Allegedly out of concern that the minimaker would become completely dependent on Japanese manufacturers, IBM last year offered DEC either ECL memory chips or standard MOS 256Ks or the technology to manufacture either, according to a book, Trading Places: How We Allowed Japan to Take the Lead, by former US trade negotiator Clyde Prestowitz; following the story up, the New York Times got a firm no comment from IBM and DEC, but found four sources prepared to confirm that such an offer did take place; DEC is believed to have turned it down, but the move is seen as underlining the extent of IBM’s concern that the US is falling far behind Japan in chip technologies.
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