S01.E03: High Plains Hardware

[dubbel zout]

I too was confused about if they were going for Donna being in love with her boss or being upset with the fact he was being promoted based on her work. Didn't they say he moved around quite a bit? If that's the case, it can't all just be based on her helping him.

 

I thought there were mixed signals there, too. They did move him around a lot—that was how he was moving up the ladder—but I think it was strongly implied that the man would almost always get the promotion simply because of gender. It's fine for a man to move his family around, but not a woman. It's similar to giving a man a raise when he gets married and has kids, because he's ostensibly the breadwinner.

[scowl]

I'm not saying the show is perfect. It needs work. But their kitchen scene was really well done. I bought that they built a computer together. I'm totally unspoiled, but I figured that Gordon firing the blabbermouth opened up for him to hire the wife. 

 

 

It's moments like that that briefly make me hope the show is turning into something good. Nowadays we have CAD programs which will optimize the layout of chips on a PC board. Back then it was like a game of Tetris trying to figure out how to cram all these chips onto a board without wasting space. Some engineers could turn a 40 pin IC sideways and the whole board could be shrunk.

 

Her "parity RAM chips" technobabble didn't sound right though. Maybe she meant the extra bank of RAM that was used to keep track of parity. You couldn't really separate them from the rest of the RAM. 

 

 

Joe wants to make a (reasonably) fast, portable, inexpensive machine to sell directly to the people rather than to companies like was the norm back then. 

 

He said "twice as fast, half the cost". This of course was impossible but the audience is supposed to believe that Joe is JFK and his goal is like sending a man to the Moon. This week that original goal was clearly dropped as they talked about building a slower machine. This makes Joe look like an idiot who likes to shoot his mouth off about things he doesn't understand. People like Joe drive good engineers to find new jobs and they run companies into the ground by never producing products.

 

Also, selling computers directly to people was very much the norm back then. We had Apple stores selling Apple IIs. We had Radio Shack selling TRS-80s. We even had general computer stores which sold computers made by Atari, Commodore, Texas Instruments, and many others.

 

If Joe's goal were to make a version of the IBM PC that was as cheap as these machines as IBM was about to with the PCjr, then that would be interesting but I don't recall him saying that goal specifically. I may have missed it because I tend to tune out Joe. His annoying speeches bring back memories of my stupidest bosses. 

[ganesh]

 

I thought that maybe Cameron could have an interesting relationship with the guy who was supposed to sit in the room with her all day and make sure she didn't have contact with Gordon or his team.  But then that guy just disappeared and nobody really seems to be monitoring Cameron, so I don't know?

 

It's only been the 3 episodes and I try not to jump the gun, but this is really an oversight on TPTBs. There are probably a handful of actors that you can hand a script to with like 4 lines of dialogue and minimal direction and they can bang out a compelling scene. 

 

I get what they were trying to do. Cameron's looking at what was her former life, thinking about her new life. She's worried they're going to drop her once she completes the BIOS, which is why I think she went to fuck Joe. But she needs to interact with everyone more. 

 

There's also the added difficulty of making the writing of code compelling. It's not even code that produces tangible output; she's not making ICBMs; it's the code that makes the computer go. 

Though I did love how excited she was to get a paycheck so she went to buy twinkies and soda. And her 1980s punk rock dancing in the hotel was *perfect*

Edited June 18, 2014 by ganesh

[scowl]

 

I get what they were trying to do. Cameron's looking at what was her former life, thinking about her new life. She's worried they're going to drop her once she completes the BIOS, which is why I think she went to fuck Joe. But she needs to interact with everyone more.

 

This is odd because if Cameron is such a hot programmer (um, I mean if she has hot programming skills) then she will have no difficulty getting a better job in a week if Cardiff dumps her -- she'll have an actual resume now.

 

We have to assume she's just clueless. Back in 1982-1983 some shops were hiring programmers with no college or professional experience. One of my fellow programmers was hired in 1982 by NCR. She has a degree in Russian with a minor in Literature but she had worked in the college computer lab and someone recommended her. It was a great time to know anything about computers. 

[ganesh]

I think we need the Cameron-focused episode to make her three dimensional finally. It seems she's homeless with no family, and doesn't know where she fits in. It's clear she's got valuable skills and I think she knows that.

 

Maybe if Gordon hires his wife, she and Cameron might actually have something to talk about. That could be cool. It's not like Donna don't know her shit either. 

[Jeebus Cripes]

Could one of you put it behind a spoiler tag?

 

On the show Penny Dreadful, the characters Dorian Gray and Ethan Chandler had sex; seemingly out of nowhere as they had only just met moments before, and Ethan appeared for all intents and purposes straight. Also, Ethan initiated the whole thing. 

 

The whole thing about Gordon not telling Donna that Cameron is a woman made me wonder if he has already had an affair in the past, and that's why he was hesitant to bring it up. Maybe I read too much into it.

[Kel Varnsen]

Looking back on the episode Joe's comment about Sally Ride and the first female US astronaut being a gimmick that had been done before made me laugh. Mostly because that is exactly what I thought about the "big twist" that Joe likes to have sex with men. 

 

Also I totally agree with others who have mentioned they have no idea what kind of computer these guys are building. I mean if they are trying to build a computer for the masses would there really be any demand in that market at that point, to have the computer be portable? I got my first computer around 1986-87 when I was probably around 9. It was a commodore 64 and all we did was play games or use it for word processing.If someone had a home computer that was portable in 1983, where would they take it? And what would they do with it if they could take it somewhere? Especially at 17 pounds, it is not like you could take it on an airplane to play games. And if you would use it for work, then it really isn't the market they said they were going after.

 

Is it any wonder Cardiff is having trouble getting financing with no clear product goal? This is exactly the kind of unfocused management with constantly shifting requirements that send engineers in search of sane employment and drive businesses into the ground.

 

The whole thing with trying to raise capital made me laugh to and thing of Shark Tank/Dragon's Den. I imagine Joe trying to go on that show and getting completely destroyed. I mean he has no product, no sales, no business plan and the main competitor in their space is a giant that wants to wipe him out. How much investment does he expect to get?

 

Overall this show is starting to lose me. I mean I think at this point I am only watching because it is something different, and there really isn't a lot else to watch at the moment. But if it doesn't get better I will probably drop it.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Kel Varnsen

[ganesh]

 

The whole thing about Gordon not telling Donna that Cameron is a woman made me wonder if he has already had an affair in the past, and that's why he was hesitant to bring it up. Maybe I read too much into it.

I thought Gordon might have thought she'd be upset because they hired a woman maybe because she is qualified and would have liked a chance to apply.

 

I'm crossing my fingers that Gordon firing the neighbor means that they hire Donna. The show made pretty clear that she knows her shit with the motherboard design, and if they intend to make the computer remotely portable that's the ideas they need. 

[hincandenza]

This is odd because if Cameron is such a hot programmer (um, I mean if she has hot programming skills) then she will have no difficulty getting a better job in a week if Cardiff dumps her -- she'll have an actual resume now.

 

We have to assume she's just clueless. Back in 1982-1983 some shops were hiring programmers with no college or professional experience. One of my fellow programmers was hired in 1982 by NCR. She has a degree in Russian with a minor in Literature but she had worked in the college computer lab and someone recommended her. It was a great time to know anything about computers. 

Even worse, in the second episode, she mentioned getting an offer from those three IBM guys for triple her current salary... which I thought was already really high for a first job, like $20/hour (or maybe it was $20K/year; I just remember that Gordon erupted that his wife made only $15k/year).  We never did quite find out why she stayed at a place that all but told her she'd be fired in a few weeks, as soon as she was done with the BIOS, as opposed to taking  job offer from the deep pocketed biggest player in the industry for something like $60-120K/year... in 1983 dollars, which would be like $150-300K today.  Granted, IBM might keep her at that job only until Cardiff goes under, but even then it's 2-3 months at IBM for triple her salary, versus 1+ months at the current pay.

 

So if Cameron has such poor math skills, how on earth is she going to ever finish this BIOS code?!? :)

Edited June 19, 2014 by hincandenza

[dubbel zout]

Working at IBM is working for The Man, though, and Cameron's no sellout!

[ganesh]

Joe offered her $20K and she told him to double it, then Gordon said his wife made 15. I don't know what they finally agreed on though.

[theajw]

The drama of Cameron writing code with lipstick on a mirror is the tired cliche of the tortured genius trying to get the brilliance out their perfect minds. Nice to see her typing code into a computer for one moment. That works a lot better than writing it in lipstick.

That whole scene was so dumb that I almost turned off the episode, but for some unknown reason I kept watching.  Oh, Lee Pace, I love you, but I don't know if I can continue watching this show.

 

One highlight of the episode: Gary Numan's "Are 'Friends' Electric?" at the very beginning.  

[Aprilshowers]

 

I think we need the Cameron-focused episode to make her three dimensional finally.

 

 

I'm all over this idea if no 80's themed music is involved whatsoever. It's just too much and makes the character even more cliche

[ganesh]

Oh no, they'll have 80s music up the ass. I wish they would play some early Madonna, but I don't think Cameron listens to that.

[Yolapukka]

 

I'm all over this idea if no 80's themed music is involved whatsoever. It's just too much and makes the character even more cliche

 

I love the eighties music, but I don't need any more repetitive scenes of Cameron with her headphones on while we hear what she does like it's in the same room. The show needs to edit out the scenes where they keep repeating the same action or make a point  each time to reference something thoughtful and new about the characters because otherwise it's just a tic that serves as filler. 

[Cherdee]

I'm going to be patient with this show because Lee Pace. Also, I have often come to love shows that began slowly, over time.

 

The whole thing with the bird reminded me of the episode from the MTV show, The Maxx, where young Julie Winters brings home a badly injured rabbit, and her mother dispatches it with a shovel: http://www.mtv.com/videos/the-maxx-episode-12/1613210/playlist.jhtml

[dubbel zout]

the young Julie Winters brings home a badly injured rabbit, and her mother dispatches it with a shovel

 

Our Chesapeake Bay retriever was being a dog and once caught a baby rabbit. Being a retriever, she mouthed it but didn't kill it, so my dad had to give it the coup de grâce. 

 

That bird scene brought it all back.

Edited June 23, 2014 by dubbel zout

[DangerousMinds]

 

Gordon really didn't do much, but I guess it was kind of interesting seeing him have to be a leader of some kind.  I guess he fired that guy at the end, because he didn't like that the guy went against Donna's idea, but it took the car wreck for Gordon to finally say it.  Not sure what to make of that.  Except that the guy reminded me of a young Matthew McConaughey.  Really wanted him to either say "Alright, alright, alright!" or "Time is a flat circle."

 

John and Donna are totally my favorite characters right now, which I'm not sure is suppose to be happening...

I get older, they stay the same age.

[DittyDotDot]

Also I totally agree with others who have mentioned they have no idea what kind of computer these guys are building. I mean if they are trying to build a computer for the masses would there really be any demand in that market at that point, to have the computer be portable? I got my first computer around 1986-87 when I was probably around 9. It was a commodore 64 and all we did was play games or use it for word processing.If someone had a home computer that was portable in 1983, where would they take it? And what would they do with it if they could take it somewhere? Especially at 17 pounds, it is not like you could take it on an airplane to play games. And if you would use it for work, then it really isn't the market they said they were going after.

 

I just started watching this show and reading through the comments surprised me. I think the point is, they don't know what kind of computer they're building either. This wasn't a well thought out business plan where everyone sat down and figured out what the goal was. No, Joe talked Gordon into doing this thing and it all spit-balled from there.

 

Now they have three different people with a different vision as to what they're building. Gordon just wants to be build something, anything, and be challenged again. Cameron wants everything to be revolutionary. And, Joe just wants something amazing so he can say he's the best of the best, but he doesn't care what the product actually is or what it's used for, just wants it to be great. Joe's the project leader, so he's the one setting their goals, but since he doesn't have a clear vision of what he wants to build, no one else does either. Last week Joe just wanted to do better than IBM--the industry standard--so, twice as fast, half the price. This week, he's decided he wants to be an innovator, so now it has to be smaller and portable, too. I wouldn't be surprised if the next episode Joe decided they should build space shuttle to go along with that computer. It seems to me, Joe is one of those "idea" guys, but those ideas rarely become realized due to lack of focus.

 

So, I don't think we're supposed to know what they're building yet because they don't know what they're building either. And, I don't think these people are supposed to be the brightest and best in their fields--other than Cameron and Gordon, of course--but just the people who were available to them at the time. None of these people have any actual experience building a PC so, we the audience, seems to be bumbling along with them. That's the way it goes with innovation and I found this approach to the story to be kind of brilliant.

[scowl]

In my experience, nothing is more discouraging than three managers arguing over what a product should be when it's already in development. I would not describe this as innovation. 

[DittyDotDot]

I wasn't saying these guys were innovative themselves--in fact, I'd argue the point of the show is it was a time of innovation and these guys wanted to get in on it, but weren't really very inventive people (except maybe Cameron). These guys just want to make sure they didn't get left behind, they weren't out in front of anything but trying to ride the wave that others had created, IMO. I just don't believe innovation generally happens with a plan, but is usually a surprise. It's trial and error and many times just dumb stupid luck. So, IMO, I thought it was actually brilliant how the show wove that into the story.

[scowl]

Innovation happens with a plan every day. If companies weren't able to plan for innovation, none would happen.

[DittyDotDot]

Well, I don't know if it would never happen...was the wheel planned; fire; language? We know penicillin was an accident, but it still innovated modern medicine. I think there's a great history of innovation happening without a plan. I'm not sure how true innovation can be planned for. How does one plan for something that has not been thought of yet?

 

ETA: Post-It's are a more modern innovation that wasn't planned: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-it_note.

Edited May 25, 2015 by DittyDotDot