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Offering regional and national programs, CIO (and CSO) events bring together some of the most respected names and thought leaders in information technology and security. Presented by CIOs and other senior level executives, these invitation-only programs offer timely topics and strong networking. Learn More »

 
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A Peer-Advisory Service and Professional Association for CIOs

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Models for IT Leadership Development, June 23
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Pathways Leadership Development Seminar, June 25
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July 29

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Feature

 

Dearly Departed: Companies and Products That Didn't Deserve to Die

Some products just didn't deserve to die. But they did, because the companies made bad business decisions. We revisit several of our favorites--from minicomputers to software utilities--and mourn the best and brightest that died an untimely death.
 

PAGE 8

They sued themselves to death

  • Image
  • Company: Ashton-Tate
  • Born: 1980
  • Died: 1991 (acquired by Borland)
  • Cause of Death: dBase IV and failed innovation by litigation
  • Founders: George Tate and Hal Lashlee
  • Most well-known product(s): dBase II, III, IV, MultiMate
  • Why we miss them: Arguably the first programmable microcomputer database; a whole industry was built around dBase.
  • Lasting image/quotes: "Ashton-Tate is no longer the Rodney Dangerfield of the software industry." -Industry analyst Stewart Alsop II, 1988
  • "A computer will not make a good manager out of a bad manager. It makes a good manager better faster and a bad manager worse faster." -Ed Esber, president, Ashton-Tate, 1986

Next: The Fox got eaten ...>>

 
 
 
 
 
 
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How To Do Nearly Anything

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Over 25 tutorials on everything from business intelligence to virtualization.

 
 
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