OPEN, by Rod Canion, Co-Founder and First CEO of Compaq, is Now Available

'Open' follows the meteoric rise of Compaq, from humble beginnings to worldwide PC industry leadership in just over a decade, all the while dodging life threatening attacks from IBM and a host of low price competitors. Just four years after the "open industry standard" began, it was so dominant that the combined market share of Compaq, IBM and a few dozen compatibles was over 75%, and Apple was relegated to a niche. When the PC industry appeared to be capitulating to IBMs scheme to end the 'open standard,' only Compaq resisted, and continued to pursue a tactic to stop them. The solution they came up with surprised everyone, especially IBM, and led to an industry rebellion that weakened IBM to the point that Compaq was able to surpass them.

'Open' chronicles the story of how the PC wars of the 80's influenced the structure of the computer industry of today. "Compaq's efforts to promote the benefits of the PC 'open industry standard,' and then to lead an industry rebellion that prevented IBM from terminating it, led to an unprecedented rate of technological advance during the 1990's and 2000's," said Rod Canion, co-founder and first CEO. "If IBM had succeeded in taking control of the PC industry with their proprietary PS/2 platform in the late 1980's, there is no doubt that technology would have advanced much slower during those two decades." As a result, Canion says, "Steve Jobs wouldn't have had the essential components to create the iPhone in 2007 and the iPad in 2010. When the necessary technology would have arrived is anyone's guess, but if it arrived even a few years later, Steve wouldn't have been there to perform his magic. And where would Apple be today without the iPhone and iPad?"

'Open' takes the reader on a fast paced journey through the inner workings of a company that seemingly made no mistakes during its first decade. Time after time, with the fate of their company hanging in the balance, Compaq's management team made unexpected decisions that, taken together, propelled them to the top worldwide. In conclusion, Canion reflects on "how history is repeating itself" with the battles being fought in the smartphone and tablet markets between the 'proprietary' leader Apple, and the 'industry standard' group of Google Android-based competitors."

'Open' is available nationwide beginning October 15, 2013, online at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com, Barnes & Noble stores, and through additional book stores, e-book websites, and wherever books are sold.

©Copyright 2013 Rod Canion
Compaq, Apple, IPad, iPhone, IBM, PS/2 and are registered trademarks of respective owners.

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