Philip Donald Estridge

This man started to work for IBM in 1959.

At the end of 1980, when VisiCalc rocketed Apple computers into the office, IBM decided to finally compete in the rapidly growing low-cost personal computer market. The company established what was then called the Entry Systems Division, located in Boca Raton, Florida, to develop the new system.

This small group consisted of 12 engineers and designers under the direction of Don Estridge; the team's chief designer was Lewis Eggebrecht. The division developed IBM's first real PC. This project was secret, hidden from the market and even more so from potential enemies inside IBM.

In that project Estridge did very uncommon and very important things: he decided on open specs, a published bus and easy programming, third party periphery and SW as well as more than one OS sources. He did so because they had analyzed the success of existing PCs and determined that the outstanding success of the Apple II was based on these advantages, mostly benefits that invenetor Steve Wozniak had designed into it.

To keep these things at the given point was historically even more crucial because Apple had already decided to put away with the crazy open ideas of Steve Wozniak and go for the closed architectures of Lisa and the Mac. So Don (together with his Boss Bill Lowe) saved the PC revolution.

He also turned down an offer Jobs made him to serve as president of Apple Computer, for US$1 million per year, US$1 million signing bonus, and US$2 million to buy a house.

He sadly died in a plane crash in 1985.