Xref: utzoo comp.os.minix:7775 comp.sys.ibm.pc:37369 comp.unix.xenix:8345 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!lll-winken!tekbspa!optilink!cramer From: cramer@optilink.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) Newsgroups: comp.os.minix,comp.sys.ibm.pc,comp.unix.xenix Subject: Re: IBM and Apple Operating Systems (Re: dosread.c again) Message-ID: <2564@optilink.UUCP> Date: 31 Oct 89 17:03:02 GMT References: <6661@ficc.uu.net> <10609@cbnews.ATT.COM> <143@asihub.UUCP> <6724@ficc.uu.net> Organization: Optilink Corporation, Petaluma, CA Lines: 34 In article <6724@ficc.uu.net>, peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva) writes: > In article <6723@ficc.uu.net> korenek@ficc.uu.net (Gary Korenek) writes: > > 8. The point to all this: companies take massive gambles with new > > products. If it had not been for the original IBM-PC and MS-DOS, > > we would not even have what we have today. > > No, we'd have something based on Concurrent CP/M, OS/9, SOS, or some other > decent DOS of that period. We'd have something better. > > IBM didn't create the PC indusry. It doesn't do that any more. It looked and > it saw a thriving industry, and said "I want that". So it took it. > -- > `-_-' Peter da Silva . Short memory, Mr. da Silva? Before the IBM PC came out, there were Apple IIs, and CP/M boxes, and Radio Shack computers, but it was still a hobbyist market. There were some businesses adventuresome enough to trust their accounts to these computers, but not many, and for the most part, with good reason. (TRSDOS for the TRS-80 Model 3, for example. I wrote a service station accounting system on it at the time the PC came out, and by comparision, the PC was a paragon of modernity, performance, and robustness). IBM didn't create the PC industry -- but it did take it out of the hobbyist area, and made it into something that the non-computer literate would trust their accounts to -- and not just because of the IBM name. (Of course, removing the high priests of micro- computing from their exalted positions seems to be much of the real objection to the PC). -- Clayton E. Cramer {pyramid,pixar,tekbspa}!optilink!cramer Drugs are destroying the moral fiber of America...Another beer, please. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer? You must be kidding! No company would hold opinions like mine!