My "computer" experience was primarily devoted to creating tools for my businesses, and unsurprisingly, was separated into hardware and software.

On the hardware side, it morphed from a TRS-80 Model I to a (major upgrade) TRS-80 Model II then (another major upgrade) to an NEC APC II (MS-DOS) and then on to a series of, ever more powerful, network connected Intel/MS-DOS, then Windows systems. Interestingly, we frequently sold for more powerful and elaborate equipment than we used. I was never patient when it came to printing and, while with the TRS-80 I I used a series of bizarre second-hand printers, I hooked a 300 line-per-minute Teletype 40 printer to my TRS-80 II (sort of like dropping a Porsche engine into a Yugo). That printer served for the years until laser printers became available.

On the software side, it started as a database designed to price material and compare costs between distributers and that branch developed into an electrical contractor's estimating application which served its purpose for decades.

When I started (what I personally thought of as) my computer business (depending on who was being touched by it, it was known as a dealer/reseller/OEM/distributor/installer/value added reseller/contractor/import-exporter/mail-order house and various other names - basically, what ever would get us the lowest cost and allow us to sell at the highest price). I started the business as a mail-order house (as displayed by the ad I referenced). As I sold nation-wide (and sometimes internationally), shipping cost and speed were of paramount importance and I created accounts at dozens of manufacturers and distributers throughout the country (frequently being "creative" as to the type of firm our company was with a goal to get the lowest possible cost. Using a Boolean flat database tool (Q&A - Symantec's original product), our database of available items grew to almost a million different line items each available from multiple sources. As the business morphed into a government contractor of those items - both as commodities and as components of design/build installations, the software morphed into having the ability to absorb a bill of material and spit out purchase orders matching long lists of arbitrary stuff and churning out purchase orders to vendors - designed to minimize the net landed cost.

We had the advantage of always paying our bills on time (a rare attribute in the US) so we had essentially unlimited credit and vendors who were willing to fight for our business. I would explain to them that despite their attention to all sorts of wonderful advantages, their competitors paid the same attention and then I would ask them to choose whatever items they preferred, we'd enter them into the system and then show them the output of which vendor (and at what price) the software selected. The simple solution for them was to reduce their prices across the board or not to expect our orders except on loss-leaders. The ability of the software to churn out the lowest cost kept vendors "honest" - if they raised their prices, our orders disappeared and they had a decision to make.

The guys who bought the business from me felt this was too complicated and made a deal with a single major distributor. I'm guessing this decision cost them a substantial portion of what their profit could have been.

Jeff