DEC does not exist anymore. The fact that HP/Compaq are profitable is not a statement that DEC is alive and well. You missed the whole point.
Correct - and so did GM and so did IBM. The prophets of doom are quickly predicting the total demise of GM and my point was (and remains) that the same things were being said of IBM when DEC was eating IBM's lunch. Well - IBM turned itself around and is hugely profitable today. The fact that DEC made a fortune in its day is completely irrelevant.
There's a conflicting statement. I guess you believe that only PC's are computers. Those mainframes and servers are quite profitable for IBM but more importantly, IBM has become one of the largest forces in the world of Systems Integration. It's all about a company re-making itself.
Again - nice information point but not relevant to my point. My point was that IBM is the classic example of the behemoth falling prey to its own out of touch business practices and re-making itself into a thriving corporation. In fact - IBM still holds the leadership position it had worked so hard to create.
I'm betting GM will re-invent themselves to become something that is in the same genre of a company that they were for decades, but with a new approach to their business. If they do, I'm saying they will continue to be a factor to contend with.
Business is cyclic. Given enough time, the Japanese business machine will fall victim to itself as well. The Japanese are riding on their high right now. At that, they are only approaching the fall of an American giant. Not a spectacular high point in the bigger picture. Let's wait and see how this all unfolds. GM can still bring about their own ultimate demise - it's all about management decisions.