> Maybe my memory is off. I thought when the units were shipped, IBM > only supplied PCDOS, that you had to buy CP/M-86 separately. If it was > indeed a market decision, then, sure the MS Basic, plus I suspect > PCDOS commands were more intuitive for non-CP/M (8080) users probably > led to MS 'winning'
John: Your memory is off, just a little. No software was included. On Aug 12, 1981 IBM announced PC with MS Basic in ROM. Software products announced along with the PC (same announce letter) were: PC DOS, a PASCAL compiler, VisiCalc, EasyWriter, Peachtree Accounting and MS Adventure. CP/M was never announced in Canada, but I think it was announced in the US on this date. On Dec 1, 1981 IBM announced a FORTAN compiler, the UCSD p-System (with or without Pascal), BPI General Accounting, Typing Tutor and two sets of Arithmetic Games. In Feb 1982, IBM added the Macro Assembler, Fortran for the UCSD p-System and a few other software products. Regards, Jim
