High Noon: The Inside Story of Scott McNealy and the Rise of Sun Microsystems

by Karen Southwick

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
* 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

Genres: Nonfiction, Business

242 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 1999

Reviews

[Kurt Geisel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I became interested in the culture of Sun after hearing a talk given by an ex-Sun employee, which lead me to read the farwell memo Scott McNealy wrote to his employees after Oracle agreed to purchase the company. The informal internal motto, "Kick butt and have fun," is in fact not a bad distillation of that culture. I also find it can be interesting to read "rise of" accounts before the "fall of" account has been written. It often highlights what the blindspots really were, without the full benefit of hindsight.

Unfortunately, I struggled to find depth of insight in this account. It purports to focus on McNealy and who he was. Plenty of time is spent on McNealy's tendency towards hyperbole and showmanship and his obsession wih competing with Microsoft. His appearances on stage as "Java Man", or wearing a full hockey uniform are described in detail. But I found very little on his decision-making process.

There are plenty of hilarious quotes of historical naivite. For example, the early days of consumers embracing the Internet promised the prize of "the Internet and its nearly one million users" (!). And yet, I didn't get a good sense of what were the blindspots that were going to emerge as forces in the eventual downfall of this once-great company.

Thankfully, there is attention given to the other significant players at Sun, including the original founders as well as recognized software giants such as Bill Joy and James Gosling.

Overall, I accomplished my goal of traveling back to 1998 to revisit that picture of the industry, but I was left wanting for deeper insight and a richer read.

[Metin Ozsavran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written well. I don't get the negative reviews. Karen foresaw most of today's buzzwords from 2 decades away.

[Asher Mancinelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was unfortunately a bit shallow and light on technical details, which is unfortunate because the history of Sun is quite interesting.

[Laurie Monahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it 10 years ago, but remember I thought it had good insight into growing a business