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What risks?
Crowds with pitchforks and burning (IBM) brands found their way to Armonk demanding an IBM PC. As recorded in the archives, the company's progress was almost as closely monitored as Edison's slow progress to inventing the light bulb.

So the product was presold. If anything, IBM underestimated its immediate popularity and expanding utility. Which probably accounts for the company's heedlessness about the potential commercial value of the operating system.

The BIOS, by the way, was replicated in clean rooms by the cloners and now is obsolete. It proved an ineffective barrier against competitors.

That's not to undervalue IBM's significance. But I think that the most important contribution was the imprimatur IBM provided, rather than any of the hardware or software components, which were either supplied or promptly replicated.
Posted by: Anton Philidor   Posted on: 10/01/08 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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I. B. Amazed  ShadowGIATL | 09/30/08
Not just that its mainstream or flooded...  jahcriado | 10/01/08
Don't be surprised...  betelgeuse68 | 09/30/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  Symbioxys | 09/30/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  davidr555 | 09/30/08
Read the blog description from the ZDNet "blog roll" page  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 10/01/08
You know, if you're going to insult someone ...  Ludovit | 10/01/08
In defense  davidr555 | 10/03/08
In Defense  ShadowGIATL | 10/03/08
So i was lunching with  TedKraan | 10/01/08
It used to be...  Henrik Moller | 10/01/08
IBMer  jcschweitzer | 10/01/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  blu_z | 10/01/08
IBM? Oh yeah, they used to make cash registers back when I was kid.  Letophoro | 10/01/08
They still do...  Henrik Moller | 10/01/08
I'm sure they do.  Letophoro | 10/01/08
The real message of this article  frgough | 10/01/08
No, I think the real message ...  Ludovit | 10/01/08
If Jason  frgough | 10/01/08
IBM, MS, and Apple should be taught in history classes  T1Oracle | 10/02/08
But he still called the boy who helped him an idiot  Roque Mocan | 10/01/08
IBM and Oracle  solomonrex | 10/01/08
re: Plus, this was in the South.  derbaff | 10/02/08
"... even before IBM created the PC ..."  Anton Philidor | 10/01/08
The "PC" as we know it today  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 10/01/08
What risks?  Anton Philidor | 10/01/08
PC BIOS  Henrik Moller | 10/01/08
BIOS replicated in the clean-room  Anton Philidor | 10/01/08
My guess is...  Henry Miller | 10/01/08
re: Today's Mac is a PC... I am a PC! happy  Roque Mocan | 10/01/08
That's great, but . . .  CobraA1 | 10/02/08
Why doesn't anyone else ever remember stuff from elementary?  T1Oracle | 10/02/08
The "PC"  ShadowGIATL | 10/03/08
Well, it depends...  wolf_z | 10/01/08
IBM, 9th most powerful brand  Anton Philidor | 10/01/08
#6 by 2008 numbers from same firm  jperlow ZDNet Moderator | 10/01/08
Coke should be #1  CobraA1 | 10/02/08
Itty-Bitty  Anton Philidor | 10/01/08
These kids.  People | 10/01/08
IBM is irrelevant ...  terry flores | 10/01/08
He's 14!  lumpy_blumpkin | 10/01/08
sorry, I think you're wrong  pikeman666 | 10/02/08
When I was 14 I still remembered my 1st PC, that IBM I had at age 10  T1Oracle | 10/02/08
I agree, he's only 14...  Narg | 10/02/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  e-Enki | 10/01/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  Haspyo | 10/01/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  onepersonsopinion@... | 10/01/08
Originally..  TedKraan | 10/02/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  imronak | 10/02/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  Chip Moody | 10/02/08
It's not 1970 anymore. It's the information age.  CobraA1 | 10/02/08
Hmmm.. can't agree with that  TedKraan | 10/03/08
As a Gen Y...... the answer is generally yes.  shryko | 10/02/08
He's American, alright! LOL  i2fun@... | 10/02/08
Why the problem?  Narg | 10/02/08
IBM is a nobody  R1scFactor | 10/02/08
heh  CobraA1 | 10/02/08
Very desktop minded  TedKraan | 10/03/08
I B Ugly  emenau | 10/02/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  cardinal4 | 10/03/08
Visacalc.. Wha?  digitalmorgan | 10/06/08
I... B... Outsourced...  tsudhonimh | 10/09/08
RE: I... B... Wha?  jliao | 10/10/08
It's a bit dumb, but I have some sympathy  tahrey | 11/07/08

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