IBM
History
IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is a multinational technology company from the United States that was founded in 1911 as the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR) by Charles Ranlett Flint. The company changed its name to IBM in 1924. IBM is one of the oldest and largest computer companies in the world. It has a rich history of innovation and has been a major player in the development of many technologies that are now commonplace, such as the personal computer, the hard disk drive, and the magnetic stripe card.
Products and Services
IBM offers a wide range of products and services. These include hardware, software, cloud-based services, cognitive computing, and more. IBM's hardware products include the IBM mainframe, which is used by many large businesses and governments around the world. IBM's software products include the Db2 database software, the WebSphere application server, and the Notes email client. IBM's cloud-based services include the IBM Cloud, which offers a wide range of cloud-based solutions for businesses.
Research and Development
IBM has a strong commitment to research and development. The company's research division, IBM Research, is one of the largest and most respected industrial research organizations in the world. IBM Research has made significant contributions to the field of computer science, including the development of the relational database, the Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC), and the quantum computer. IBM Research has also been awarded more U.S. patents than any other company for 28 consecutive years.
Impact and Influence
IBM has had a significant impact on the technology industry and the world at large. The company's products and innovations have been instrumental in the development of the modern computer industry. IBM's mainframes, for example, were a key part of the infrastructure that powered the global economy in the second half of the 20th century. IBM's development of the personal computer helped to democratize computing and made computers accessible to the general public. IBM's research and development efforts have also led to many breakthroughs in computer science and related fields.
Controversies
Like any large corporation, IBM has been involved in a number of controversies over the years. These have included issues related to labor practices, environmental impact, and business practices. One of the most notable controversies involved IBM's role in the Holocaust. During World War II, IBM's German subsidiary, Dehomag, provided the Nazi regime with punch card machines that were used to manage the logistics of the Holocaust. This has led to criticism of IBM and calls for the company to acknowledge and apologize for its role in the Holocaust.