Intellectual Property Law

The old AT&T

By Susan Crawford

From End of the Line: The Rise and Fall of AT&T, by Leslie Cauley, a description of AT&T culture c. 1997:

Literally a century in the making, the [AT&T] culture was so omnipresent that it even had its own nickname:  the Machine.  . . . Almost impenetrable to outsiders, the Machine was a self-perpetuating mechanism that was loath to change. Like Hal, the megalomaniac computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey, nothing escaped the Machine’s ever-present eyes and ears. . .

Process was a big part of the Machine’s artistry.  . . . [M]eetings could ramble on for weeks, or even months.  It wasn’t uncommon for AT&T execs to have meetings to talk about meetings.. . .

The Machine steadfastly resisted change, and embraced those who did the same. It wasn’t uncommon for executive decisions to be ignored or openly flouted…

Full post as published by Susan Crawford Blog on May 21, 2008 (boomark / email).