My Quarter Century in Asia: From War-Torn Saigon to Bubble-Era Tokyo, A Software Odyssey, 1968-1993

By: John A. Siniscal

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

In 1968, at the height of the Vietnam War, a young IBM systems engineer is sent to Saigon to support computers used by the US military in their war effort. While there, he becomes captivated by the people and culture of Asia and spends the next 25 years in the fledging software markets of the region.

His journey takes him to Singapore, where he co-founds a software company, to Australia, and eventually to Japan, where he faces the obstacles of selling US software in an unforgiving market. His persistence and cultural sensitivity eventually lead to success, bringing new opportunities and one major setback.

In this memoir, he provides insights into the difficulties of developing and selling software in the 1970s, when computers and networks were greatly limited in power and functionality. He also takes the reader into some of the after-work activities he pursued, including running with the Hash, SCUBA diving, and a trek in the Himalayas.

Now retired, he reflects on his extraordinary journey, grateful for the challenges and triumphs that shaped his life and career.