Even without that, Bill Gates would have created something --- Microsoft did a _lot_ of custom development, e.g., the Tandy-Radio Shack Model 100 (which was the

Even without that, Bill Gates would have created something --- Microsoft did a _lot_ of custom development, e.g., the Tandy-Radio Shack Model 100 (which was the last bit of coding which B.G. did for production) and developed and licensed a lot of other products. He also made his share of deals which took a lot of value away from other companies on his own: https://www.folklore.org/MacBasic.html https://www.folklore.org/MacBasic.html (buying MacBasic from Apple for $1 so as to kill it contine the MS-Basic license for the Apple II) An interesting insight into this timeframe is Jerry Kaplan's _StartUp: A Silicon Valley Adventure_ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1171250.Startup https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1171250.Startup the whole "embrace, extend, extinguish" thing shows up as documented by folks feeling its effects.