Be like Bob

Be like Bob

A fictional tale, based a bit on facts

Robert (Bob) Metcalfe is all ready to pitch his new invention (Ethernet) to the Innovation Committee at Xerox PARC. It has been an exhausting process of continual form-filling for him to get to this point and with continual clashes with his managers over the technical nature of Ethernet. Bob is unhappy, too, about some of the reviews he has received on his method, and believes that the internal reviewers just didn’t understand his research.

Xerox Innovation Committee: Come in, Mr Metcalfe. We are ready for you. Please sit down. Now, what is your invention and how will it help Xerox?

Bob: I named it “Ether”-net after Ether, which is the omnipresent, completely passive medium for the propagation of electromagnetic waves. It magically allows anyone with a computer to connect to a local network, and I believe it will make Xerox a world leader in this field.

Xerox: But what’s the market for that? We sell and lease millions of copiers. Our world revolves around paper. Who’s actually going to buy one of those big lumbering mainframes?

Bob: I believe — at Xerox PARC — we are creating a new type of computer, and where everyone will have one. Doug Engelbart showed me a computer with a graphical user interface, a mouse, a file directory, and so many more things. We could be bigger than IBM & DEC put together.

Xerox: [Chuckles]

Bob: And for paper? I believe there will be little need for paper in the future, and where we could send memos over the Ether.

Xerox: [Chuckles]

Xerox: You do know that we make our money from paper, and you are saying we should release Ether-net and kill our amazing — and growing — business?

Bob: Yes! That’s exactly what I think.

Xerox: Hah! I see you didn’t get a good review from our internal review committee, and they didn’t see the point of your invention.

Bob: Yes. I disagree with the comments and haven’t been given the opportunity to rebut them. The reviewer just didn’t understand what we were doing. I know the person who did the review, and that person just criticises everything that isn’t in their field, and they tells you what they want.

Xexox: Unfortunately, Bob, many think this “Internet” fad is over. We will never replace shopping in malls, getting our knowledge from books, or getting post by mail. Where’s the business model in replacing that? So, thank you for your time. Please leave while we discuss your proposal.

[Time passes as Bob paces the floor, and he hears laughter from within the walls of the committee room]

Xerox: Please come back in the room. We have had an interesting debate and have decided to progress “Ether”-net as a patent — as it will help you with your career at Xerox, but you will have to improve your internal reviews for any new invention. Unfortunately, we don’t see any market in this, as our sales of copiers increase by the year, and our sales department so no end to this growth. How would our marketing department feel if they marketed a product which is a “completely passive medium”?

[Chuckles from a few in the room]

Bob: Okay. And, if I leave to create my own company, will you help promote it, and will you relinquish the ‘Ethernet’ trademark?

Xerox Innovation Committee: Yes. Of course. Paper is our business, and this silly “Ether”-net is just a little side toy that we have played with.

Bob: Okay. Also, we have Steve Jobs coming in next week. Can I show him what we have?

Xerox Innovation Committee: Yes. Of course. If Steve wants a job in paper and copying, please ask him to contact our HR department. His company — is it Apple — is certainly not on par with the likes of DEC and IBM.

Bob: Okay. But, I think, he, too, believes that everyone could have a computer on their desk one day.

[Louder chuckles from a few in the room]

Bob: One day — I believe — that Ethernet will allow every single person on the planet to connect to an information superhighway, and where knowledge will not be constrained to those privileged enough to store their knowledge in books, libraries and in user manuals. A copy of knowledge will be a click of a mouse button away, and not for those privileged to own one of our machines. In the future, 1s and 0s will replace our paper-based world.

Xerox: Thank you. You can leave now. We need to get on with selling copiers. Next up is a new method of fixing paper jams …

[Bob leaves to a row of smug faces in the room]

Conclusions

Bob did leave Xerox and created his own company (3Com). Xerox, too, promoted Ethernet, and signed over the name to Bob. In 2010, 3Com was bought by HP for $2.7 billion. Many will remember the mighty 3Com and the mark they left on the industry.

For innovation, be more like Bob and less like Xerox.