"Yes sir. That's how old I was when I invented a new system design that went on to become our standard for the next many, many years." He took another sip from his glass. "Still is," he said, jutting his lower lip out proudly.
"What design was that?" Peter asked. But before the man answered, Peter deduced that there was only one computer standard that had been in existence that long, and that was -
"The 990."
Peter tossed his head back, and for the first time in months he let go a huge, cleansing laugh. Of course! Byron Holmes, inventor of ICP's 990 series, which had become, and still formed the foundation of, the architecture upon which all of ICP's mainframe computers were built. Byron Holmes, son of Jonathan Holmes, founder of ICP.
"What's so damn funny?"
Peter touched the man's arm in apology. "I was just thinking how funny it is for us to meet. Go on, please. What did you do after the 990?"
"Revise, revise, revise."
"Things moved more slowly back then, didn't they?"
"Back then? You make it sound like I figured out how to add three wheels to one, so that families could take kids to the dinosaur races."
Peter could see that the man was enjoying this as much as he was.
He became wholly attentive and invigorated.