Score: B+
Director: Jason Cohen
Cast: N/A
Running Time: 78 min
Rated:NR
To the millennials of the world, Silicon Valley has pretty much always existed. Big tech companies with funky open offices and insane perks out in California have been around for a while. However, Silicon Cowboys is here to show you that the tech culture of today really got its start in Houston, Texas in the eighties.
Silicon Cowboys is a documentary about Compaq Computer, a company founded by three friends in a Houston diner that would eventually go head-to-head with IBM, the industry’s leader, and come out on top in a true David vs Goliath story.
Rod Canion, Jim Harris, and Bill Murto were all working for Texas Instruments before they decided to quit and start their own company. Thus, Compaq was born. Compaq’s first product was the Compaq Portable, a sleek-looking (I mean for the 80s) portable IBM-compatible PC that even had a handle as a testament to how you could take your computer anywhere. It quickly took off and suddenly Compaq could play in the big leagues.
It is so apt that the film is called Silicon Cowboys because it was jarring to see these young men with thick Texas accents and suits seen as some tech-wunderkinds. The tech culture is so relaxed now that seeing suits as the norm instead of hoodies and flip-flops seems so out of place.
Mostly though, the film highlights how this small company grew. It’s incredible to see how these three guys had the right magic combination to not only be successful but to continually push themselves to be successful. Plus, according to the documentary, Compaq started doing things that are tech mainstays today. For example, their office didn’t have a traditional hierarchy system. Instead, everyone was encouraged to speak up when they were unhappy with their duties and offer solutions for their problems. They also turned product launches into full-on shows with pop stars and dancers, a Technicolor brightness and excitement injected into otherwise tame press releases.
The documentary was shot well and the graphics take on a very twentieth century feel to place the audience more firmly in the time frame. For instance, each character is introduced via a graphic of their employee badge, which immediately gives you a clear picture of what they do within the company. It’s a small but clever solution to identifying others.
Silicon Cowboys is an interesting look at the men who took on the world and founded Compaq. While it may have its rose-colored glasses on, it’s still a nice reminder that David can beat Goliath every once in awhile.
