Xerox Invented the Darn Thing - Starkweather Remembered

Xerox Invented the Darn Thing – Starkweather Remembered

In this cartoon, RT ImagingWorld’s Berto has pulled together a number of key news stories surrounding HP and Xerox.

Firstly there is the strategic relationship between HP and Xerox that became evident in the second half of 2019, Then there was the December 2019 death of Gary Starkweather, the inventor of the laser printer who had worked at Xerox. Then, in early 2020, the much smaller Xerox made two bids to buy HP shares to take a controlling interest of HP. There has also been commentary from various industry analysts that despite Xerox being much smaller, it has more fight in it compared with HP, which some are saying have board members that are not as focused as they could be.

In any case, Berto pulls all of that together for fun.

You’re Just Making Toys

Gary Starkweather Xerox inventor laser printer rtmworld Gary Starkweather’s story is very well told in The Washington Post. Apparently, he defied his corporate boss at Xerox to invent the laser printer, a revolutionary development that made it possible to print images and text directly from a computer in the home or office. Starkweather won an Academy Award for technical advances in filmmaking and was working for Xerox in the late 1960s when the company was the dominant producer of copy machines. Starkweather began to experiment in his spare time with copy machines and digital technology, in effect trying to merge the two. Malcolm Gladwell wrote in the New Yorker in 2011. “The printer, since Gutenberg, had been limited to the function of re-creation: if you wanted to print a specific image or letter, you had to have a physical character or mark corresponding to that image or letter. What Starkweather wanted to do was take the array of bits and bytes, ones and zeros that constitute digital images, and transfer them straight into the guts of a copier. That meant, at least in theory, that he could print anything.” Starkweather’s supervisor at Xerox discouraged his experiments, calling lasers “toys,” so Starkweather conducted his work in secret in a hidden corner of a laboratory. He died from leukemia on December 26, 2020 in Orlando. He was 81.

Xerox Makes a Hostile Bid for HP

On November 25, 2019, HP’s board rejected a $22 per share takeover bid from Xerox, saying in a letter to Xerox CEO John Visentin that his company’s proposal “significantly undervalues HP.” CNN Business reported, “HP is making itself clear to Xerox: Seriously, we don’t need you.” In this latest announcement, Xerox claims to have met, “in some cases multiple times, with many of HP’s largest stockholders,” who allegedly claim are supporting Xerox’ bid which promises “enhanced returns, improved growth prospects and best-in-class human capital that will result from a combination of Xerox and HP.” Then in February, Xerox announced it would be making an increased offer of $24 per share in an attempt to control HP. In this latest “hostile” bid, Xerox claims to have met, “in some cases multiple times, with many of HP’s largest stockholders,” who allegedly claim are supporting Xerox’ bid which promises “enhanced returns, improved growth prospects and best-in-class human capital that will result from a combination of Xerox and HP.”

Xerox Makes Hostile Bid for HP Shares

HP Takes Weeks To Answer Xerox Bid

Berto #81: February 5, 2020: Xerox Invented the Darn Thing – Berto remembers Starkweather What is your response to this month’s Berto cartoon? Please add your comments

Last month’s Berto cartoon: Changing a Printer Cartridge – the young intern lends a hand.

Who is Berto? And where can you can see more of his work? Click here.

About RTMWorld

RTMWorld, orchestrated by Comexposium Recycling Times Exhibition Services Limited, is a global hub fostering knowledge exchange, networking, and business opportunities in the industries of office equipment, printers, copiers, and supplies. With an international team from diverse locations, RT hosts premier events like the RemaxWorld Expo and RT Imaging Expo worldwide. In addition, we broadcast inTouch TV programs, publish the multilingual RT ImagingWorld magazine, and unveil the annual RT Global Industry Directory during the RemaxWorld Expo in Zhuhai, China.