In Reply to: Re: Come off it Grandad! posted by Robert Johnson on 09 January 2004 at 06:30:13:
"Maybe what you might consider is to describe on this board your recent financial or social relationship with IBM outside of the pension and this board. That could go a long way with these posters."
Social? That's easy - none of any significance. I had dinner with an old IBM chum some 6 months ago - I think he is retiring this year. Thats it. Oh, there was a "Chiswick Reunion" 2 or 3 years ago. So?
Aaah, I did meet one or two other ex-colleagues that I had not seen for 10 years at a funeral last spring.
I did do 2 weeks consultancy for IBM Hungary in 1993 (I think!). Thats it.
The new Company has had no dealings with IBM whatsoever.
The old one received £20,000 compensation in (I think) 1996 when IBM wished to get out of a marketing agreement that it had signed - they got off lightly! and it was a creditor to the tune of (about) £3,000 or £5,000 (I cannot remember which) when the Company was liquidated (finance lease from 1996). That is the sum total of all my business dealings with IBM since I left in 1993. OK?
Now let me make a point please. If people wish to make allegations, let them have the guts to do so openly under their own names. Else they may place their craven innuendos where the sun don't shine.
Is that clear enough?
However, we seem to have been diverted from the initial point, which was asking why IBM lost these 3 large situations when obviously it thought it could win (else it would not have bid, right?). So clever young Mr Beemer, why?