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The missing element here is: there were A LOT of small companies pushing microcomputer hardware and software products in the late 70's, Gates and Microsoft were
by marktangotango 12y ago
The missing element here is: there were A LOT of small companies pushing microcomputer hardware and software products in the late 70's, Gates and Microsoft were pretty much indistinguishable from the field.
Anecdota: My Father used to subscribe to the Wall Street journal during this time, and him and I observed the whole thing play out. There no indication, none what so ever that Microsoft would win out the way they did. It was all really remarkable.
- WalterBright 12y agoI and a number of my friends thought DEC would dominate the business! After all, DEC had an enormous head start with the LSI-11, RT-11, mature compilers, etc. I had an H-11 computer. If there ever was a computer company that squandered a golden opportunity, it was DEC.
- hyperpallium 12y agoBut weren't they the first to sell software for personal computers? (of course, DOS was their big break)
- rjaco31 12y agoIt's more sheer luck with their deal with IBM for doing an OS (which wasn't even their core business).