what like Digital Research and Seattle Computer?
at the time, microsoft was a company who could do it cheaper and better and in fact IBM did go to Digital Research first, but they didn't seem very professional so the young and dribbling Gates slimed his way into the deal.
In fact microsoft's ability to do these things cheaper and better but to actually do them in a half arsed and expensive way is the result of their success in the long run.
[ January 15, 2003: Message edited by: Calum ]