Looking at Amdahl Corp’s 1987 figures – sales up some 50% at $1,500m or so (see page three) – it is clear where a large chunk of IBM’s natural business has been going: in the past, Amdahl has often done well when the whole market has been buoyant and IBM has been motoring, but for Amdahl to being doing superbly when IBM’s business is mediocre is an unprecendented switch.