McGraw Hill: Inside the IBM RS/6000

I was initially approached by McGraw Hill  to write one in a series of books about the RS/6000 computer system.  It transpires that my book was to be the most technical in the series.

The book was aimed at two audiences. 

First to the established UNIX professional, to show them the significant changes that AIX presented over more traditional UNIXes.  Secondly to the IBM community who often knew dangerously little about AIX or UNIX often regarding it as a technology that would fade away rather than one that would become the cornerstone of IBM business for the future.

In this latter regard the publication set the scene for IBM's move from its traditional base of VM and MVS systems to the new world of UNIX.  Not just to follow a growing trend but more for economic survival in the longer term, a strategy that in retrospect was really the right one.

After almost 2 years of hard work, proof reading by friends and  family,  and peer review by the then acknowledged IBM internal AIX gurus  (input and constructive criticism from over 100 reviewers)  my publication was launched.

Unfortunately though whilst  I still regard it as a great publication it did not have sufficient marketing exposure and so sales were modest. 

Still I believe it was regarded as technically excellent publication of its time both inside and outside of IBM.

Last Updated 2010-01-21 13:10:43