Affiliate by definition
I don't plan to post this often, but I am very excited about this one. It's a fascinating word, especially for many of us who make a living by using this word daily.
Let's see what Oxford has to say about this one.
Affiliate
"Noun
A person or organization officially attached to a larger body."
And here is where it gets interesting.
Its origin is from the mid 18th century from the Latin affiliat- meaning adopted as a son, which comes from the verb affiliare, from ad- meaning towards + filius, which means son.
Explanation:
Affiliate of a business, "attached to a larger body", "adopted as a son".
According to the old-fashioned views, the son is supposed to follow the father's footsteps, and when the son has done well, the father and the family did well.
Father and son. Business and affiliate.
Before Affiliate Marketing became so well known and popular the way we know it now, many giants today that started decades ago as enthusiastic dreamers, in fact, worked their way up with affiliate marketing.
For example, Bill Gates with Microsoft harnessed IBM. A PC (Personal Computer) sold without DOS (Disk Operation System) was nothing more useful than a piece of dust catcher or a large paperweight. Therefore Gates created DOS, and to make each PC usable and sellable, IBM - and later other manufacturers - had to add DOS to every single sold computer "attached to a larger body," as it were.
Today, many people wake up and go to sleep without understanding the absolute root and power of being an affiliate. Perhaps dissecting this word will help to realise that.
On to the next word...
Recent Comments
6
As I have already said, Andy this will be a fascinating series.
A small correction is appropriate on the IBM/Bill Gates story. I started working for IBM in the mid 70s.
Microsoft had been developing an OS on the Intel 8086 processor during the late 70s.
Around about the same time IBM decided that the “micro computer” industry had grown large enough for them to take an interest and to move relatively fast (for them - long story shortened) and decided to develop their first PC as it became known as OEM (other equipment manufactures) and badged by them. IBM used the next generation processor, Intel 8088. IBM built the cases and the innards were all under licence.
IBM asked Microsoft to build what became IBM-DOS on the 8088 and paid for software development and for further development of the Intel chip for iBM use. However, because IBM weren’t overexcited about the “micro computer” market they gave Intel and Microsoft rights to keep their own copy and do what the liked with them.
IBM took their copies and over a few years developed them further. IBM developed their own OS/2 from IBM-Dos experience. At the same time they made their PC design open, under licence again because they didn’t really believe in the opportunity.
Many other manufacturers then built their own, cheaper PCs and sold them with Microsoft’s DOS.
From thereon the last part of your summery is correct enough.
IBM completely underestimated the size of the “micro computer” opportunity (they didn’t believe people would use them at home) which nearly led to their collapse in the early 90s. It’s ironic that Microsoft DOS and Intel were both heavily sponsored by IBM in the late 70s/early 80s.
To the credit of IBM they are still among the highest influencers in the computer industry having moved from manufacturing to being service based during the 90s.
:-)
Richard
Oh yes, IBM is still a pioneer. They have created Quantum Computer as well and evolving fast.
We might know that history a bit differently then. For example, the book I read - quite a long time ago - said that the IBM PC was never open, but other companies reverse engineered it. That is how PC today is made by many many companies. For a while, they called them "clones". Now they are all just PC.
Unlike Macintosh, which was never "cloned", there was a two-year lawsuit they lost against MS. Apple never had a DOS. They immediately started with a graphical interface, windows, mouse, icons. When MS released the first Windows, Apple sued them, but they lost. That suit pretty much defined the future of PC.
I did have OS/2. It was the first true 32bit Operation System. I did prefer it to Windows, but it didn't survive. But it didn't stay.
I understand that IBM always has focused more on the business to the business concept, so that is why they hadn't pursued that MC/PC line that hard.
It's a great company, though, still. I made some money when I sold their shares. Because of the Quantum Computer and the service they provide now, Cloud Quantum Computing (access to their QC to run algorithms, test things, etc.) is unique. I expect another long term gain again.
I kinda envy you for working at IBM. When I lived in the US it was on my to-do list to visit the place - they have an amazing showroom for past and future - but never got there. Alas.
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Very interesting, Andy!
Jeff
Isn't it? I love this stuff.
It sure is, and I do too!
Jeff