Norton, Peter (Peter Norton)

In 1986, amid noisy advertising company, Peter Norton Computing throws on the tremendous market at the time operating envelope Norton Commander.

. On the personification of the computer actually
. (quotation from the Book of Changes dishes "Kurt Raytinga and" Peter Pan "by James Barry)
. - Sir! He came a messenger, brought a letter
.
- Well?
- I said that you do not, and he took.

Peter Norton (Peter Norton) living in your home. He was among the Pioneer, had penetrated into your office (or just stupid littery securities angle), hiding in the entrails of the archaic now XT or clinging to the tail of cutting-edge Pentium III. In the lands of the Old and New England, among adults it is not less popular than Peter Pan among children. And just as elusive.

"Peter Norton". This name is well suited for the black ice cream vendor in the slums of the Bronx, . street poseur - microbe Broadway, . severe mariner with shaggy blond beard in the port of beer in Manhattan, . prissy banker in the corridors of a chic office on Wall Street or a saint of local significance,
. The area of spread of the slightly archaic name was not restricted to municipal boundaries of New York, the cities and villages of the United States simply "nowhere bech" of these Norton. A person with this name can boldly go into politics or big business. And if the name, add a fraction of the talent, he can become a famous actor or writer. In short, if you were born, Peter Norton, you have luck. However, do not flatter yourself. The stray dog or cat in predatory paws hearted American pensioners with equal probability can be friends, guns or Norton.

"She asked Peter how old he is, and suddenly realized that it was not necessary to ask. He became such a person, as if he got on the exam and he got a ticket about irregular verbs, and he wanted to be asked about the battle of Trafalgar "
. I never managed to learn, . when, . where and under what circumstances was born baby Peter, . known only, . that glorious light pink shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a slightly weaker dark brown tie adorned his body a few years later,
. But long before, as an American boy, Peter learned to walk, the family of Norton, beginning to feel a vague anxiety for his great destiny. Nothing was sweeping crumbs Pi, as a possibility in the absence of parents sit for hours in their bedroom before a large wall mirror, dressed in pajamas father on his nose and his glasses to read each evening. Particularly troubling is that the boy sat unblinking.

In all other manifestations Peter grew up perfectly healthy child: the best of pranks, held competitions, exams, he was not worried about the prospect of eventually becoming a monument to himself. That was until the first meeting of the young Norton with a computer. Truly, "which be could not escape". They met. Looking at the black screen, Peter could not get rid of the unconscious feelings of discomfort. Something prevented him to move and touch the keys. Something prevented. But what? Only classmates whispered, with quiet horror in the voices repeating: "It's been half an hour he looked at this thing and did not blink". The bell rang, Peter stood up, turned away from the computer and walked away. He decided. The next day, he said the school, dress up as a respectable clerk in the summer night: glasses, tie, light breech shirt, sleeves rolled up with negligence, decent electrician. New life begins.
Peter took some time to force myself to learn how to bang on the keys.

He could never admit that when they first met it seemed as if somewhere inside the monitor, as once in the mirror, sits strangely similar to his creature, and looks straight without blinking. However, is it really so important that as a result of loving brought together Peter and KompyuterN It is important that convergence happen. They laughed and cried together, grieved and pleased each other. Peter treated the computer when he was sick, and the computer answered, infinite gratitude. Soon Mr. Norton began to seek support and recipes for other computers and their owners. Peter even invented a couple of its own exclusive remedy (programmki to restore damaged files).
"Quick!" - Commanded Peter. - Bring up all the best that we have. Hurry!
. By bringing together the works of his comrades and adding to them their own, . in 1982 (well, . finally, . first date in our story!) Peter Norton offers an even virgin market software package of essential named Norton Utilities,
. The package will be a significant addition to the operating system MS-DOS, which lacked the much needed all the system utilities. To promote its
product creates a firm Peter Peter Norton Computing with charter capital of 500 thousand U.S. dollars. Where did the money? As usual, from the tables. Who put them in the locker? All little: parents, friends, fans and himself, Peter. Not so great sum to dwell on this.

The newly capitalist is not only rewarded his company name and product, he went on, corporate logo adorned his own face. The calculation was simple: Americans love their heroes. Therefore, the heroes are not impoverished. Remained only to become a hero (like Uncle Benz or that closer to the Russian reader, such as merchant Smirnoff and fun guy Dovgan). To achieve this goal Norton indulges "in all serious: he public lectures, wrote to newspapers and magazines, appears on television, holds a" free distribution of elephants ". Think of scary, in what quantities he had to buy a light pink shirt and dark brown tie.

In 1986, amid noisy advertising company, Peter Norton Computing throws on the tremendous market at the time operating envelope Norton Commander. It is this product the name of Mr. Norton stepped over the ocean. "Blue Screen" conquers the world. However, in fairness, I note that Peter himself no relation to the development of Norton Commander was not. From first to the third version is an excellent programmer John Socha (John Socha). By the third version of the author's real name was lost in the description section Support (Help). In later versions of his name is mentioned only as the name of one of the authors of this section. For the sake personified scenario "promotion" program Norton Commander, the real author was forgotten, but just a little later dismissed from the company. So all subsequent modifications dealt with a whole horde of programmers (I, as a user, feel the difference).

The firm grew and by 1990 there were over one hundred employees, reaching an annual turnover of 15 million. Competitors did not lag. Central Point Software Company under the name PC Tools manufactured the pills of the same purpose as the Norton Utilities. Whales are the IBM and Apple in general ignored the efforts of Norton. It is fortunate that Peter did not know anything about Russia's creations such as DOS Navigator or Volkov Commander. And I would have tossed it all and went off the beaten path to Turgenev in Baden-Baden.

"All eyes turned to Peter, his hands imploringly roused in his side, as if asking for protection and salvation".

So, it is time for serious growth. And Peter went to the complex negotiations with Mr. Hendrix, Gary (Gary Hendrix), a leading expert in the field of artificial intelligence and, concurrently, CEO of Symantec. Can not say that the economy Gary exceeded their size farm Peter. In this sense they were "dead heat". Superiority of Gary consisted only in an ideal state of his bank accounts, impeccable credit history and stable growth of the value of shares. In September 1990, signed a bilateral agreement on the "merger". Interestingly, while the name of Peter Norton Computing dissolved in a more capacious behalf of Symantec, but almost all products of the newly formed company forever stuck excuse "Norton". Company Symantec reported the next ten years the exclusive right to use "images and the name" Peter Norton for promotional purposes. Under the contract, Peter received a 1% of sales of goods, "marked" his name, plus payments for licenses issued to them earlier products, plus the right to preferential purchase of a solid stake in Symantec. (Attention please! The treaty ends Jan. 1, 2000. Not from this that all progressive humanity so nervous about this approach datyN) In addition, . Gary and Peter have agreed on the obligatory presence of the latter on all major press conferences, company and participation in public events over the next five years,
.

Calculation Gary Hendrix justified. 'Animate' products found their buyers. Tag "Norton" became a kind of quality mark. Hungry for a hypothetical possibility to place the responsibility on someone specifically computing community with gratitude and considerable enthusiasm gets packages Norton AntiVirus, . Norton Desktop, . Norton pcANYWHERE, . Norton Navigator, . Norton Administrator, . Norton File Manager, . Norton Your Eyes Only, . Norton Secret Stuff, . Norton System Works,
. Not been forgotten and the old Norton Utilities Merit. New products are produced under all conceivable standards and platforms. Things are going, the office wrote. Money pouring river.

It was then that Peter and bored. He tried to amuse himself a writer's work, but it cost him to take pen in hand, passed over as a crowd of hack writers hired by the omnipresent Symantec, and wrote for him all that he could conceive. There were "comprehensive guide" on the PC, Macintosh, DOS, all versions of Windows and Office, aids in Java, Access, Delphi, Visual Basic, Visual C + +, Lotus, Linux, Unix, OS / 2, Networks in general and Internet in particular. Total over fifty titles, and to be continued. But do not forget about the notorious carrots. Since every transaction "poor" Peter had a 1%. Here in this place that the 1% he lived.

"They called Peter the Great White Father and fell down before him. And I must say that he was very congenial ".

It remained only to find application surging money. Peter consulted with his wife, Miss Eileen Norton (Eileen Norton), and even leaned in philanthropy. Even in the 90 th year, they organized a support center arts - Peter Norton Family Foundation. (Note the usual excuse to flaunt his throne.) Now, when money markedly increased, the fund had to be shown off in all its glory. For these things - getting rid of the tax burden, plus a collection of "good deeds" in the kitty of Fame. "In the end, it's just beautiful," - said to be the same old Jew. Last year alone, it funded exhibitions of young and unknown artists, having laid out with about a half million dollars. Gesture. Is not it? Chet Morton reckoned today among the best-known American philanthropists. Exclusive elegance Peter (not like her for wearing a proletarian "simantekovskogo" twin) once, at a grand reception, with a sigh to the cameras: "What a pity that so long moved out of his circle".

About a month ago, Peter once again reminded of the world community. At a Sotheby's auction, he bought the 14 love letters the great American writer Jerome David Salinger (JDSalinger) to the young Joyce Maynard (Joyce Maynard) for a fairly solid amount of $ 156,500, paying twice the original cost. In addition, Peter Norton gave a short interview (!). He explained his action. According to him, he has acquired private correspondence Salinger (tayaschegosya in the wilderness, heedless of the 80-year-old man) with the sole purpose to hide it from prying eyes. Furthermore, Norton is ready to return the letters to their author, or to deal with them as the author so require. Truly - act gentleman. And note what an elegant fork: on the one hand, our Peter - an ardent advocate of private law (Bravo!), On the other hand, it is - a great guy. Finally, our hero "lit up", adding nothing to our knowledge of it.

He - "Mr. restrained smile". He - a reproach to the apologists of sloppiness (though not quite live). He is in the top ten recommended by the Ministry of Education list of "Who would I like to be when I grow up?" It - the invisible hero does not understand-what-front. And if I'm even a little bit understand human psychology, his passion as you want to shine. The story of the Salinger to striking evidence. Remember all favorite rasskazku Zinovy Gerdt about that, . in young post-war years voluntarily abandoned his butt, . describing fantastic arc, . fell in most tyutelku boxes? As experienced young Gerdt, . that no one had seen him win? And how grateful he knows where the witness who took his triumph over a well-deserved "Bravo!"? Peter, . you deserve,
. So let us loudly and austere cry: "Bravo, Peter!"

Bravo, Peter! You're able to stay in my house without asking my permission then. Bravo, Peter! Your mannequin - a monument of freedom for Vanity Fair. Bravo, Peter! With you we can boldly step into the next millennium. My grandmother said: "Such a good man, sorry, that was not a Jew". Bravo, Grandma!

- Sir, you blink, you lose.
- Yes, but you waving his hands under my very nose!
- Sir, you owe me a dollar. What to cook for dinner, sir?