DeLamarter, Richard Thomas

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) became a giant in the field of electronic data processing by the mid-1950s after having achieved great success in the punch-card tabulating machine business in the 1930s. IBM had an image as offering superior products at a lower price than their competitors. IBM customers were portrayed as loyal and satisfied with the service provided by "Big Blue."

IBM's success, particularly with their System/360, was a cause for distrust and suspicion by both their competitors and the federal government. Preliminary inquiry was made in the mid-1960s by the U.S. Department of Justice as to antitrust violation by IBM. The complaint for the case U.S. v. IBM was filed in U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York on January 17, 1969 by the Justice Department. The suit alleged that IBM violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act by monopolizing or attempting to monopolize the general purpose electronic digital computer system market, specifically computers designed primarily for business.

...