Venture capitalists are like lemmings jumping on the software bandwagon.
This is the ultimate con game - I'm having fun and people pay me to do it.
Adequacy is sufficient.
People think computers will keep them from making mistakes. They're wrong. With computers you make mistakes faster.
There'll be a special place in hell for the tape back-up people.
The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake. You can't learn anything from being perfect.
I take what I see work. I'm a strict believer in the scientific principle of believing nothing, only taking the best evidence available at the present time, interpreting it as best you can, and leaving your mind open to the fact that new evidence will appear tomorrow.
I liken myself to Henry Ford and the auto industry, I give you 90 percent of what most people need.
Adequacy is sufficient. All else is superfluous.
With bundled machines you can throw away the hardware and keep the software, and it's still a good buy.
The small businessman is smart; he realizes there's no free lunch. On the other hand, he knows where to go to get a good inexpensive sandwich.
The future lies in designing and selling computers that people don't realize are computers at all.
We can learn from IBM's successful history that you don't have to have the best product to become number one. You don't even have to have a good product.
The guy who knows about computers is the last person you want to have creating documentation for people who don't understand computers.
Money coming in says I've made the right marketing decisions
Author details
Adam Osborne: Biography and Life Work
Adam Osborne was a notable British author. The story of Adam Osborne began on 6 March 1939 in Bangkok, Thailand. The legacy of Adam Osborne continues today, following their passing on 18 March 2003 in Kodaikanal, India.
Adam Osborne (6 March 1939 – 18 March 2003) was a British author, software publisher, and computer designer who founded several companies in the United States and elsewhere. He introduced the Osborne 1 , the first commercially successful portable computer.
Legacy and Personal Influence
Historically, their work is best remembered for Osborne 1.
Philosophical Views and Reflections
Adam Osborne's experience in the computer industry gave his new company credibility. Osborne Computer Corporation advertisements compared Adam Osborne's influence on the personal computer market to Henry Ford 's influence on transportation. It is said that in 1983, Osborne bragged about two advanced new computers his company was developing. These statements destroyed consumer demand for the Osborne 1, and the resulting inventory glut forced Osborne Computer to file for bankruptcy on 13 September 1983. This phenomenon, a pre-announcement of a new product causing a catastrophic collapse in demand for older ones, became known as the Osborne effect , but according to some new sources, the real reasons for Osborne Computer's bankruptcy were management errors and insufficient cash flow.
In 1992, Osborne returned to India in declining health, suffering from a brain disorder that triggered frequent minor strokes. He died in his sleep on 18 March 2003, in Kodaikanal , India, aged 64.
