“Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM” is an old saying in American business. The earliest dated use found is from 1978: “No one ever got fired for buying IBM equipment.” In 1985 the Dallas Morning News already called it a “20-year-old adage.” Who first said it is unknown.
The saying is about the buyer, not the computer. Choosing the famous supplier is the safe choice for the buyer’s career. Later versions replace IBM with Microsoft or Oracle.