In the UK, the perception is that the first aim of IBM UK Ltd’s new Individual Computer Products International Ltd company and its Ambra personal computers is to drive Alan Sugar and his Amstrad Plc to retire hurt from the personal computer market it is pitching for 5% of the UK personal computer market in the first year, but there are one or two other, more famous names that are likely to suffer if the venture is successful; the biggest problem for most observers is just what IBM gets out of the venture when such a large proportion of the cash generated by the business goes right out the other door to pay the suppliers – IBM is not exactly short of factories of its own in which to make cheap machines; the runaway winner is of course Microsoft Corp, which gets as much from each sale as it does on any other personal computer, and enjoys the benefit of having Windows 3.1 bundled on all machines sold, and Microsoft Works as well on those Ambras that are sold by mail order.
