They want to sell you stuff that works that they can sell you, and they'll buy anything and develop anything it takes to do that. If this sounds like the Microsoft monopoly, well, Cisco has been accused of monopolizing the router market. But thus far no one has challenged its tactics, and, as a result, Cisco has continued to grow exponentially, building and building to house both new hires and those who come via acquisitions. Everyone here flies coach. The CEO's office is about the size of a NewsHour correspondent's.
Cisco has plenty to feel smug about.
Yet we know we could be an also-ran in two years if we don't execute properly. Chambers equates Internet years with dog years. So changes that took place in our daily living or perhaps in business over decades will now occur in one to two years. Three years ago, Chambers shocked the industry by predicting it would drop to zero. If Chambers is right, phone companies will soon be forced to send our voice signals over the basically free Internet, where Cisco now reigns supreme, a point they were making to customers when we visited.