Micro$oft Biz'droid Lusers (was: OT email response format)

From: ajp166 <ajp166_at_bellatlantic.net>
Date: Sun Apr 21 12:59:26 2002

To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Date: Sunday, April 21, 2002 1:28 PM


The whole mid 80s thing with workstations was a disaster in many respects
as everyone was trying to put more processor in a box and unix was the OS
of
choice as it was easily ported and offered most of the higher level OS
functions
that stuff like DOS was clueless about. The problem was unix was easily
ported
though it didn't make for portable apps, usually due to underlying
hardware or
even the basic processor. In that respect CP/M and DOS made it easier as
at least if it was CP/M-80 you knew your base cpu was 8080/z80 and if it
was
DOS you could bet on 808x. Unix back then meant MIPS, VAX, PDP-11,
SUN/sparc, 68000, Z8000, and a few dozen I likely missed.

>I've got about half-a-dozen of the free assembler/simulator/debugger
packages
>for Windows some of which come along with compilers for PL/M, Pascal,
and 'C.'
>I'm certainly not surprised that there are UNIX tools of that sort
around,
>since the 805x core has been around since '84 or so, when I started with
it.
>Back then, BTW, there was no Windows, nor was there much freeware. I
used
>UNIX on SUN hardware back then and it cost $100K a year for the
personnel
>needed to keep the rather small SUN system running. The typical EDA
software
>package cost over $200K and was patched about once a month, resulting in
about
>ten days' downtime per patch.


Note the 8051 is 1981.

I started with that chip using freeware under CP/M-80 and still use most
of those
tools. When there was a requirement I'd use a commercial compiler from
Avocet
systems a relatively inexpesive package back then. The idea that PCs
were a
unversal platform and was foreign to me until the vary late 80s ('89!).
Even then
DOS was the default not winders, assuming it wasn't SCO unix or the like.

In the end a lot has been forgotten about the timeframe from 82 to about
88
where there was not just a little flux in the market and the PC was only
one
player.

>happily went back to CP/M, which served much better, in my view.
>Unfortunately, there was little freeware of any use for CP/M just as
there is
>for Windows. The OS was not available in source form, nor was it likely
you'd


Actually there was but the problem of incompatable media was crippling
unless
you had the majik 8"sssd box. The realy 80s was an explosive time for
CP/M-80 software if you could get it in a form you could use. There was
a
large amount stuff published, but typing in 8-10 pages of listing was
often
a good reason not to persue it. What was also a bonus was the amount of
cheapware (low cost), stuff that was good but, cheap to buy.

>find source code for any application that was of any use. Back then, if
you
>wanted development software tools that worked pretty well, you bought
>Microsoft compilers, assemblers, linkers, etc. Their stuff worked, was
>adequately documented, etc.


Actually back (pre 83ish) then MS was a language and development tool
house
and I'd say a fairly decent one at the time.

>Nothing lasts forever, though.


Roger that!

Allison
Received on Sun Apr 21 2002 - 12:59:26 BST