I have to go!
In 1990, 3Com laid off a sizable number of employees as a result of exiting the 3+Open partnership with Microsoft. 3Com worked hard to manage this unfortunate situation, and as time passed, it was able to hire back some of the people it had let go.
As legend has it, when one of the laid-off engineers got that fateful call from 3Com, he told his new manager, “My company has called me back. I have to go.” For many people, 3Com would remain “my company” even after they had parted ways.
We are currently collecting stories like this that we might offer as bonus material for those who pre-order the book. If you have a fond memory of 3Com that you'd like us to include, please email us at countdown@3ComStory.com.
