Heaven/TQA Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 "Atari had contracted with a young programmer named Bill Gates to modify a Basic compiler that he had for another system to be used on the 800. After that project stalled for over a year Al was called upon to replace him with another developer. So, while Al is the only person I know ever to have fired Bill Gates, I suspect that rather than work on Atari Basic, Gates was spending all his time on DOS for IBM. Probably not a bad career choice for him, do you think?" http://www.gooddealgames.com/interviews/int_David_Crane.html btw. anybody knows what the DPC Chip is all about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin242 Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 I thought the problem with Microsoft Basic on the Atari 8 bit's was that it required too much memory for a cartridge? I rem I had the floppy version. As far as Bill Gates "working" on MS-DOS, MS-DOS was just bought for a song from someone else. It wasnt like Bill was sitting in a room someplace coming up with the idea, like everything MS has ever done, MSDOS weas simply another person's idea and they acquired or stole everything else as time went by... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 I acquired the unfinished prototype. It also goes some way to explaining the dreaded screens we see on todays systems... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almost Rice Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 It also goes some way to explaining the dreaded screens we see on todays systems... 967583[/snapback] Maybe thats where he came up with the BSOD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foebane Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 It also goes some way to explaining the dreaded screens we see on todays systems... 967583[/snapback] Maybe thats where he came up with the BSOD. 967591[/snapback] Except the Atari BSOD has a nicer shade of blue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foebane Posted November 17, 2005 Share Posted November 17, 2005 (edited) Duplicate post. Edited November 17, 2005 by Foebane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaGtGruff Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 It also goes some way to explaining the dreaded screens we see on todays systems... 967583[/snapback] Maybe thats where he came up with the BSOD. 967591[/snapback] Except the Atari BSOD has a nicer shade of blue... 967663[/snapback] Hmm, I thought there was an interesting sense of color familiarity in the BSOD! By the way, Foebane, I like your avatar-- it's an image from TMCOG, right? I have almost all of the series on tape, except I screwed up and missed an episode or three somewhere near the end. :-( Michael Rideout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emkay Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 Heaven, what are the thoughts behind : "if that's really the truth..."? All I can say: ATARI (the original) isn't anymore, while MS is one of the biggest companies around the world. I bet, Gates never have had thrown the 7800 to the floor (as Tramiel did).... He would have tried to make it a PC (by software)from scratch. They better never had fired him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted November 18, 2005 Author Share Posted November 18, 2005 i mean if the story is truth that gates worked as contractor... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emkay Posted November 18, 2005 Share Posted November 18, 2005 i mean if the story is truth that gates worked as contractor... 967886[/snapback] Ja was wäre denn dann ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmel_andrews Posted November 21, 2005 Share Posted November 21, 2005 Microsoft is the new Atari (so far as their games hardware is concerned) so at least we have one AMERICAN games hardware manuf. to take on all that JAP CRAP (Sony, nintendo etc, etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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