Book Report Day: In Search of Stupidity, by Merrill Chapman. Tommy: chapter four, MicroPro, the biggest software company of its day, sales near $70 million in 1983. Dougie: so sell two products with one name, double sales. Abe: they tried; no WordStar update in 1984 or 1985, then WordStar 2000 beside WordStar, both $495, and buyers sat on their hands. Scarf: the two teams weren't allowed to talk. Abe: by 1987 Microsoft Word and WordPerfect had the market, and the company paid with its existence. Tommy learned something today: one name, two products, and customers shop elsewhere. Dougie: nope.
The strongest case in In Search of Stupidity, chapter four, is MicroPro: the largest microcomputer software company of 1983, with sales near $70 million, lost its WordStar developers, shipped no update in 1984 or 1985, then in 1985 launched an incompatible WordStar 2000 at $495 beside the old WordStar at $495, so buyers sat on their hands, the sales force tied itself in knots, the two teams were forbidden to talk, and by 1987 the market belonged to Microsoft Word and WordPerfect; the author says the mistake cost the company its existence.
On the book: In Search of Stupidity by Merrill R. Chapman
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In Search of Stupidity: Over 20 Years of High-Tech Marketing Disasters, Second Edition
Apress · Jan 1, 2006
