Contact Don Edward Sprague
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| Email to: don@complexrelativity.com |
A short overview
I worked for IBM between 1968 and 2000 when I retired. I was region designated specialists on computer
hardware in the early 1970s. I worked in software support. I taught Systems Network Problem Determination for
specialists. We spend hours lecturing on the handshake between large mainframe computers. We took the
students in lecture and hands on lab from the key stroke to the application and back. We covered all
components of communication on the bits level. Including communication line level through the various
components. We spent hours on chalk board building the communication between mainframe components. One
command called the bind command took hours of bit level discussion because each bit had meaning that took
explanation and discussion. That was before PCs were around. Just before going to the education center, we
carried a mainframe in a suitcase that was about 2 1/2 feet by 2 ½ half feet by about 1 foot.
In the 1970s, I initiated and managed the project to restructure the training to include entry level, mid level, and
specialists. I initiated and performed a skills analysis to determine the appropriate skills for entry level,
intermediate and specialists level systems network problem determination. I managed the project to complete
the new class development and curriculum upgrade. I established and managed the project to expand the
education center problem determination lab from 6 networks to 9 end to end networks with telephone facility
simulators. We taught thousands of people how to PD throughout networks while IP was being invented.
I was promoted to the Systems Center which was the corporate level of support. If the local computer mainframe
hardware or software repair people couldn't fix it, they called for branch support, then region support, then the
systems center. We were on call for company wide support. There wasn't any support above us. I co-authored
the data center relocation workshop At one time, the worlds largest manufacturer of a very large product sent
a letter to the Chairman of IBM expressing his concern about a pending data center relocation. They were
relocating 10's of millions of dollars worth of computers that had to concurrently run a multi-billion dollar
business. The letter landed on my desk. We scheduled a meeting with over 100 people including three levels of
management in IBM and various levels of customer management. I flew out west for the meeting that began
when I walked in and ended when I left. The relocation plan review went well and the actual multi-million dollar
relocation went very well. I consulted with hundreds of large and small companies and government agencies
concerning their data center relocation activity. The published document was used by thousands worldwide.
In the late 1970s, I wrote the first Systems Network Control Center development, implementation and executive
workshop and guide that was used by tens of thousands of enterprises world wide. I consulted with hundreds
of high level executives in some of the worlds largest companies concerning how they managed their computers
and networks. My workshop was used by thousands of worldwide companies and government agencies. I wrote
technical manuals. I wrote planning and installation guides. I wrote sales manuals. I taught and consulted with
all levels of people in enterprise including government. Using an IBM product, I developed the IBM Information
Network’s first PC based presentation instead of using foils or slide projectors.
In 1980, I originated and wrote the e-business and electronic customer support architecture and strategy. I
continued to refine them until they were fully engaged in 1985. One of my official job responsibilities was
ownership of the global network architecture and strategy. When I originated the idea in 1980, I came up with
the phrase, “anything that can be recorded electronically can be delivered electronically". Back then, IBM had
over 33 separate isolated networks of it’s own. We had thousands of customers with one or more networks.
We would do software problem determination and print a dump. Then go back the branch and do more PD. Then
down load a tape through one of IBM’s networks. Then drive to the customer location to install the fix. Having
been the author of the Systems Network Control Center workshop, I knew about networks. I had worked with
thousands of IBM customers with network development and design and management activities. I simply put it
together. I wrote an architecture and strategy with cost effective motivation to drive interconnection of IBM’s
computers and networks with it’s customers. The IBM motivation was the productivity and customer satisfaction
associated with faster more reliable PD and fix deliver. No more Systems Engineers and Software Support
people driving back and forth. Do it electronically. It seems that I could see the problem and the solution based
on my back ground as a former hardware repair, Program Support Rep, educator who taught as well as
performed course requirements and development work, Systems Network Control Center workshop author and
systems management consultant. So I originated IBM’s E business and Electronic Customer Support Architecture
and Strategy. It had a few basic steps.
FIRST: Establish connections between IBM and it’s largest customers to eliminate the Systems Engineer and
Program support diving. Also, allow IBM’s largest customers to access IBM systems so they could do some of
the stuff they had to have a the SEs and PSRs do.
SECOND: Add multi-enterprise Email. All companies already had some form of file transfer and intra-enterprise
email. They just were isolated. I was driving multi-enterprise email since the beginning in 1980 when I
originated the phrase that anything that can be recorded electronically can be delivered electronically. That is
the reason that management in the IBM Information Network gave me the moniker of Grand Father of Email.
That came a little after an executive meeting in 1985 when I predicted that in less than 10 years, business will
have their electronic address in advertisements along with or instead of their phone numbers. By 1985, the
architecture and strategy was formally engaged with the announcement of IBM InfoExpress. In 1987, my
network architecture and strategy was republished in an IBM internal network document. Since I had the
concept included in the presentation and publications I had been making for years, it was well known
throughout the commercial and government networking world.
THIRD: Full multi-enterprise world wide e-business. That was an obvious next step that helped sell the
customers on the idea of the first step connection to IBM’s Valued Added Network for e-business with IBM. One
connection to IBM’s VAN gave a common connection to the world for open electronic communication with all
people regardless of their business or government activities and communication partners.
FOURTH: My ultimate goal was for my family and friends to do email and all sorts of stuff electronically including
pictures and videos. My goal also included for you and whomever reading this to do all sorts of stuff
electronically. I hated to see the price of stamps going up to carry all those papers made from trees. I also
thought it would make things like family and class reunions easier to plan and promote.
By 1995, the IBM Global Network was the worlds largest Value Added Network. We had most of the corporate
and government world interconnected. The remaining corporate and government world was connected to
competing Value Added Networks. A small portion of the general public was connected to various Value Added
Networks and online services providers. About then is when the second Internet came about. The NSF seven
year contract for the IBM MCI and Merrit to build a closed fair use rules Internet was ending. IP was made
available for Value Added Networks to convert to. That conversion ended the protocol competition that had
been going on in the huge commercial network world since ATT made the first modem available on the market in
1960 and the first large network which was the commercial IBM airlines reservation network in 1964.
My titles in IBM included but are not limited to: Senior Customer Engineer. Region designated specialists,
Program Support representative, Instructor, Systems Center representative, Program Manager, Senior Systems
Engineer, IBM Network Requirements Manager, Product Manager, Consulting Marketing representative, and
Project manager.
Prior to IBM, I was a tool and die maker, lab technician, model builder and assistant engineer primarily making
small home appliances and automotive components. I did things like receive a one page pencil sketch with three
dimension. Then I would build a engineering model, perform test and performance analysis. Then through
iterative steps, arrive at an optimum new product design.
I am also a Vietnam Era Veteran. After I was elected to public office, the invitation I received to attend a
Presidential Inaugural Ball was addressed; To Honorable Don E. Sprague. Please don’t call me your honor.
I do know about precise words. I do know about specific language. I know that ambiguity doesn't work when
facts are critical. Perhaps my background is what takes to address the ambiguity of relativity.
I worked for IBM between 1968 and 2000 when I retired. I was region designated specialists on computer
hardware in the early 1970s. I worked in software support. I taught Systems Network Problem Determination for
specialists. We spend hours lecturing on the handshake between large mainframe computers. We took the
students in lecture and hands on lab from the key stroke to the application and back. We covered all
components of communication on the bits level. Including communication line level through the various
components. We spent hours on chalk board building the communication between mainframe components. One
command called the bind command took hours of bit level discussion because each bit had meaning that took
explanation and discussion. That was before PCs were around. Just before going to the education center, we
carried a mainframe in a suitcase that was about 2 1/2 feet by 2 ½ half feet by about 1 foot.
In the 1970s, I initiated and managed the project to restructure the training to include entry level, mid level, and
specialists. I initiated and performed a skills analysis to determine the appropriate skills for entry level,
intermediate and specialists level systems network problem determination. I managed the project to complete
the new class development and curriculum upgrade. I established and managed the project to expand the
education center problem determination lab from 6 networks to 9 end to end networks with telephone facility
simulators. We taught thousands of people how to PD throughout networks while IP was being invented.
I was promoted to the Systems Center which was the corporate level of support. If the local computer mainframe
hardware or software repair people couldn't fix it, they called for branch support, then region support, then the
systems center. We were on call for company wide support. There wasn't any support above us. I co-authored
the data center relocation workshop At one time, the worlds largest manufacturer of a very large product sent
a letter to the Chairman of IBM expressing his concern about a pending data center relocation. They were
relocating 10's of millions of dollars worth of computers that had to concurrently run a multi-billion dollar
business. The letter landed on my desk. We scheduled a meeting with over 100 people including three levels of
management in IBM and various levels of customer management. I flew out west for the meeting that began
when I walked in and ended when I left. The relocation plan review went well and the actual multi-million dollar
relocation went very well. I consulted with hundreds of large and small companies and government agencies
concerning their data center relocation activity. The published document was used by thousands worldwide.
In the late 1970s, I wrote the first Systems Network Control Center development, implementation and executive
workshop and guide that was used by tens of thousands of enterprises world wide. I consulted with hundreds
of high level executives in some of the worlds largest companies concerning how they managed their computers
and networks. My workshop was used by thousands of worldwide companies and government agencies. I wrote
technical manuals. I wrote planning and installation guides. I wrote sales manuals. I taught and consulted with
all levels of people in enterprise including government. Using an IBM product, I developed the IBM Information
Network’s first PC based presentation instead of using foils or slide projectors.
In 1980, I originated and wrote the e-business and electronic customer support architecture and strategy. I
continued to refine them until they were fully engaged in 1985. One of my official job responsibilities was
ownership of the global network architecture and strategy. When I originated the idea in 1980, I came up with
the phrase, “anything that can be recorded electronically can be delivered electronically". Back then, IBM had
over 33 separate isolated networks of it’s own. We had thousands of customers with one or more networks.
We would do software problem determination and print a dump. Then go back the branch and do more PD. Then
down load a tape through one of IBM’s networks. Then drive to the customer location to install the fix. Having
been the author of the Systems Network Control Center workshop, I knew about networks. I had worked with
thousands of IBM customers with network development and design and management activities. I simply put it
together. I wrote an architecture and strategy with cost effective motivation to drive interconnection of IBM’s
computers and networks with it’s customers. The IBM motivation was the productivity and customer satisfaction
associated with faster more reliable PD and fix deliver. No more Systems Engineers and Software Support
people driving back and forth. Do it electronically. It seems that I could see the problem and the solution based
on my back ground as a former hardware repair, Program Support Rep, educator who taught as well as
performed course requirements and development work, Systems Network Control Center workshop author and
systems management consultant. So I originated IBM’s E business and Electronic Customer Support Architecture
and Strategy. It had a few basic steps.
FIRST: Establish connections between IBM and it’s largest customers to eliminate the Systems Engineer and
Program support diving. Also, allow IBM’s largest customers to access IBM systems so they could do some of
the stuff they had to have a the SEs and PSRs do.
SECOND: Add multi-enterprise Email. All companies already had some form of file transfer and intra-enterprise
email. They just were isolated. I was driving multi-enterprise email since the beginning in 1980 when I
originated the phrase that anything that can be recorded electronically can be delivered electronically. That is
the reason that management in the IBM Information Network gave me the moniker of Grand Father of Email.
That came a little after an executive meeting in 1985 when I predicted that in less than 10 years, business will
have their electronic address in advertisements along with or instead of their phone numbers. By 1985, the
architecture and strategy was formally engaged with the announcement of IBM InfoExpress. In 1987, my
network architecture and strategy was republished in an IBM internal network document. Since I had the
concept included in the presentation and publications I had been making for years, it was well known
throughout the commercial and government networking world.
THIRD: Full multi-enterprise world wide e-business. That was an obvious next step that helped sell the
customers on the idea of the first step connection to IBM’s Valued Added Network for e-business with IBM. One
connection to IBM’s VAN gave a common connection to the world for open electronic communication with all
people regardless of their business or government activities and communication partners.
FOURTH: My ultimate goal was for my family and friends to do email and all sorts of stuff electronically including
pictures and videos. My goal also included for you and whomever reading this to do all sorts of stuff
electronically. I hated to see the price of stamps going up to carry all those papers made from trees. I also
thought it would make things like family and class reunions easier to plan and promote.
By 1995, the IBM Global Network was the worlds largest Value Added Network. We had most of the corporate
and government world interconnected. The remaining corporate and government world was connected to
competing Value Added Networks. A small portion of the general public was connected to various Value Added
Networks and online services providers. About then is when the second Internet came about. The NSF seven
year contract for the IBM MCI and Merrit to build a closed fair use rules Internet was ending. IP was made
available for Value Added Networks to convert to. That conversion ended the protocol competition that had
been going on in the huge commercial network world since ATT made the first modem available on the market in
1960 and the first large network which was the commercial IBM airlines reservation network in 1964.
My titles in IBM included but are not limited to: Senior Customer Engineer. Region designated specialists,
Program Support representative, Instructor, Systems Center representative, Program Manager, Senior Systems
Engineer, IBM Network Requirements Manager, Product Manager, Consulting Marketing representative, and
Project manager.
Prior to IBM, I was a tool and die maker, lab technician, model builder and assistant engineer primarily making
small home appliances and automotive components. I did things like receive a one page pencil sketch with three
dimension. Then I would build a engineering model, perform test and performance analysis. Then through
iterative steps, arrive at an optimum new product design.
I am also a Vietnam Era Veteran. After I was elected to public office, the invitation I received to attend a
Presidential Inaugural Ball was addressed; To Honorable Don E. Sprague. Please don’t call me your honor.
I do know about precise words. I do know about specific language. I know that ambiguity doesn't work when
facts are critical. Perhaps my background is what takes to address the ambiguity of relativity.