Who was first?

From: Vintage Computer Festival <vcf_at_siconic.com>
Date: Sat Jan 24 13:45:04 2004

On Sat, 24 Jan 2004, Ernest wrote:

> I know that this is a bit like comparing apples and oranges but I was
> wondering who did what first?
>
> Phoenix produced a legal clone of IBM's system Bios, which enabled other
> companies to produced cheaper clones of the IBM PC.
>
> V-tech produced a legal clone of the Apple II+ ROMs, which it used in
> the Laser 128 (the only legal clone of the Apple II.)
>
> I'm guessing that Phoenix was first, and Laser followed their example
> when it decided to clone Apple's ROM codes. Is this correct? Did Phoenix
> set an example for the whole industry?

I'm not sure (my guess is Phoenix since the Laser didn't come out until
around 1983/84) but I'm pretty sure "cleanroom" reverse engineering has
been around longer than that.

-- 
Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
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Received on Sat Jan 24 2004 - 13:45:04 GMT

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