LGR Tech Tales - The Tragedy of Eagle Computer

James M.

Hey Clint, I just found this website: <a href="http://www.stevenmichelsen.com/AVL/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.stevenmichelsen.com/AVL/</a> The guy who runs it worked in multi-media image systems for years, and the website is sort of an look back at at AVL's stuff. He even posted a youtube video of a slideshow being run through AVL hardware/software. Really neat stuff!

Very sad, life is unpredictable and all the money in the world can't prevent the inevitable.

LGR

Absolutely. Even the stories of companies that went nowhere, but tried their absolute hardest, can often be downright engaging to discover. Seems like everyone with an inkling for tech and/or business gave it a shot.

LGR

I really do believe they'd have failed anyway, but probably not as fast. There was no coming back from all those lawsuits and settlements, not with the kind of money they were making and the way competition was heating up like crazy. But still, fun to think about!

LGR

The "how" can be answered in three letters: IBM. Lawyers of the highest caliber, and airtight patents.

LGR

Heh, my apologies? It's just life, man. *stares off into the clouds*

LGR

Thank you!

LGR

The speed at which one's fortune can change is always an eye-opener.

LGR

Heh, do they? I haven't noticed

LGR

Always happy to edutain!

LGR

Quite the scientific breakthrough there, haha

LGR

You're quite welcome, always happy to edutain!

LGR

That's an excellent book! But yeah, there are a whole slew of smaller company stories it doesn't touch on, and I hope to cover many of them here :)

Eric Christopher

Despite the fact there was a thunderous crash in the home console industry in the 80s a lot of people don't really realize how many small computer companies like this capable of competing with bigger corporations is really something to behold. Hell, you could use the Colecovision Module 3 to have an Adam. It was truly an entertaining time in the history of technology. Albeit early omputer history seems to go from incredibly amazing to 'IBM' to 'Nicrosoft" to wherever now is.

Rob Caporetto

Awesome episode man! It's such an interesting tale - I mean, fate certainly had a way with things. It would have quite an interesting battle against Big Blue had the fatal crash not happened - who knows how things might have gone at that point. A tragic tale, but an important one in computing history nonetheless.

ZombieRonSwanson

I always enjoy learning about these companies/products even when they are more tragic

Purple Tentacle

It makes me really curious ass to how you patent a BIOS to the degree where it can't be changed in such a small way that it isn't technically the same, but it still runs fine. Kind of like changing a note or two on a song, and calling it your own.

mavrick

well that was depressing

Gary Leigh

First you'd have to make the said brick ton of money in order for you to have to worry about it.

Gary Leigh

Great job. Love these techtales.

Lindsay Michelle

Wow, no wonder why you were anxious to tell this story. Talk about an instant change in fortune, especially after he survived being shot down two different times in Vietnam. Shows that you can't push your luck toooo much if you already were lucky multiple times before. &gt;.&gt;

Michael Nelson

I love that after everyone of your Tech Tales, someone goes to Wikipedia and plagiarizes your research.

John Arild Lolland

I love getting smarter, and these Tech Tales do that in a very entertaining way.

Sutekh94

Congratulations LGR, you just made me get out of bed at the speed of light just so I could watch this.

MrMattan

Never heard of Eagle Computing before, but very interesting tale to hear!

I loved the 3DFX and Voodoo Tech Tales because I remember the Tribes scandal. I was slowly learning about computers when it happened. I loved the Eagle story because I'd NEVER heard of it. Thank you.

Kris Asick

If history has taught me anything... it's that buying a new car immediately after making a frick-ton of money is generally a BAD idea. Good thing I don't even know how to drive so I would never be tempted to! ;D

Curus Keel

Even through Fire in the Valley made me pretty knowledgeable on the history of the personal computer revolution, I've never heard a lick of this tale before. Fascinating story, and perhaps would have resulted in strong significance had the company not have a single point of failure with the CEO... or had that humiliation conga of lawsuits and legal mismanagement.