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Copies in Seconds: How a Lone Inventor and an Unknown Company Created the Biggest Communication Breakthrough Since Gutenberg--Chester Carlson and the Birth of the Xerox Machine
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Sales rank 684,771
Customers rating (based on 11 reviews)
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| Publisher | Simon & Schuster | | Release date | 08/2004 | | Availability | | | Edition | Hardcover |
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Birth Of An Info Tech Miracle: How a Lone Inventor and an Unknown Company Created the Biggest Communication Breakthrough Since Gutenberg -- Chester Carlson and the Birth of the Xerox Machine (@ Business Week)
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 Fascinating
Brilliant read that makes an apparently humdrum invention come alive as one of the greatest of our times. The complexity of the xerographic process was astounding, and Owen's recounting of the years needed to bring an idea to fruition is well done, even if I didn't really understand the process myself! Interesting that the photocopier was banned by communist states for public use because they realized the effect it could have on increasing communication and the spread of ideas. Chester Carlson comes across as a remarkable person that fully deserved the fortune that eventually came to him.
Tom Butler-Bowdon, author of 50 Prosperity Classics
 Y Sin Embargo
Xerox no es IBM... ni General Motors... ni Intel.
Por lo tanto y a diferencia de libros como "Father, Son and Company", "My Years at General Motors" o "Microcosm", aqui no encontramos grandes ideas para administrar una empresa ni consejos sobre liderazgo.
Tal vez lo mas cercano a un "insight" administrativo en este libro es el siguiente: no confies en los consultores. Tanto IBM como Xerox comisionaron un estudio para determinar si existia un mercado para una copiadora xerografica y AMBAS agencias de consultoria concluyeron, independientemente, que NO existia tal mercado. Afortunadamente, Xerox no hizo caso a los "expertos" y gracias a eso se convirtio en una empresa increiblemente exitosa.
Dicho lo anterior, por que califico al libro con 4 estrellas? Bueno, en mi humilde opinion, el ultimo capitulo "salva" completamente el libro. En este nos adentramos en el pensamiento, principios e ideas fundamentales de Carlson. El fue una persona que nacio y crecio en absoulta pobreza y sin embargo, despues del gran exito de Xerox le indico a su esposa que solo tenia un deseo: morir pobre. A esas alturas, Chester era ya una persona asombrosamente rica pero se dedico en cuerpo y alma a donar ANONIMAMENTE casi la totalidad de su fortuna. Siempre vivio austeramente y era tan poco pretensioso que cuando le preguntaban a que se dedicaba, contestaba: "trabajo en Xerox". Pensando que era obrero en la empresa, un interlocutor le pregunto: "perteneces a un sindicato?".
El libro no nos enseña como administrar ni como ser lider empresarial, pero el ultimo capitulo nos enseña una manera de vivir... y de morir.
En su funeral, se leyeron las condolencias del entonces Secretario General de las Naciones Unidas (U Thant) que decian: "El pertenecia a esa rara clase de lideres que generan en nuestro corazon fe en la humanidad y esperanza en el futuro."
 Great story, but the book could have been better
The story of how the first plain-paper copier was invented is exciting and inspirational to engineers and designers. This book was an excellent compilation of the history of paper, historical duplicating techniques, and modern technology. However, I found myself wanting more detail on the technical details of the discoveries and history of the copier as I read this book.
I give the story (5 out of 5) stars, but my impression of the writing style of the author was only average (3 out of 5 stars). This book was enjoyable, but at times I wanted to be finished with it so I could move on to another book.
An involving history of the Xerox as a whole
How did the lowly photocopy evolve to become a business-changing commodity? Enter one Chester Carlson, who almost single-handedly pioneered the Xerox machine. David Owen provides an involving history of the Xerox as a whole, describing the long effort to turn xerography into a essential business world commodity, and considering how one shy patent attorney pursued his father's strange business scheme, rising from poverty through hard work and dream up his own copying machine. Copies in Seconds: How a Lone Inventor and an Unknown Company Created the Biggest Communication Breakthrough Since Gutenberg--Chester Carlson and the Birth of the Xerox Machine is a strongly recommended acquisition for academic and community library collections.
 A weak facsimile of a life
I was genuinely interested in the history of the Xerox machine. The process of invention and design is fascinating to me. The story that Owen tells is an interesting story written in an uninteresting way. What is more surprising, given the author's credentials, is that the writing level is that of a 7th-grader! I labored through the book since I was interested in the history. But this is a tedious read indeed.
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