Idaho Statesman September 25, 1972
In 1968 and 1969 a committee of state computer personnel spent months evaluating equipment. They recommended, on the basis of cost, performance, time consumed and other factors, that Idaho purchase IBM equipment. One reason was "compatibility." Many programs are written by federal agencies and other states for IBM equipment, Idaho can use those programs at tremendous cost savings. Forty-four state highway departments use IBM. In computer operations, personnel costs are about twice as much as equipment costs. So it's important to seek savings in personnel costs. The committee's 1969 recommendation was not followed.
IBM submitted the low bid. Univac submitted the highest bid. Ray Clovis, Governor Samuelson's computer specialist, insisted that the state take Univac. Instead of the usual procedure of leasing the equipment, the decision was to buy the big Univac 494, a $1.5 million decision. It proved to be one of the poorest decisions made in state government in recent years.
When Governor Andrus took office he appointed a committee of state computer specialists to look into the data processing situation. They submitted a report recommending replacement of the big Univac with two smaller machines. They cited the compatibility problem.
"A major problem with the Univac 494 is the lack of the various agencies' ability to utilize programs from other states and the federal government without costly and time consuming conversion. Data exchange is difficult and costly due to the fact that magnetic tapes written by the Univac 494 must be converted before being processed on the great majority of other equipment." So the state got rid of the big Univac machine - despite the outraged screams of the Univac people. It was replaced by two smaller IBM machines - the kind of equipment the earlier Samuelson committee, recommended in the first place.