| Sumario: | A study was conducted to examine the ongoing migration of corporate computer users from large mainframes to decentralized client-server systems. An extensive database that described individual computer ownership from 1988 to 1994 was employed. Findings revealed that the switch from mainframe to client-server platforms has been gradual, with companies slowing investments in mainframes before switching and many firms adopting combinations of mainframes and client-server platforms. Furthermore, the type of computing applications used helps to predict the timing of adoption decisions, with these applications serving as a proxy for the complexity of computing at the organization. Findings also showed that the author of software speeds up or slows down the retirement of the old system, depending on the idiosyncrasy of the application on the host. However, findings revealed little evidence that vendor lock-in, economies of scale, or labor obstructionism slow the diffusion of new platform technologies.
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