Silicon Cowboys is the incredible story of Texas-based PC manufacturer Compaq. I was drawn to it from the perspective of having a soft spot for a Compaq computer I had as a teenager, but it turns out that the perception of Compaq that I’ve held for decades was far from the whole story.
In December of 1997, there were few things in the world that I wanted more than Quake II. I was a massive id Software fan, but the original Quake barely ran on our family’s computer; I knew there was no chance that I’d be able to play the sequel. Somehow, I convinced my parents that I needed a new computer “for school.” The bought me what was one of the most affordable PCs in the store, a Compaq Presario (I believe it was a 4540).
The Presario played Quake II at low/medium settings, which was good enough for me. I’d use it to play other games, browse the internet with the dial up modem, and yes, even do some school work. I loved that computer.
In 1999 I began attending LAN parties, and the Presario was the computer I lugged to each one. This was when I realized other people didn’t have the same fondness for Compaq as I did. I was double-teased: first, for not building building my own computer, and second, for having a Compaq, which I would learn was “not a good brand.”
By the time Compaq disappeared after the merger with HP in the early-2000s, I couldn’t care less. I never bought another Compaq, and had taken to building / modifying my own PC. I maintained a somewhat negative view of Compaq for the next two decades… Until I saw this documentary.
Silicon Cowboys tells the origin of Compaq: a homegrown longshot of a company that would go one to take on the largest institution in computers: IBM. The computers Compaq were building during this time were arguably the best home machines on the market: expensive, but worth it. Silicon Cowboys spends a significant amount of time on Compaq’s greatest legacy: their role in normalizing cross-platform compatibility, a major reason why the personal computer market was able to flourish.
The documentary is anchored in interviews with the founders of the company which gives it legitimacy, but also, their stories are absolutely fascinating. There is also some incredible archival footage in the film as well. Learning about the company’s origins through this documentary (and their brief Williams Racing sponsorship) made me a Compaq fan once again.
Silicon Cowboys is currently streaming on Tubi and Prime Video.
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