Interested folks should read _Hard Drive_ written by a Seattle Reporter..
At 8:25 PM -0800 7/1/98, Suzanne wrote:
>>>
>>> What I don't understand is if so many people are against what Microsoft is
>>> doing, then why don't the computer manufacturers choose another operating
>>> system to ship with their systems? Microsoft doesn't own the computers.
>>> They own the software.
>>
>
>I'm a little vague on my geek history, but didn't Gate's original contract
>to provide the DOS operating system for IBM's first personal computers
>specify that all PCs from then til the end of time run Microsoft DOS (which
>Windows runs on top of)? Isn't that, and the fact that Apple Computer
>thought it could get away with charging more for a superior computer, the
>main reason PCs with Microsoft's operating system became the industry
>standard?
yes and no.
Yes, IBM came to MS and asked them to build an OS -- cause they didn't want
to use CP/M.
No, Gates and Allen didn't develop it. They bought it from a seattle
programmer (QDOS, quick-and-dirty-operating -system) ... and later settled
out of court when he sued them cause i believe the original agreement was a
license not purchase.
JAVLIK WROTE:
That guy successfully sued Billy Gates for a number of millions of
dollars. The rumor is that he had "lease" in the contract, and Billy just
wrote "sale" over it. But who can tell, neither would discuss it from
what I heard.
Yes -- license-- according to _hard drive_ --whichi still being published
and the author wasn't sued.
IBM made its own version of DOS ... but when MS came out with Windows --
they put in a "warning" screen if it was sitting on any other version of
DOS than MS-DOS.
Hence, DR-DOS, who took them to court -- particularly since MS also used
Vaporware to keep people from buying their version of DOS (which was far
superior at the time)
I believe the main reason it's the standard is the initial tie-in with IBM
(folks with IBM mainframes bought IBM PCs -- FUD again) and their predatory
practices, beginning with the acquisition of DOS!
>Perhaps somebody could fill us in on how that early '80s contract
>stipulating DOS (which Gates didn't even write but bought from somebody
>else) somehow continues in force after all these years?
The early contract was not for DOS but for Windows. And the contract was
with OEMs ... the computer manufacturers. They had to pay a "reasonable"
per unit price for DOS/Windows if they put it on all computers going out
the door -even if people wanted something else! Otherwise, the "per unit"
price was exorbitant.
This was part of the original DOJ case -- and one of the reasons why the
original settlement was turned down by the first judge who read it. He must
be laughing himself to death these days -- just about everything he
predicted has happened.
There are links to this stuff on my Mac site,
http://www.halcyon.com/kegill/mac/ ... I think it's under the Win95 section
- off the top of my head, I dont' remember, cause the site isn't up to date
:-(
>
>The fact that Gates didn't even write the original DOS program is part of
>the reason for resentment against Microsoft: it established his pattern of
>buying up and marketing other people's ideas and his reputation for never
>having done anything creative besides cutting that immensely lucrative deal
>with IBM way back in the dark ages.
That, plus his predatory practices ....
>The only reason I changed was that my brother convinced me in '92 that
>it would cost a fortune to make my PC "act like a Mac and it still wouldn't
>be a real Mac." Now that I've had Macs, I'd certainly never switch back,
>but nonetheless it's easy to understand how PCs became so well entrenched.
Gosh - I bet you to the Mac world!
I used a dedicated word processor in 1983 -- a CPM machine in 1984 -- a
286AT clone in 87? -- windows as soon as it hit the stands with apps like
PM -- and didn't enter Mac-dom until 4th quarter 1990. Never looked back <g>
Kathy
===============================
Kathy E. Gill, Guide - http://agriculture.miningco.com/
WWW design � writing � training - http://www.dotparagon.com/
Mac Advocacy - http://www.halcyon.com/kegill/mac/
"A different world cannot be built by indifferent people."
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