3 ms·
As I recall, DEC didn't like the idea of people formatting their own floppy disks, either, and didn't supply a FORMAT utility, even with the version of MS-DOS s
by flyinghamster 12y ago
As I recall, DEC didn't like the idea of people formatting their own floppy disks, either, and didn't supply a FORMAT utility, even with the version of MS-DOS shipped with the Rainbow. The idea was that you were supposed to buy preformatted disks from DEC instead. A major exception was that the Heathkit H-11 (an LSI-11/23 in Heathkit form) actually could format floppies under HT-11, its variant of RT-11.
So much potential, and they blew it all on petty BS like that.
- jacquesm 12y agoIt's easy enough to see the mistakes of yesteryear in hindsight but there is plenty of similar behaviour today. Everybody that sells objects really yearns for a subscription model and everybody that sells objects through a subscription model would like to have a subscription based service model, and failing that they'd like some advertising money to go with their other offerings. And some companies want all of those at the same time.
- WalterBright 12y agoHindsight? Everyone knew that floppy thing was a mistake the moment it was unveiled. People actually laughed.