Microsoft was originally contracted by IBM to develop an operating system for PC. Yes, THE original IBM PC that gave PC it's name. The IBM PC/DOS {and MSDOS} are basically results of this (they completed with CP/M and DR-DOS).

Microsoft and IBM had a partnership on PC operating systems until they parted with IBM OS/2 and Windows NT

I'm typing all of this from memory so go to Wikipedia for accurate shit

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

And IBM asked for Microsoft to do the operating system because they had just survived an anti trust trial, and didn't dare release a system with their own OS for fear of reigniting the anti trust case

Otherwise PCs would have shipped with Unix

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Considering the hardware of the PC, fat chance Unix would run. They'd have to make a very cut down somewhat unix- resembling OS

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Unix ran on weaker hardware than the 80286. Unix is old