Why, it is a matter of management and specific individuals involved and changes in market demand.
Tektronix began to seriously un-wind after Danaher took over an began to run it like any other organization taken over via LBO. Soon as this happened, Tek's best individuals began to leave to start other other companies. Adding to this problem is the way Danaher cut personal, cut cost and made management choices for product offering. No cutting edge technology company can survive without specific intellectual talent.
http://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2012/12/tektronix_five_years_after_sal.htmlLeCroy got a boost after they settled their legal dispute with Tektronix over specific patents and intellectual property. This allowed LeCroy to move on and grow to what they have become today.
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/lecroy-corporation-history/Danaher is just one example of how greed drive investor types have completely changed the world economy. They do not value innovation, technically gifted individuals and technical innovation or the future of companies or individuals they control. It is much about short term returns for their investors.
Kodak invented the digital camera in 1975, yet Kodak management choose not to develop this technology as it as viewed as a threat to their mahogany row management who was deeply vested in film. Kodak got into the magnetic tape business later than they should, while their product was good, their marketing and inept management doomed this effort to expand into other markets. Much the same applied to Kodak's copier business. Specific Key individual responsible for these technologies often move on to either start their own business or become key individuals at other established companies.
Ampex was another Mahogany-row, Glass-place-inept management style company that spawned more than a few companies. Key individuals who got fed-up with Ampex management simply moved on and started their own. Memorex, IVC, Macrovision, and others were a product of abuse-inept management at Ampex.
Fairchild semiconductor which began with the traitorous eight died again from Mahogany-row-inept-abusive-greedy east coast management. Intel, National Semi and others are a product of key individuals leaving Fairchild Semi.
For those who might be interested in what has happened to American industry and why once great companies can go so very wrong, this book, "When The Machine Stopped." By Max Holland is a must read.
http://articles.latimes.com/1989-03-26/books/bk-741_1_machine-tool-industryThere was a time when Tek was a very different company, a company that fostered creativity innovation and tried to build the very best product possible with lasting and real value. This why lessons within vintage Tektronix instruments like the 547 are so very important. While more than a few here appear to view the 547 as a technological extinct and useless dinosaur, few here appears to appreciate the company environment, the individuals who were allowed to express their creativity and encouraged to do their very best work in design and production of Tek offerings. As mentioned before, has the laws of Physics changed since the Tek 547?
Compare the Tek 547 to the mass produced, lunch box DSO so very common today (mass produced, disposable not really repairable, commodity based products) what are the real differences beyond electrical specifications? How many here know a 574 will trigger out past 200 Mhz due to it's tunnel diode triggering circuits with a vertical BW spec of 50 Mhz? How many are really aware of the inherent limitations of DSOs? They both have their place and both technologies can complement each other as analog-vs-digital is not a contest.
In the current world of technology where the past of what has been accomplished is expected to be "obsolete" and replaced with what appears to be an improvement, the foundation for what appears to be innovation is not always appreciated. There is a so much more to all this technology business than just intellect and innovation, there is a humanity factor and historical factor that is often NOT appreciated.
Howard Vollum & Jack Murdock wanted Tektronix to remain a small company, they did not intend for Tektronix to become the technological and industrial giant it became. With this in mind, both Howard and Jack encouraged Tektronix employees to start their own companies using Tektronix as a foundation. The results of this became what is known as the "Silicon Forest" in Oregon.
http://www.pdx.edu/sites/www.pdx.edu.ims/files/ims_siliconforestuni2.jpgIt is myopic in the extreme to judge a company on just their product offerings, as what they do for the community and society they live in says much about who the founders and management of any specific company.
And yes, I'm extremely offended by those who labeled me a "Retard", these words posted also says much about the individual who wrote that word.
Bernice