[Tfug] Microsoft reportedly wants open source software users topay rolyalties

[Joe Blais]

>
> Funny.  Remember how MS got started?  Before DOS, their main business
> was modifying and copyrighting open source software, mainly BASIC
> interpreters.
>
> In the early 1980s, IBM had people who could create DOS-like operating
> systems.  In fact, in the 1960s IBM had a mainframe O/S called DOS.
> There was no reason for IBM  to go to MS.
>
> Felix

Didn't M$ in fact buy or lease DOS, Mr Bill didn't develop it at all.  IBM
went to Kilgore (?) for his Digital Research Disk Operating System.  He
didn't want to sign some high powered confidentiality agreement with IBM, so
IBM went to Mr Bill who, like you say, was doing BASIC for them.  Bill then
went - I forget to who - and licensed DOS, and sold it to IBM under  the MS
brand.

So, Bill didn't develop much himself - but I wouldn't want to play Monopoly
with him!

Joe