任何时刻都应当有备无患，而且准备必须尽量完美。
商场上风云变幻，许多因素都会影响营销的业绩，因此在制订计划时，应尽可能考虑周到，避免出现始料不及的被动局面。这方面的教训是很多的。
美国一家公司研制了一种名为Workslate的小型电脑，其特点是小巧玲珑，只有信纸般大小，一寸左右厚。当样品问世后，引起各界的注意，出现在五家发行量极大的电脑杂志的封面上，有一家大型电脑连锁店甚至准备买下他们的所有产品。根据这些讯息，公司第一年产量十万台。
然而，一连串意想不到的事情出现了，首先是公司的批量生产能力有限，致使进度缓慢；一批急需的零件，该运到加州却鬼使神差错发至意大利；关键的设备也因飞机的故障而无法投入生产……公司没有赶上圣诞节旺季的展示，因此产品的销售大打折扣，造成积压，结果造成了1500万元的损失。一场预计的大胜仗以失败告终。
一位专家告诫说：“你一定需要方向，你也需要完美的规划与进程，但是你更需要对一切的混战有足够的准备。”
这种准备是失败的准备，就是把可能遇到的困难、可能出现的意外、可能冒出的突发因素，一一仔细罗列，并事先做好应变的举措，一旦困境发生，可以从容面对。
任何时刻都应当有备无患，而且准备必须尽量完美。
简介编辑本段回目录
Convergent Technologies of Santa Clara, California introduced the Worslate the same time as the Tandy Model 100. Although it was about the same size of the Model 100, the Workslate was primarily a spreadsheet machine. No other software could be loaded except some application which was adaptations of the basic spreadsheet program.
The Workslate used a CMOS version of the old 6800 processor and 16B KB of RAM. RAM size couldn't be extended and allowed a limited 720 cells spreadsheet to be filled. The keyboard with circular rubber-keys was hard-to-use for text entry. However, with its phone book, memo pad, and financial calculator, the Workslate was designed for those who only wanted a business tool and didn't want to learn about computers.
Also built-in were a tape drive able to record and play data's or voice annotations, a 300-baud modem and a printer port.
The Workslate was first launched in the American Express Christmas catalog, and was sold as a high-tech novelty product. But no one was interested in buying a limited spredsheet machine for $895. Convergent Technology planned to sell 200,000 units within a year, but only 5,000 systems were sold in the U.S.A plus some hundreds in Europe. The product was discontinued in July 1984, and the company lost about $15 million.
If you notice the keyboard has a "DoIt" key. The President of the fledgling company Allen Michaels used to roam the halls of the company at night and spray paint "DoIT" everywhere, hence the key name.
John Demian from Modesto, California had the good luck to find a complete Workslate system and sent us the Convergent references for all the peripherals and Taskware he found:
WorkSlate # WK-100
MicroPrinter # WP-100
Comm Port # WC-100 (has a Parallel and Serial interface for external printers.)
Teach Me Now Tape # TW-120
WorkSlate Reference Guide # 09-00279-01 - 11/83
Travel # 09-00385-00 - 11/83
Loan Analysis # 09-00387-00 - 11/83
Portfolio Analysis # 09-00388-00 - 11/83
Financial Statements # 09-00390-00 - 11/83
Cash Management # 09-00391-00 - 11/83
Real Estate # 09-00729-01 - 3/84
Electronic Information Services # 09-00735-01 - 3/84
Also built-in were a tape drive able to record and play data's or voice annotations, a 300-baud modem and a printer port.
The Workslate was first launched in the American Express Christmas catalog, and was sold as a high-tech novelty product. But no one was interested in buying a limited spredsheet machine for $895. Convergent Technology planned to sell 200,000 units within a year, but only 5,000 systems were sold in the U.S.A plus some hundreds in Europe. The product was discontinued in July 1984, and the company lost about $15 million.
If you notice the keyboard has a "DoIt" key. The President of the fledgling company Allen Michaels used to roam the halls of the company at night and spray paint "DoIT" everywhere, hence the key name.
WorkSlate # WK-100
MicroPrinter # WP-100
Comm Port # WC-100 (has a Parallel and Serial interface for external printers.)
Teach Me Now Tape # TW-120
Travel # 09-00385-00 - 11/83
Loan Analysis # 09-00387-00 - 11/83
Portfolio Analysis # 09-00388-00 - 11/83
Financial Statements # 09-00390-00 - 11/83
Cash Management # 09-00391-00 - 11/83
Real Estate # 09-00729-01 - 3/84
Electronic Information Services # 09-00735-01 - 3/84
主要参数编辑本段回目录
 |  |
| NAME | Workslate |
| MANUFACTURER | Convergent Technologies |
| TYPE | Portable |
| ORIGIN | U.S.A. |
| YEAR | December 1982 |
| END OF PRODUCTION | July 1984 |
| BUILT IN LANGUAGE | None |
| KEYBOARD | 61 rubber keys with numeric keypad and 5 function keys |
| CPU | Hitachi 6303 (CMOS version of the Motorola 6800) |
| SPEED | 1.228 MHz. |
| RAM | 16 KB |
| ROM | 64 KB |
| TEXT MODES | 46 chars x 16 lines. LCD display |
| GRAPHIC MODES | Unknown |
| COLORS | Monochrome |
| SOUND | Unknown |
| SIZE / WEIGHT | 28 (W) x 21.5 (D) x 2.5 (H) cm. / 1.5 Kg. |
| I/O PORTS | Telephone jack, Printer |
| BUILT IN MEDIA | Micro-cassette drive |
| POWER SUPPLY | 4 x AA size batteries or AC adaptor |
| PERIPHERALS | Printer, universal peripheral adapter |
| PRICE | $1795 - Pen-type printer/plotter: $399 |
失败的营销案例编辑本段回目录
吉福·宾区特在他的《内部创业》一书中，记叙了一个既有趣，又值得人们警惕的失败的例子。
故事是这样的：当梅特·杉德斯小组研制了一种叫Works1ate 的功能极强的小电脑，只有信纸般大小，厚约1 英寸。新上市时，它出现在3 家主要的电脑杂志封面上，还刊载在运通公司的通讯录上，然后针对目标顾客，寄出了1 万份DM。一家大型电脑零售连锁店对这种产品印象深刻，甚至预测要买下梅特小组所制造的所有产品，有的专家也比较喜欢他们的产品。根据这些反应，小组计划第一年销售10 万台，零售总额约9000 万美元。事实并不是想象的那么简单，让杉德斯始料不及的是，整个计划陷入生产的困境，因为他的公司聚合科技公司并不适应大量生产的方式，过去公司主要是为大型电脑供应商生产的工作站，同时，还发生了一些意想不到的事，如该送到加州的零件，却送到了意大利；一辆747 飞机发生故障，恰恰机上有杉德斯急需的设备??。
结果，工厂的生产进度落后了一个月，没能来得及赶上圣诞节的旺季展示。由于进度延迟，订单也逐渐减少，再加上忽视了发挥传教士业务员的作用，其实在电脑业这种业务员上门介绍产品，请顾客再到店里购买产品的销售方式是十分有效的。最后，Workslate 产品遭到的只能是封杀，对杉德斯而言，1500 万元轻易而举地交了学费。现在问题的关键，不是在列出种种过失，而是要吸取教训，要运用它，使其成为追求成功的脚踏石。对此，专家警告说：“你一定需要方向。你也需要完美的规划与进程。但是你更需要对一切的混战有足够的准备。”
参考文献编辑本段回目录
http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=891
