High Noon

出版者:Blackstone Audio, Inc.

作者:Southwick, Karen

页数:256

出版时间:1999-8-13

价格:$ 33.84

isbn号码:9781441784896

具体描述

In 1982, a little upstart named Sun was making waves in the high-tech industry with its groundbreaking workstation technology, even as early competitors dismissed the company as not worth losing sleep over. Since then, Sun Microsystems has become a formidable presence in the industry, making its own rules and taking no prisoners, and is currently poised to reach the highest point of its ascendancy--the challenge of Microsoft's dominance over the future of computing.

The driving force behind this once fledgling company is a man who has been described as brash, unconventional, ambitious, forward-looking, and sometimes even his own worst enemy. Scott McNealy turned Sun into the multibillion-dollar success it is today--a developer of innovative software like Java that is revolutionizing the computing landscape.

High Noon is the inside story of Sun's rise to power, from its shaky start in Silicon Valley through its transformation under the aggressive and inspirational leadership of McNealy. Karen Southwick reveals the behind-the-scenes maneuverings of McNealy and Sun, with candid interviews from the key players and insights into the inner workings of the high-tech industry.

This book examines how scrappy underdog Sun overcame its larger and supposedly tougher competitors, combining hard work, tenacity, and talented people to build a more innovative and flexible company. You'll learn how McNealy moved Sun up the industry food chain, challenging more established companies like Hewlett-Packard and Digital Equipment by expanding Sun's product line and refocusing the business.

High Noon expertly chronicles McNealy's triumphant history with Sun, from his early days as vice president of manufacturing to a CEO known for shooting straight from the hip without regard for the consequences. You'll discover how "Javaman"--as Fortune magazine dubbed McNealy--prompted Sun to take risks that ultimately allowed it to survive, thrive, and dominate--making Microsoft stand up and take notice. And you'll see how Sun's looming showdown with this industry giant promises wide-reaching implications for businesses and consumers alike. Among High Noon's revelations:

* A new perspective on how the complex, contradictory McNealy shaped his company and fashioned its strategy

* Insight into central issues facing the high-tech industry, such as network computers and the future of the Internet

* An insider view of the maneuverings of industry powerhouses, including Microsoft, Oracle, Netscape, IBM, and Intel

* Both entertaining and instructive, High Noon offers valuable lessons for taking charge of your destiny and succeeding in a fast-paced, unpredictable, and even hostile environment.

Advance Praise for Karen Southwick's High Noon

"High Noon captures the electricity and drama of one of the most important high-tech sagas of our time. Rich with insight as well as previously undisclosed stories."--Jim Moore, Founder, GeoPartners Research, Inc. Author of The Death of Competition

"High Noon reveals the inside story of one of the companies Microsoft fears most, Sun Microsystems. Southwick uses her keen insight to tell the story of how four twenty-somethings created a company that has grown from a small seller of scientific computers to one of the most dominant high-tech firms in the world."--Eric Nee, Editor, Fortune

"Scott McNealy is one of the most complex, fascinating individuals in high tech. Karen Southwick captures the contrarian spirit of Sun Microsystems and the intriguing personalities that run it."--Howard Anderson, President, The Yankee Group

"High Noon takes us on a straight path to the future."--Dr. Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Novell, Inc.

"High Noon illustrates how a company can succeed in the technology industry through a delicate balance between drive, talent, and timing."--Carol Bartz, Chairman and CEO, Autodesk

用户评价

我向来对那些情节过于平铺直叙的小说提不起兴趣，但这本却是个例外。它的魅力在于那种由内而外散发出的宿命感，即便知道某些结局不可避免，但看着主角们在命运的洪流中挣扎、抗争，依然让人揪心。作者对冲突的设置高明之处在于，它不仅仅是外在的你死我活，更多的是内在价值观的碰撞。我尤其喜欢其中几位配角的塑造，他们并非脸谱化的工具人，而是有着自己复杂逻辑和灰色地带的个体，他们的出现，极大地丰富了故事的层次感。每当剧情发展到一个关键节点，总会忍不住停下来，喝口水，试图平复一下因为过度投入而加速的心跳。这本书的后劲很足，合上封皮之后，书中的人物仿佛还活生生地存在于我的脑海里，他们的声音、他们的表情，久久不散，这是高品质文学作品的标志。

坦白说，一开始我对这本书的期望值并不高，感觉题材有些老套，但翻开第一页后，那种语言的韵律感立刻抓住了我。作者的文字功底极其扎实，句子结构多变，时而使用长句营造磅礴的气势，时而又用短句制造出警醒的顿挫感，读起来简直像在聆听一场精心编排的交响乐。尤其是对话部分，真实得令人心惊，角色之间的唇枪舌剑，充满了张力与潜台词，让人不得不去细细揣摩每一句话背后的真实意图。尽管篇幅不短，但阅读过程中从未感到拖沓，每一个场景的切换都服务于整体叙事脉络的推进。书中对某个特定历史时期的社会风貌还原得极为到位，那种时代特有的压抑与希望交织的氛围感，扑面而来。这是一部真正考验读者耐心的作品，但回报给你的，是远超预期的文学享受。

这本书真是让人欲罢不能，一口气读完后，心里久久不能平静。作者对人物内心世界的刻画细腻入微，那种挣扎、那种抉择，仿佛就在眼前上演。故事的节奏把握得恰到好处，时而紧张得让人手心冒汗，时而又在某个不经意的瞬间，流露出温暖而深沉的情感。我特别欣赏作者在描述环境时的笔触，那些景物描写不仅仅是背景，更是烘托人物心境的绝佳工具。比如，某次暴风雨来临前的压抑感，与主角内心的惶恐形成了完美的呼应。情节上的反转设计得非常巧妙，几次差点猜到后续发展，但最终都被作者的想象力所折服。读完后，我花了好长时间才从那种强烈的代入感中抽离出来，开始思考书中探讨的那些关于人性、关于选择的深刻主题。这本书无疑是一部值得反复品味的佳作，它不仅提供了阅读的乐趣，更提供了一种精神上的洗礼。

这本书的叙事视角转换得非常流畅自然，有时候是冷静的上帝视角，一下子拉远，让读者看清整个局势；有时候又瞬间切入某个角色的第一人称，让人完全沉浸在其主观的恐惧与狂喜之中。这种叙事技巧的娴熟运用，让原本可能显得沉重的题材，读起来轻盈却不失深度。如果非要挑剔，或许是前期铺垫略显缓慢，但请相信我，只要度过了最初的几章，一旦故事开始真正加速，你就会发现所有前期的细节铺陈都是为了此刻的爆发做准备。它巧妙地避开了许多同类题材的窠臼，没有落入滥情的俗套，保持了一种近乎残酷的客观与清醒。读完后，我立刻推荐给了身边喜欢深度阅读的朋友，并附上了一句忠告：请务必留出完整的时间来沉浸式阅读，不适合碎片化阅读，否则会错过很多细微的美感。

哇塞，读完这部作品，我感觉自己刚刚经历了一场酣畅淋漓的冒险。这本书的想象力简直是天马行空，但又神奇地与现实世界的某种哲学内核紧密相连。它构建的世界观宏大而严谨，各种设定的逻辑自洽，让人完全沉浸其中，不会有“出戏”的感觉。最让我印象深刻的是作者对“时间”这个概念的处理，它不仅仅是故事发生的背景，更像是一个有生命的、可以被感知、被抗拒甚至被利用的实体。书中的哲思探讨得非常深入，但作者很聪明地把它融入了角色的行动和选择中，而不是用大段的议论来阐述，这使得整本书读起来充满了动感。这本书就像一个巨大的精巧机械，每一个齿轮都在精准地咬合，驱动着令人惊叹的故事前进。这是一次非常值得的阅读投资，我已经在期待作者的下一部作品了！