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From: pick@sdsu.UUCP (Dan Pick)
Newsgroups: comp.edu,sci.edu,misc.headlines
Subject: Computer industry competition
Message-ID: <3714@sdsu.UUCP>
Date: 18 Apr 89 17:23:05 GMT
Organization: San Diego State University, Math/Sciences Dept.
Lines: 27

Today's announcement that CDC is getting out of the
supercomputer business, and last week's announcement
by NEC of its release of the SX-X,  raise a lot of questions  
about the US ability to remain competitive in 
supercomputer technology.  Is anyone else out there
concerned about the state of the US industry 
in relation to the Japanese?

It seems to me that we're potentially witnessing
a repeat of the semiconductor and television industry
disasters, whereby we "hollow" out our own industries
only to see them overtaken by Japanese manufacturers.
This situation cuts across a broad range of issues:
the current lack of interest of students in science
and mathematics, trade practices and policies in 
the US and Japan, American management practices that
stress short-term gains over product quality and 
customer service, and a budget deficit that creates
an enormous drag on productivity.

When are we going to pull ourselves together and
start moving ahead, instead of quitting before the
race even starts?

Dan Pick                       |  USENET: pick@sdsu.ucsd.edu
Dept. of Mathematical Sciences |
San Diego State University     |