CS 1 – Triumph of the Nerds, Volume 2 Riding The Bear
Late 1970’s
1. The top computer company in the world was IBM, who made mostly mainframe
computers.
2. IBM was not currently in the microcomputer (PC) market.
3. It was possible for IBM to develop a PC in a year because it was open architecture, nonIBM, off-the-shelf parts.
4. Two essential types of computer software is a computer language and an operating
system software.
1980
5. Microsoft was a primary supplier for computer languages like BASIC and Assembler.
6. The primary supplier of operating systems was Gary Kildall of Digital Research, with their
operating system CP/M (Control Program/Monitor).
7. After Garly Kildall turned IBM away IBM went back to Microsoft. Microsoft looked for an
operating system because they did not want to lose IBM’s computer language business
and applications like Typing Tutor.
8. QDOS was originally developed by Tim Patterson, which was similar to CP/M.
9. Microsoft did not have an operating system, so they purchased QDOS from Seattle
Computer Products for $50,000.
1981
10. August, 1981, IBM launched the Personal Computer (PC) with the PC-DOS operating
system from Microsoft.
11. The IBM name made it okay for corporate America (and everyone else) to buy PCs.
12. The killer application for the IBM PC was the spreadsheet application software Lotus 1-23.
13. Microsoft got a flat-fee for PC-DOS, but did not have control of Microsoft selling it to other
companies.
14. To copy the IBM PC was to clone it. That means all software that will run on an IBM
computer will run on this non-IBM computer.
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November 1982
15. Compaq was the first company to “clone” the IBM PC.
16. The only part that was IBM’s alone was the ROM BIOS chip, which connected the
hardware to the software.
17. In technology things get less expensive every year and it does more.
1985
18. Prices were going down 30% every 6 months.
19. Where did every clone maker but their operating system software? Microsoft (MS-DOS)
20. IBM was losing business to the clones that sold the same product but cheaper.
Late 1980’s
21. IBM decided on a new operating system called OS/2, which would be developed by
Microsoft.
22. KLOC is a 1,000 lines of code. IBM paid Microsoft based on how many lines of code they
wrote. If a program can be written with less lines of code, it will take up less memory and
run faster, but Microsoft would be paid less.
23. Microsoft was also working on Windows, which was a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for
MS-DOS. Windows was designed to compete against the Macintosh with its GUI.
1990
24. Microsoft and IBM broke off their deal for OS/2, which ran on the IBM proprietary
computer, PS/2.
25. IBM’s OS/2 and the PS/2 was a failure.
26. The founder of Oracle Software is Larry Ellison.
27. Windows version 3.0 was the first successful GUI/operating system for Microsoft.
28. The first Apple Macintosh commercial was aimed at IBM, but they should have been
worried about Microsoft.
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