.

	What is the original context of this letter ?

	I found it amusing , and no problems if this was the purpose.
	[ "peer-to-peer communications " in this context made my day !]

	Otherwise the conclusions ( too much said already, there isn't any
	particular reasoning) contradict my every day experiences of the
	Mother DEC.

	Because of the Easynet, DEC is smaller company today then 10 years
	ago. The "newer DEC" is more open, direct, accessible, democratic,
	international, homogeneous, fascinating, friendly, interactive,
	lateral, multidimensional, competent.

	But as any other company, etc, there problems here and there, 
	that's life ! We didn't know a tenth of it before, so, let's 
	have right perspective.
	
			most humble servant ,

					wlodek	
    

     re .38   Yes, I have been through a bombing situation at Parker
    Street many years ago where the Bomb squad from Ft. Devens came
    down and denotated what appeared to be a bomb placed on the loading
    dock at PKO1.  All employees were evacuated and kept far away from
    the building by a very competent Security staff.  NO FUN.
    
    re .0   As has been pointed out by many already, Digital has a stated
    policy that they (the Company) retain the option to inspect any
    package entering or leaving the building at any time.  I for one,
    even though I wouldn't like the inconvenience, wish that Security
    would do MORE spot checking at all facilities on a regular basis.
     I know for a fact, repeat FACT, that a lot of stuff goes out our
    doors that shouldn't and no one ever catches or stops it.  Maybe
    spot checking would cut it down.
    
    

    
    
    
    	Maybe so, maybe preventing the possibility of someone 
    	exiting a building with sensative materials would preclude
    	the need for spot-checking?
    
    	RE: ::MIOLA
    
    	You're right, my feelings were hurt.  My feelings of having
    	freedom and personal confidentiality that I'm used to.  Maybe
    	you don't value this as much as I?  By the way, I wasn't referring
    	to your note.  At least *I'M* not paranoid.
    
    

    I'd like to suggest that the issue of trusting DEC employees
    and security checks might be better taken up in topic 4 and
    allow this topic to stay with the more general picture of DEC
    culture.
    
    I'd also like to suggest that some of the previous replies were
    a little personal for notes and may have been better served by
    some personal mail to clarify peoples intention.
    
    Lastly a reminder that there are DECcie's from a number of cultures
    here and not all of us share the same cultural importance or even
    definition of personal freedom and privacy.
    
    			Alfred - co-moderator

    
    
    	Your suggestion is well taken.  I've moved the replies
    	to Note #4.
    
    	I'd also like to argue the point about different cultures
    	valuing different levels of freedom, you see... oh, nevermind.
    
    

    My primary concern here is that the existing security policies
    be implemented fairly for all individuals regardless of their
    status, dress, or bag-preference.  It would appear that the
    "Valuing Differences" policy would have some pertinence here.
    If it's justifiable to search a sweatshirt-and-jeans worker
    with a backpack, then it's negligent *not* to search a suit-and-tie
    executive type with a five-inch-thick briefcase (or as it's better
    known among some who carry them, the "Global Property Pass").
    Tapes, memory modules, and bombs can be carried in them, too.
    
    I personally have no problem with searching certain types of
    carrying cases, briefcases, etc., *if enforced fairly*.  I have
    always had good relationships with security guards, and respect
    the work that they do.  I also realize the necessity of providing
    security measures in "today's world" (as if theft were a new thing).
    Of course, I would draw the line at frisks and strip searches myself,
    but who knows what someone in the future will deem justifiable in
    the tomorrow's "brave new world"?  In the future (if not today),
    you could carry the corporate jewels out of the building on a
    chip small enough to fit into any convenient body cavity.
    
    Given the policies that are currently in effect, it is somewhat
    surprising to learn that significant problems continue to exist.
    Perhaps when considering the implementation of additional new
    policies in the future, the effectiveness of the enforcement
    of the current policies should be evaluated.  For example, when
    an "inside job" of some kind is suspected, a common reaction
    by some is to make everyone suffer additional measures rather than
    concentrating the effort on identifying the individuals responsible,
    because the former represents an easier and more measurable task.
    
    Chris

    Sorry, .41 and .42 slipped in there while I was composing .43.
    Moderators, feel free to move it to wherever is appropriate.
    
    Chris

    Re: .18
    
    Len, the people and attitudes on third shift in the Board Shop were
    my introduction to DEC...wouldn't want it to have been any other
    way.  You and I received a crash course in DEC culture which still
    serves me (us?) today.  The Board Shop in history now, but there
    is a continuing bond which was formed there that still comes across 
    clearly when I meet the people we worked with there.
    
    Think about some of the high times:
    
    		Mac cooking hamburgers at 2:00 AM for the End of Quarter
    
    		The incredible quality and production achievements
    
    		Going to the SHOWERS
                                                     
    		Drinking at the Avalon at 8:00 AM
    
    		Third Shift Christmas party at the Avalon (still dancing
    		when the lunch-time crowd came in)
    
    		
    
    I LOVED IT,
    
    George
    
    		
     

    
>    		Going to the SHOWERS
                                                     
  For those of us who are not board shop alumni, please explain. Why did you
take showers at work?

    From the very few times I was in the board shop long ago, it was a very
    dirty place. I don't know if that is still true or not. 

My wife's clean room was in ML7-1 when she first started work, which was close
to the shop.  (Can you imagine running a clean room in the bottom floor of a
Mill building - at least once pipes broke on a higher floor and garbage came
through the ceiling).  Anyhow, I can still remember noticing how the concrete
slabs which held the etching(/plating?) tanks were corroded into green rubble.

When the shop being closed, the concrete floor was removed.  I suspect it all
got cleaned up a good deal.
				/AHM

>   For those of us who are not board shop alumni, please explain. Why did you
> take showers at work?

Actually, it's quite common in industries that involve chemicals to allow
or REQUIRE that employees shower and change on the premises after a work
shift.  This contains and controls pollutants.

    Re: .46
    
    Bob, because of the chemicals used in the board manufacturing process,
    emergency showers and eye washes were located near sites of probable
    contamination.  When an employee (ESPECIALLY Supervisors) left the
    Board Shop, it was not uncommon for them, on their last day, to
    take a not-so-voluntary shower as a send-off gift from their beloved
    employees.
    
    
    

     RE: .45 by USMRM1::GFALVELLA "George" >
>                                -< BOARD SHOP >-

>    Think about some of the high times:
    
>    		Going to the SHOWERS

     George, long before I left I  had  stopped  the "ceremonial" showers
     for employees (in my area) who left  the  Board  Shop.  We had a few
     nasty incidents where a few people were almost seriously injured (as
     the  leaving employee resisted taking a shower) and one  case  where
     they "showered" the person two days in a row, so  the  practice  was
     stopped.

     My  going  away  gift was a blueberry pie party, with a few  of  the
     employees  taping  me into my chair and throwing the pie at me.   It
     wasn't bad,  and  it matched our uniforms.  ;-) I came prepared with
     three changes of clothes that night!
          
>    		Drinking at the Avalon at 8:00 AM

     Not me, I just wanted to head home  to  bed  in  the AM, our meeting
     didn't end typically until >9AM anyway and 10:30PM -  9AM  is a long
     night for 5 days a week!
     
>    		Third Shift Christmas party at the Avalon (still dancing
>    		when the lunch-time crowd came in)
    
     Our  party was in the work area and I remember it  to  have  been  a
     snowy night.  I never stepped foot in the Avalon, but used  to enjoy
     watching the antics  near  closing time:  bikees doing wheelies down
     Main St., police chasing  them,  patrons  pulling false alarms (fire
     alarm is on side of building!), etc.
     
     I will say  that  the  Board  Shop  was a unique experience, but not
     particularly one that I enjoyed!  I was never so happy as when I got
     another position and left that place!  [There were some people who I
     enjoyed working with, but the "environment"  wasn't  the  "best that
     DEC had to offer"!!!]

 My 2 cents re: DEC Culture.  Lucky me I was able to just creep in
 the door before the New Era.  I was hired back in 1979 right out 
 of college and for a few years really had a chance to become 
 inculcated and immersed with what I now think of as something
 bordering a lifestyle or mindset.  DEC was not just a company
 where you punched your timecard in and out as a means to paying
 the mortgage.  It was totally enriching as it was exhausting.
 I won't waste any additional adjectives trying to explain 
 what has already been said.  We are a different company today and
 yet we are still the same.  I feel that naturally with the
 growth of the company things have become diluted.  I can remember
 when the diversity of thought, of ideas, was welcomed, encouraged
 and protected at all cost.  It was our oyster--we believed that
 the sum of all that diversity and the natural competition (and
 fun)it fostered was good for business and made us all better
 contributors.  I work out in the field now and the "march as I 
 say--no questions asked--or don't let the door hit you on the 
 way out" mentality reigns supreme. 

 Somehow the old culture made every one feel important.  We all 
 had 'strategic roles' (even Red the 'elavator man' in Bldg 5) and 
 felt challenged  by taking personal accountablility for the 
 success or failure of a venture or project.  Everyone was vital.  
 It's funny but I look back now and see how learning to cope with
 all those varying philosophies and ideas and having to forge 
 mutual respect and arrive at consensus and so forth...was 
 paradoxically the magic that made everything work.  You said
 your piece the next guy said his and then you went out for a 
 beer.  It wasn't career-limiting to state your idea or to 
 confront issues and attempt to add value.  Your loyalty to the
 company wasn't questioned.  You damn-well had alot of respect
 for the next guys opinion and would fight for his opportunity
 to state it--even if it one-uped yours!

 Today, in the era where management is often looked at disparagingly, 
 I can recall when most emphathized with management for having to sort 
 through all our competing ideas and philosophies in attempting to do 
 the right thing -and- make a good business decision.  These folks
 were not self-rightous know-it-alls.  Sure they were clever and
 wise and had weathered many battles but they were "just like us."
 They led by example.  They made us feel critical.  I know--because 
 they always took the time to listen.  And yes they also knew how 
 to be decisive.  But you knew you were valued.  You were listened to.
 Somehow that made all decisions easier to live with and once that
 decision was made we all lined up.  You went at the job feeling
 pretty empowered.  Of course, alot can be said here.  I think I've
 made my point.  Not that it was all peaches and creme back then
 --this is one man's opinion--and not that we don't have "patches"
 of the same in the here and now,  but its something we need to work 
 hard to retain.  Something good can happen when management honestly
 listens, when diversity is fostered, respected and valued amongst 
 each other, and internal competition is looked at as fun.  All of 
 this, to me, is what DEC culture is all about.  Back then you 
 didn't have to look over your shoulder as long as you tried to do 
 the right thing...

 Once again, many of you go back further than I do.  I feel pretty
 much priviledged to be able to add my say to the rest.  I do
 remember working overtime the weekend (I was just a 5-5 operations
 grunt back then)we tore down all those pastel painted, puck-marked
 dividers up on 5-5 and sent those last few PDT-1150's hanging around
 to salvage preparing for the sand-blasters to do their thing
 getting ready for the new carpeting and such.  I made a mental 
 note that it was the beginning of a new era.  Probably more 
 sentimental than anything else I guess, but these days when I
 get frustrated because I'm the odd-guy-out and nobody understands
 or can relate out here in the field to my meager attempts to
 explain...it gives me inner satisfaction to know that there was
 a day when all the above was important and somehow that weird
 concoction was the cornerstone of our success.

 Maybe now we just don't have the time (market forces, etc.)to
 take the time like we used to and maybe our shells have gotten
 a little to hard because we've given up trying.  I say "we" 
 generalizing about the corporate dillema we all face together.  

 We've got some tough times ahead and maybe now is the time to
 re-kindle a little Camalot.  Yeah, maybe I'm romanticing and out of
 touch, but if we could retain this ethic while growing and
 adopting to new realities I don't think we'd be any worse off
 --perhaps its just the key to our future success!

 Bob (who has seen the pendulum swing..)
  

  

  

Bob,

When you were dismantling those 5-5 walls, did you come across one in Digital
Blue with a white string drawing?

That was 'mine'.  My kids came in with me over a weekend and repainted the area.
My oldest son did the string drawing.  Back then it was at our expense (paint, 
etc.) because we cared.  I was mighty proud of that conference room and 
reception area!  

Oh, yes, those were the days.

Betty

    
    Betty, I'm not sure where that work of art dissapeared to.  I do
    remember seeing it.  I was just talking to another guy who recently
    relocated down here.  He also spent some time up on 5-5 way back
    then and he definitely remembers it.  We always wondered who thought
    up such a wild design...hmmm...now we know!  That was the best
    decorated cube on the whole floor and kind of set the tone for the
    place.
    
    Best regards,
    
    
    

Thank you SO MUCH for your response.  I've extracted it so that I can let
my (artistic) son know his efforts were appreciated.

Betty
    
    
    

    re .0:  I still get copies of this sent to me once in a while. 
    Harris Sussman must get a lot of requests over the months for his
    article.
    
    When I first posted .2, I made the mistake of not attributing it
    to the original author, Larry Gardner.  I've had people tell me
    they enjoyed "my" article about culture.  Give the credit to Larry,
    please!
        
  --Simon
    

    This is a little late in coming but I too resent the notionin .13
    that new DECies don't care. I have only been with the company since
    1983 and I take great pride in my work here. I am very proud of
    Digital Equipment Corporation. 
    
    For all the people who complain about "this or that" bad thing about
    the company I question thier motives. Some people are chronic
    complainers,in which case they should leave the company for greener
    pastures, if you can find some. Others have legitimate gripes in
    which case you should try to get them resolved.
    
    Others still, are working for those managers hired from Raytheon,
    Intel, or Honeywell that don't know or care about the DEC culture
    and philosophy, in which case, to these people I suggest transfering
    somewhere to the "real" Digital.
    
    I came to work for this company because of it's reputation as a
    caring employer, a fast growing company with lots of opportunity
    and good salaries and benefits. I started in the stockroom. Six
    months after starting here I was quite disappointed with Digital.
    I took a cut in pay to accept a position as a stockeeper and I
    got a mere 5% increase after 6 months. This BTW was when the had
    a hiring freeze and started pushing reviews out to a year. Well
    as it turned out, I was working for a former Honeywell manager
    who had hired his buddies from Honeywell as well.
    
    People who left this group to work at other facilities would come
    back and tell us how great it was to be working for the "real"
    Digital. So the only thing that kept me going was that there was
    another Digital out there. So three years went by and some luck
    came along and I got out of that place to land a job at the "real"
    Digital.
    
    Digital sent me to school for six months full time to become a
    draftperson, and now I'm going to school one day a week at the Mill
    to become a Mechanical Designer. Since I have gotten out of that
    first place I haven't been happier. Digital really cares about it's
    people, it just depends on the group you are working for.
    
    And I can see where one thing hasn't changed is that DEC continues
    to offer training to its employees with much opportunity for
    advancement. I have never seen a company where you can change careers
    so easily with their help. I look forward to continuing my career
    with DEC and doing my best to make DEC *THE* leader in the computer
    industry. DEC has been "berry berry good to me".
    
    I offer no apologies for my views.
    
    Rick (an extremely loyal and proud DECie)

    Re: .57 by PONDVU::GAGNON:
    
    Thanks for the encouraging story of your experience, Rick. My own
    experience resembles your's in a smaller, less dramatic way.
    
    Keep those sentiments alive.

    Neil (another enthusiastic DECculture booster)

A fairly large chunk of Larry Gardner's note (491.2) ended up in the last
chapter of "The Ultimate Entrepeneur" (unauthorized book on Dec
and Ken Olsen).

Sure hope he got a slice of the royalites.

Martin.

    Take three shocks to the the Digital culture: software license transfer
    policy, termination of Car Plan A, and requiring drug testing.
    
    Some common threads run among them:
    
    1. (Instantly) the participants in this conference saw this a counter to
    Digital's culture, whether they were directly affected or not.
    
    2. They apparently were developed without consultation with the
    affected groups customers/employees.  (The ivory tower issue)
    
    3. They were communicated over weeks, and ineffectively at that.
    
    4. They appeared to have been developed in isolation of what impact the
    policy would have on how customers/employees would see Digital as a
    whole.  (The loss of confidence/trust issue)
    
    5. Ultimately, they are tied to _money_  Not directly to the company's
    bottom line, but to how one group or another would be measured for
    their financial performance, without regard to the indirect costs to
    other groups.  (The cost center mentality issue)
    
    6. One of the justifications for all three was "Other companies are
    doing it."
    
    Maybe there are other good examples, you decide.  The important point
    is that I'm not defending customers who ignore their contracts, or
    sales reps who have cars they don't need, or employees who illegally
    use drugs, but they I'm concerned that these are not isolated cases but
    a pattern of management that shows how far the culture is drifting from
    what new hires are told in their orientation.

	Interesting note Pat. I wonder if there is a deliberate attempt
	being made to change the culture or not. It seems from those issues
	(and others that I'd rather not comment on) that there are new (6 digit
	badge numbers for example) managers who either don't understand or
	don't buy off on the 'old' DEC culture. They came from other companies
	where the almighty bottom line is also almighty god. Someone is not
	educating them in the culture. I suspect that in some areas 'older'
	management is leaving thes people alone because they are fixing some
	problems that DEC has had for years and don't want to rock the boat.

	The other interesting thing is that it appears that people below
	management appears to have developed lines of communication (Notes
	and mail) that is far better, in many ways, then what management is
	using. Raise your hand if you (generic DIGITAL conference reader)
	has found out about a management type thing (drug testing, car plan,
	health plan change) before your manager did. A lot of you I'll bet.
	Information moves around at the lowest levels at a speed undreampt
	of a few years ago. Management appears not to be keeping up. All
	managers aren't in the Mill and PKO any more. The little people now
	use Notes to take the place of stairway conversations but management
	in many but surely not all cases has not found a way to keep up the
	interactions. What else explains the apparent slow rate of travel of
	management level information about, say, the drug testing issue?

	This same high rate of communication between low level imployees is
	keeping the DEC culture stronger at that level while it's getting
	weaker (or changing) at the higher levels. Conflict is enevitable.

				Alfred

re .60:

>    Take three shocks to the the Digital culture: software license transfer
>    policy, termination of Car Plan A, and requiring drug testing.

     And cancellation of the vanpool program.  Five out of the six
     common threads apply.  The one that doesn't is "other companies
     are doing it."  Incredibly, other companies are *instituting*
     vanpools when Digital is phasing them out.

<RE:  Note 491.61 by CVG::THOMPSON "Notes? What's Notes?" >

>	The other interesting thing is that it appears that people below
>	management appears to have developed lines of communication (Notes
>	and mail) that is far better, in many ways, then what management is
>	using. Raise your hand if you (generic DIGITAL conference reader)
>	has found out about a management type thing (drug testing, car plan,
>	health plan change) before your manager did. A lot of you I'll bet.

	Alfred, this is so true and I run into all the time. Infact, just
	the other day I told my manager something that I had hoped he knew
	by now and he didn't know. The odd thing was that he started to 
	question me as to where I had found the information out. He later
	told me that it bothered him, that I often found out things before
	he did... 

/Ted

    re: .63 & .61
    
    	   I have found the same to be true.  Odd though it may seem,
    	I am one of the few people in the Houston office that is really
    	hooked into the Notes Communities.  Consequently, I am often
    	the first to know about new products, new policies, and world
    	events.
    
    	   Let's face it, we live in the "Information Age", and information
    	is a valuable commodity.  Those of us hooked into active 
    	information networks (such as Notes, USENET and BBSs everywhere)
    	have a distinct edge over cyberphobiacs and technowimps.
    	
    	   Of course, how we exploit that advantage is strictly up to
    	the individuals involved.  But that's a topic for another
    	discussion.
    
    	- Greg

RE: .63

>>  He later told me that it bothered him, that I often found out things
>>  before he did... 

I've heard the same sort of comment.  What I find amazing is that while he 
(your manager) is bothered that you have such a wonderful means of 
communication, in most cases such managers are not bothered *enough* to 
bother to learn to use VAX Notes.

							Pat

    The other software consultants and I at our location have been
    working an education campaign on our management for the past couple
    of years and have finally reached the point where the "senior staff"
    have their very own "restricted" notes file.  And all of them
    participate at least one a week, some more than others.  Slow progress.
    
    Being required to be "people oriented" or "customer oriented" (may
    be the same in different clothes), they still claim to be too "busy"
    to use notes, don't like VMS mail (too techy), and sometimes take
    days to get around to reading their mail (maybe they are traveling,
    maybe they aren't). Instead, they depend on meetings, telephones,
    talking in the hall, going out to lunch, etc.
    
    My observation is the same as the past couple of notes.  Some managers
    are clinging to "tradition" and getting passed up by the new technology
    of communications.  I don't know how long it will be before help
    from such techniques as the "information lens" etc will arrive but
    I hope soon enough for us not to suffer too much from "uninformed"
    management decisions and practices.  Sounds like some of them are
    reaching global proportions ...
    
    Jack

>>> Being required to be "people oriented" or "customer oriented" (may
>>> be the same in different clothes), they still claim to be too "busy"
>>> to use notes, don't like VMS mail (too techy), and sometimes take
>>> days to get around to reading their mail (maybe they are traveling,
>>> maybe they aren't). Instead, they depend on meetings, telephones,
>>> talking in the hall, going out to lunch, etc.

    
    The above maybe true of most managers, but I am not one of them.
    I will always be a techie at heart and faithfully follow my favorite
    Notes conferences, mostly from home very late at night or on weekends
    (as now).  When on the road, as I often am, I read my mail and Notes
    daily AFTER hours.  Why?  Better than going back to a lonely hotel
    room, and one can be among BBS/Notes friends and familiar surroundings
    no matter where one is travelling.
    
    I also believe that technical managers should keep up with the latest
    and greatest in the areas in which they "used" be gurus.  Yes, with
    all the meetings and administration, this takes time and effort.
    But I for one remember why I became an engineer and computer
    scientist; and it was not for paper pushing.  The paper is part
    of life, but we are a computer company and to be on the leading
    edge of R&D, everyone has to be with it.
    
    Just saw KO today on CNN's "Inside Business".  There sits my hero, an 
    engineer who made a computer company click big time.  He is up at
    the tippy top, but he knows the techie answers when he has to.
    
    Enough said.

    
    ........ Dr. Suchindran (just a lowly peon in SWS management)

    I saw KO, too.  I hadn't known before that an "operating system" was
    what made "English" into something that would run on the computer.
    (I guess it was the nervousness.)  I did like the part about Digital's
    long term view vs the market's short term view. 

    DEC is becoming less of a company where people put what they
    want/mean/etc in black and white in a memo, at a meeting, or anywhere
    where its subject to the sort of consensus-building that's part of the
    old culture.
    
    What is more common in my experience is for meetings to be
    dis-organized, poorly attended, and inconclusive.  The participants
    therefore appeal to the one person in the org chart who can decide it
    all by the virtue of his or her position.  Typically, Mr/Ms Hierarchy
    is the person who either consciously or incompetently lets decision
    making move from out in the open to 20 second hallway encounters.

        Heard on the radio this morning:

        "We are going to continue to have these meetings until we find
        out why no work is being done!"

        	Mike