What would life be like without microsoft?

paul78

Hmm suppose no one hear is old enough to remember MS's competitors in the old days. Desktop computing probably would have evolved from CP/M from Digital Research.

Asif Dasl

Wow, thanks Paul - it's true what they say "You learn something new everyday!" cause my old Amstrad CPC 464 (a Commodore 64 like clone) ran the CP/M OS according to Wikipedia and the DOS 8.3 file system came straight from CP/M. And it could have been CP/M instead of Microsoft who took over the IBM clones but because they didn't have a non-disclosure agreement with IBM they gave the details to Microsoft. And the Apple II ran CP/M also! The plot thickens!!

paul78

Yeah - the Gary Kildall story is one of the great folklore tales in computer history. On par IMO to the Red Sox trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees. The Kildall's made some bad business decisions, Digital Research could have owned the industry dominated by Microsoft. It is another lesson that it's not always about the technolgy but the business strategy.

Asif Dasl

I came across "Triumph Of The Nerds" on YouTube all about the rise of the PC from the Altair 8800 up to Windows 95. Part 2 covers the transition from CP/M through to MS-DOS for IBM clones. Worth a watch for those that don't know the history of the computer. [Part 1] - [Part 2] - [Part 3]