Chapter 581 If You Want to Enter My Territory, You Need to Be Certified

"Microsoft engineers, have you launched a new work yet?" Tang Huan made a gesture of surprise, wondering what card Gates was going to play.

"It's not a brand new software. In 1979, Microsoft obtained a license from AT&T and then developed it based on it." Gates explained carefully.

"I see." Tang Huan nodded suddenly.

Strictly speaking, Microsoft's tentacles into the field of operating systems did not start with ms-, but with this lineage-because in this transaction, Microsoft did not get from AT&T to use "" in the product name. "Authorization, this has a plausible new name.

Originally, Gates and Gary Kildare had a tacit understanding, and Microsoft's and Digital Research's cp/m cooperated with each other in their respective programming tools and operating systems to form an alliance.

In the early days of the development of the personal computer industry, this mechanism undoubtedly brought considerable benefits to both parties. It is a pity that the so-called friendship still cannot stand the test of interests.

It is meaningless to investigate who is the first to cross the border. The fact is that both parties have riveted a nail in the traditional territory of the other's products.

In 1980, Microsoft released a version for 16-bit systems, which can run on the popular model pdp-11, and first met Microsoft's own needs.

Gein In the early days of the development of personal computers, various hardware platforms emerged one after another, although the galloping horses were very lively. But there were also troubles at a loss.

From a programmer's point of view. Lack of a stable standard platform. In order to develop programs suitable for all types of personal computer system environments on this basis.

The common solution at that time was to simulate the operation on the model according to the different CPUs used by the personal computer.

Because pdp-11 has a highly regularized instruction set design, which makes it easy for programmers to remember all opcodes and methods of specifying operators, it is favored by developers and is naturally supported by Microsoft first.

Gates developed] ￠] ￠] ￠] ￠, m.x-on:↗om, the main goal of course is targeting the personal computer, a platform that he has worked on for many years.

only. Microsoft's technical strength is really limited. Letting the compiler support various personal computer platforms one by one has exhausted the programmers. It is impossible to put more resources into the cp/m strong competition. The field of personal computer operating systems where revenue is not expected.

that's it,

The sales strategy Gates formulated is that Microsoft does not sell it directly to end customers, but licenses it to companies such as Intel, Tangdy, Gatos, and Santa Cruz in the form of OEMs, allowing them to target specific hardware. Structure, expand further code porting.

When Microsoft embraces ibm's thigh, it only needs to be ibm-a hardware architecture relatively easily. After developing ms-, an operating system with simple functions, Gates' interest in the Internet has obviously faded.

but. Big Blue was not so easy to serve. When it found that ms- could not provide support for multitasking, large memory, and graphical user interface that became more and more popular on the ibm- platform, it was beaten by Fangyuan personal computer. After that, they decided to start anew and jointly develop a new and more powerful operating system.

Naturally, Gates had no choice to refuse. At the same time, he also deeply felt the crisis of being abandoned, so he hurriedly looked for a way out.

It's impossible. Although I have learned a lot from Apple, there has been little progress. The release schedule that was previously released to combat possible coveting of the ibm-operating system site has really become a smoke bomb.

Fortunately, there are a lot of big deceptions in the personal computer industry in order to attract investment, and Gates will not be so ashamed that he dare not go out under the condemnation of thousands of people.

But because of this, when Gates tried to suggest to ibm to develop a new operating system planned by the other party as a basis, he was rejected by the other party without trust.

Just when Gates thought he couldn't find a way out, Steve Ballmer, who was tortured so much that his hair fell out and took another step towards the bald state, suggested that he might as well pay attention to those who had been left out before.

It turns out that in just a few years, the veteran of the operating system--has also undergone considerable changes.

As early as the 1950s, AT&T planned to join the vigorous era of large-scale computers, but at that time, the U.S. Department of Justice, which was alert to its unshakable monopoly in the field of communications but had no way to start, temporarily connived to continue Monopoly conditions prevent it from getting involved in the computer industry.

However, as the fate of AT&T being broken up became more and more irreversible in the late 1970s, as a compensation, the US Department of Justice began to allow it to get involved in the computer industry.

AT&T was ambitious in this regard, as can be seen from its split plan, which retained Western Electric in order to enter the computer field.

When Tang Huan sought to acquire Pacific Bell, as a bargaining chip, AT&T obtained most of the authorization from Fangyuan Computer and had the hardware foundation, while the software naturally fell on the operating system.

In 1979, the year Microsoft licensed it from AT&T, the last year that research versions could be freely distributed, Bell Labs released version 7.

Since then, AT&T has been working on a commercial version, and in 1981 developed the first version based on the seventh edition—a commercial-only version that included limited support for architecture-based microprocessors. Fangyuan Server and Fangyuan Workstation.

In 1988, AT&T released an enhanced version——. Full support for Fangyuan servers and Fangyuan workstations based on architecture microprocessors.

Speak from the heart. For the work of AT&T. Tang Huan was not satisfied. Gein, these big brothers are slow to respond and cannot adapt to the explosive progress of the computer industry in this era.

Due to historical reasons, supercomputers, mainframes, and minicomputers have a wide range of users, and people's habits are the most difficult to change, let alone these elites in the computer industry.

Therefore, the Vientiane operating system that competes for Fangyuan servers and Fangyuan workstations in the high-end application field cannot win the favor of all users.

In order to accommodate them. AT&T's is a great addition. But although it has been transplanted, there is still a big gap between it and Vientiane in terms of function.

For this reason, Tang Huan privately funded the same research and development of the University of California, Berkeley, but the user license is very loose - the bsd project, and kept drawing blood - constantly recruiting people from this team into his company.

With the parallel development of these two lines, the support for Fangyuan servers and Fangyuan workstations has become more and more perfect, which has also led to the support for low-end Fangyuan personal computers.

At AT&T-based Microsoft, the progress has been most impressive.

On its authorized list, Altus launched a version suitable for its own intel8086 personal computer in early 1988, and other companies also realized support for the z8001-based, Motorola personal computer. Not even the Lisa, which Apple couldn't sell. There are also people willing to do code porting.

The licensing company that has the closest cooperation relationship with Microsoft is-Santa Cruz Operations.

The company was run by -- Doug Michels and his father -- Larry Michels. Registered and established in January 1979, its main business is transplantation and providing software consultants.

Just in early 1984, the Santa Cruz operation was successfully ported to the Fangyuan personal computer platform.

Accompanied by Steve Ballmer, Gates went to Santa Cruz to work and confirm the results of this work, and he couldn't help being a little dumbfounded, thinking that the other party's professional ability is not stingy with his own Microsoft.

After being shocked, Gates immediately beamed with joy. This is a great opportunity for him!

You know, Gates has long coveted Fangyuan personal computer, the most popular and largest hardware platform. However, in comparison, ms-'s background is too bad. No matter how thick-skinned he is, he doesn't have the courage to set up a project and let his programmers transplant it to the Fangyuan personal computer platform.

But the lineage is different, and its advanced structure is recognized by everyone.

In Gates' view, if it can be promoted to the Fangyuan personal computer platform, then Microsoft can have both sides. No matter which side Fangyuan or IBM wins in the future, he will be sure to make a profit.

"When ibm- came into the market, it provided three operating systems -, cp/m-86, and -system, allowing users to choose freely, and the response was very good. If Fangyuan personal computer can also learn from this experience, it will definitely receive a lot of attention. Good feedback, at least it can attract users who are more interested in it.” Gates swam eagerly.

With a smile on his face, Tang Huan nodded frequently, listened very carefully, and seemed to appreciate it, but his evaluation of Gates' words in his heart was "it's a bunch of nonsense, go to the ghosts."

Previously, ibm- did provide three operating systems for users to choose from, but that was because Gary Kildare accused that ibm's-, that is, Microsoft's ms-, copied digital research company's cp/m.

In order to get ibm- on the market as soon as possible, Big Blue neutralized the mud and made cp/m-86 an optional operating system. In addition, adding a -system that is not very practical, it can be regarded as dumping all legal responsibilities to user.

But it is undeniable that this move gives more points to ibm, which more often shows its image as a monopoly market.

Due to the price factor, cp/m cannot attract users, and no one cares about the decoration of -system, and ms-of course becomes the biggest winner.

Later, IBM felt that this fancy display was really unnecessary, so it simply provided only one operating system.

The Fangyuan personal computer platform is clean, there are no such bad things at all, so there is no need to do such meaningless things. However, Gates's "attracting users who are more favorable to users" has such a reference value.

What Tang Huan really thought about was that if Microsoft was allowed to land on the Fangyuan personal computer platform, Gates, who had many choices, would become half-hearted in the development of the operating system.

In Tang Huan's eyes, Gates, who is concerned about gains and losses, is much cuter than Gates, who is fighting to the death.

In the original time and space, from the development of the compiler for the Altair computer in 1975 to the complete end of the desktop operating system competition in 1995, Microsoft has been step by step under the adversity of flattering IBM and fierce competition with other companies. Came to the top.

Looking at the current spreadsheet software market, how Microsoft's company is squeezed out by Lotus's - you can see how difficult it is.

Let Microsoft have a thought, and then make Gates in a state where there is no need to fight to the death, then even if it has achievements, it can only be a pawn driven by itself.

Thinking of this, in the anticipation of Gates, Tang Huan finally turned his head, "Okay, in principle, I welcome Microsoft's login to the Fangyuan personal computer platform."

Seeing the delighted look on Gates' face, Tang Huan immediately added: "However, the underlying system software such as the operating system is not a child's play, and needs to pass the certification of the Fangyuan Lab - the Portable Operating System Interface."

Tang Huan's meaning is simple: If you want to enter my territory to seek a living, you must follow my game rules and meet the necessary qualification certification.

It is a software running on the Fangyuan computer platform, and it must follow a set of standards including interactive interfaces.

To put it figuratively, Tang Huan is the only boss on the Fangyuan computer platform, and no one wants to monopolize a mountain here and become king on his own. An open data exchange channel must be realized.

Hearing this, Gates couldn't help showing embarrassment, because he had experienced the awesomeness of the certification system that Tang Huan created by taking advantage of his technological leadership.

Although after passing the certification, the packaging and interface of the product can be accompanied by exquisite Zheru and Fangyuan logos, which has greatly won the trust and favor of users, but the certification process is also quite painstaking, and sometimes it is even an invasion of corporate culture.

Take Microsoft's engineers as an example. Whenever a new version of a product is developed, technology fetishism will subconsciously break out, thinking about whether to pass the certification of Zheru or Fangyuan to prove their own strength.

"I don't know, how difficult is this certification?" Gates asked boldly.

"Microsoft has also gone through similar certifications. So don't worry, we will always promote this kind of work with a service attitude. Just logging on to the Fangyuan personal computer platform should not take more than three months."

After comforting Tang Huan for a while, he smiled and encouraged: "The fourth-generation Fangyuan personal computer with bit architecture is also welcome to log in."

"Oh, I have to jointly develop os/ with ibm, and at the same time I have to take into account the promising prospects. I seem to be too busy." After this thought flashed through his mind, Gates couldn't help being in a dilemma.

...

This month is a leap month, with 9 days, which reminds me that this book has been written for a year and a half, is it smelly and long? (To be continued.)