# What does IBM stand for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 20, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910 "2005-08-20T19:29:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bubastis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d07c76/32.png) [@bubastis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubastis)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/1 "2005-08-20T19:29:44Z")
Their initials, not their beliefs, i mean šŸ™‚ If you take the computer HAL from 2001, and move the letters up one, you get IBM. Was this intentional? Come to think of it, what does HAL stand for? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/2 "2005-08-20T19:33:59Z")
IBM = International Business Machines corp. (as google will happily confirm) HAL = Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer As for IBM = HAL + 111, I think this has been determined to be a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/3 "2005-08-20T19:37:15Z")
IBM satnds for International Business Machines, i believe. As for the HAL thing, as far as i know Stanley Kubrick has always strenuously denied that there was any connection between HAL and IBM. Hereā€™s one [cite](http://www-psych.stanford.edu/~stork/HAL.IBM.html): > [@](#): > > The story has it that the name HAL was chosen because each letter is just one step ahead of IBM. However, this is pure coincidence, and in fact the first incarnations of the computer had a womanā€™s voice, and was called ā€œAthena,ā€ goddess of wisdom. When someone pointed out the spurious association between HAL and IBM, Kubrick wanted to change the computerā€™s name and refilm the scenes, but was disuaded because of production costs. (For the record, HAL comes from ā€œHeuristically programmed ALgorithmicā€ computer.) Hereā€™s [another](http://www.palantir.net/2001/meanings/essay11.html): > [@](#): > > A perfect example of this reassessment is the changing attitude that IBM had toward HAL. Having initially been upset by the use of their corporate logo in a film that featured a computer that killed several people, the company was further angered when they discovered that the letters H, A, and L are only one letter removed from I, B, and M in the alphabet. Clarke, who said the letters stood for ā€œHeuristically programmed Algorithmic computerā€ spent many years attempting to dismiss the rumor that this had been done intentionally, claiming as early as 1972, ā€œwe were quite embarrassed by this, and would have changed the name had we spotted the coincidence.ā€ But, as [this website](http://www.elstree.co.uk/2001.html) says: > [@](#): > > ā€¦the conspiracy theorists maintain that it was Kubrick and Clarke having a swipe at the computer monolith. ---
**Author:** ![Pixisis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@Pixisis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixisis)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/4 "2005-08-20T19:43:53Z")
gee, i always thought it stood for Itā€™s a Big Mistake šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/5 "2005-08-20T19:55:38Z")
I heard that they frequently relocated employees, so internally people said it stood for ā€œIā€™ve Been Moved.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/6 "2005-08-20T19:57:11Z")
Here in Boca Raton there used to be a big IBM presence, and they transferred the employees all over the place frequently. The joke around here was that it stood for ā€œIā€™ve Been Movedā€. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/7 "2005-08-20T20:48:56Z")
My partner works for IBM., I"m looking at their annual report. IBM is still International Business Machines Corporation. I assume this question was posed because some companies whose initials USED to stand for something, but donā€™t anymore. ATT was American Telephone and Telegraph for instance. The company was the just changed to ATT. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/8 "2005-08-20T20:53:27Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > My partner works for IBM., I"m looking at their annual report. IBM is still International Business Machines Corporation. I assume this question was posed because some companies whose initials USED to stand for something, but donā€™t anymore. ATT was American Telephone and Telegraph for instance. The company was the just changed to ATT. BTW, he has only been moved once from Phoenix to Dallas. Iā€™ll pray for another transfer! ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/9 "2005-08-20T21:06:51Z")
My son says that Hyatt stands for Have Your Ass There Tomorrow. (Heā€™s only been moved once) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/10 "2005-08-22T00:03:48Z")
The ā€œIā€™ve Been Movedā€ terms come from a specific IBM policy (and an unofficial, probably illegal, but reputed practice by some IBM managers). Until recent years, IBM had a specific corporate policy that employees would never be laid off, no matter how bad the current economic conditions. (It certainly helped in employee morale & loyalty.) But it left IBM managers without one of the tricks commonly used by managers when they wanted to get rid of an employee they disliked (but who had not done any wrongful act that would allow them to fire him). This trick is to ā€˜re-organizeā€™ the department, which just happens to result in that position being eliminated, so the employee is unfortunately laid off. But IBM policy forbid layoffs. So since IBM employees were often moved as needed, some IBM managers came up with a way to use this to get rid of employees they disliked. They would assign the employee to a new position which required them to move. (Often, to a rather remote & undesirable location.) Then a few months later, when the employee had gone thru all the hassle of selling their house, buying a new one, moving, getting their kids started in new schools, etc., the managers would move them again. Repeat this every year or so until the employee resigns. (It usually only took 3-4 moves in a 5-year period to accomplish this.) So to IBMā€™ers, the ā€œIā€™ve Been Movedā€ refers both to the frequent moves of employees, and to this rumored sneaky way to force an employee to resign. ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/11 "2005-08-22T00:17:45Z")
Considering the average costs of a corporate relocation package, that seems an unwise managerial practice. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/12 "2005-08-22T00:54:31Z")
IBM is also a common acronym used in the Magic community for ā€œInternational Brotherhood of Magiciansā€. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/13 "2005-08-22T01:19:23Z")
> [@Spiritus Mundi](#): > > Considering the average costs of a corporate relocation package, that seems an unwise managerial practice. How so? If you are convinced this is a bad employee, and is costing the company money or customers, isnā€™t it worth the cost of a relocation? And he might even work out better in a new location, with a new manager. (Or he might just respond to the ā€˜hintā€™ of these sudden moves.) Remember that the company wonā€™t allow layoffs, and he carefully hasnā€™t done anything bad enough to warrant firing. Besides, relocation packages arenā€™t charged to the location an employee is _leaving_. They are usually charged either to the arriving location, or charged to a general overhead corporate relocation account. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/14 "2005-08-22T01:44:01Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > The ā€œIā€™ve Been Movedā€ terms come from a specific IBM policy (and an unofficial, probably illegal, but reputed practice by some IBM managers). > > Until recent years, IBM had a specific corporate policy that employees would never be laid off, no matter how bad the current economic conditions. (It certainly helped in employee morale & loyalty.) > > So to IBMā€™ers, the ā€œIā€™ve Been Movedā€ refers both to the frequent moves of employees, and to this rumored sneaky way to force an employee to resign. Do you have any cite for this? Itā€™s no secret that IBM often requires its employees to make frequent moves however I have difficulty believing that they would go through so much trouble just to encourage some employees to quit. Are we to believe that they both care about employees morale yet abuse them in such a public and elaborate manner? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/15 "2005-08-22T03:58:47Z")
Incidentally, the OP seems to be implying that IBM was named after HAL, rather than the reverse. The International Business Machines company significantly predates Clarkeā€™s book, and in fact computers in general. Their first products were things like punch-card counters, typewriters, teletypes, and the like. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/16 "2005-08-22T04:21:59Z")
IBM = Itty Bitty Machines (In contrast to their early competitors in the ā€œBUNCHā€: Burroughs Univac National Cash Register Control Data Corporation Honeywell.) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/17 "2005-08-22T04:28:14Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Do you have any cite for this? Itā€™s no secret that IBM often requires its employees to make frequent moves however I have difficulty believing that they would go through so much trouble just to encourage some employees to quit. Are we to believe that they both care about employees morale yet abuse them in such a public and elaborate manner? Well, i donā€™t know anything at all about this, but based on the way that itā€™s been described in this thread, it could be a difference between head office policy (support employee morale) and everyday middle management decisions (get rid of crappy employees in any way possible). ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/18 "2005-08-22T04:48:40Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Do you have any cite for this? Itā€™s no secret that IBM often requires its employees to make frequent moves however I have difficulty believing that they would go through so much trouble just to encourage some employees to quit. Are we to believe that they both care about employees morale yet abuse them in such a public and elaborate manner? I donā€™t see any conflict. The accusation was that certain _managers_ would move people to force them to quit, not that the corporate bigwigs condoned the practice. On preview, what **mhendo** said. Not that it would surprise me if the higher-ups winked at the practice. It wouldnā€™t be the first time that a big company had internally conflicting policies, official or unofficial. As for morale, despite the noises that many companies make regarding employee morale, they canā€™t be so stupid that they donā€™t realize the effects most of their employee related decisions have (can they?). I can only conclude that laments on lack of morale are simply disingenuous attempts to pretend they care. A typical response is to lay the blame back on the employee. For example, one of the goals given to my group, on which we would be rated, was to ā€œhave funā€. See, that way if we didnā€™t it was **our** fault. :smack: Regarding the non-layoff policy, it did work, at least in part, despite the abuses of some managers. Talk to some IBM employees that were with the company in the 70s and 80s. There was a very strong sense of company loyalty. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/19 "2005-08-22T12:11:01Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Repeat this every year or so until the employee resigns. (It usually only took 3-4 moves in a 5-year period to accomplish this.) This would require a long term coordinated effort by higher ups. It would rarely fall to a single manager to maintain responsibility over a worker through 4 changes of job role. Especially if those jobs were hundreds or thousands of miles away. Thus it would require multiple managers agreeing to tank this one worker, in secret. I donā€™t see that happening often enough to be part of the culture. I think itā€™s more likely that lousy workers got shuttled around from place to place because managers were pushing to get them moved anywhere away from their department. A job opening comes available and they figure out a way to get their ā€œempty suitā€ transferred to it. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910/20 "2005-08-22T13:27:29Z")
_The Wall Street Journal_ still refers to the company as International Business Machines on first reference in an article. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-ibm-stand-for/317910.md?page=2)