Nvidia, the wonder child of the tech world just announced a $50 billion stock buy back. Stock buybacks are when a company uses it cash to purchase its own shares. There are a number of reasons for doing this. But it starts off with the company having an excess of cash and coming to the … Continue reading
Author Archives: avram miller
How Intel mistakes being lucky for being smart
I always say that two things make for success: being lucky and not mistaking luck for being smart. Luck is the most impactful factor contributing to success. It is generally not sufficient, but it is usually the most important. This is a crucial lesson for all business professionals, as mistaking luck for being smart can … Continue reading
The Book I Never Finished Writing
It was the summer of 1966. I was 21 years old. Having spent almost a year in Europe mainly in Paris and London writing poetry, it had been my plan to emigrate to Israel and live on a kibbutz. I had gotten as far as Athens when for reasons I still do not understand, I … Continue reading
My Final Colonoscopy
I am intensely interested in longevity science, and my interest has increased as I age. This January, I turn 80. Aging is like climbing a mountain. Eventually, you will reach the top. It was a lot of work getting there. The view is lovely, but there is only one path ahead, and that is down. … Continue reading
Intel is dying
I have been part of two significant technology companies that were leaders in their fields at one time, the time: Digital Equipment Corp and Intel. I was a Digital from 1979-1983 and Intel from 1984-1999. Both companies, founded by outstanding entrepreneurs, left an indelible mark on the computer industry. Their strong cultures, while a source … Continue reading
Geoffrey Wells (June 9,1945-July 26, 2024)
The friends that I made when I was young are slowly dying. We are no longer at the stage where people will say, “he died so young.” Even though I understand that death is what follows life, it remains a bit uncomprehensible It was 1966 when Geoff and I first met. He was a bit … Continue reading
Eighty Pages for eighty years
On January 27, 2025, I turn eighty years old. Frankly, this is hard for me to comprehend. I remember when my father turned eighty, and I thought he was so old. Now, all the talk about how Trump and Biden are too old has had some effect on me, even though I am for sure … Continue reading
The Graveyard
He walks empty paths looking for the boyNot to be found on the winter nightEyes closed and caught in a laughHe hears voices calling his name He looks but can not recognizeThe old man he has becomeHe stumbles, coughs and fearsThey are waiting for him to come Generations of dead lie in the grassParents and … Continue reading
Gordon Bell 1934-2024
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/21/technology/c-gordon-bell-dead.html Gordon Bell, a remarkable man, left us a few days ago at 89. I first met him in 1973, when I was in my mid-20s and he was in his 30s. Gordon came to Rotterdam, where I had organized a local Digital Equipment Corporation user group, DECUS meeting. Gordon was vice president of Engineering … Continue reading
Stiff in all the Wrong Places
Sometimes I feel like I’m stiff in all the wrong places Parts of my body are old and parts of my body are older Looking in the mirror, I can still see the boy that I once was Smiling, inquisitive, and without fear, full of the future But my signature Einstein hair grows thinner While … Continue reading
Two Thirds Done 