Twenty five years of science, technology and capitalism, what a trip it has been. I almost can’t remember my slide rule physics. That’s probably a good thing, since I was never one of those students who could work the rule effortlessly. It brings back bad memories. I thought about it recently and decided my poor ability with the slide rule and mathematic calculations, probably lowered my grade point an entire grade. And created major stress and probably has shortened my life. But we are beyond that now.
I began my career in 1975-6. As recent graduates we had this novel idea of computerizing information and making it available to consumers. Our company was called Rent Search, and together 4 of us created a wonderful little consumer information company. We bought Data General minicomputers. The company had to create its own flat file database. In those days creating POP’s and a network was daunting. Besides, no one had PC’s to access it. So we sold the information direct, and ended up helping 20,000 people per year. The vision, the ideas, and the work, began right then.
Many of my contemporaries went off to do other things. That was natural. Pursuing the vision. That was unnatural. I pursued the vision. Painfully at times, but ever forward.
This spring marks the beginning. Its the beginning of the publics mass recognition of the technologies, science and vision I began my career doing. I don’t have to explain it anymore. I don’t see peoples eyes glaze over. Bankers don’t go numb. And yes, some opportunities have been missed. But that is OK. The journey has been the reward. Not the goal.
