That's a very... generous framing. An older, better Arstechnica article, citing Steve Balmer. It was a relationship Microsoft only maintained so long as IBM was the biggest threat. Microsoft...
But Microsoft was frustrated with some of IBM’s goals and demands
“It was what we used to call at the time ‘Riding the Bear.' You just had to try to stay on the bear’s back, and the bear would twist and turn and try to throw you off, but we were going to stay on the bear, because the bear was the biggest, the most important… you just had to be with the bear, otherwise you would be under the bear.”
It was a relationship Microsoft only maintained so long as IBM was the biggest threat. Microsoft rightly saw the cheaper clones as the path to topple IBM, so the severed when the time was right to make that play.
The only real reason Microsoft won and IBM didn't is that IBM didn't see the writing on the wall for the PC clones eating them alive and pivot to avoid losing it all.
I really like all the visuals and details in this more thorough article that was linked: https://virtuallyfun.com/2024/02/26/an-actual-look-at-microsoft-os-2-2-0/
That's a very... generous framing. An older, better Arstechnica article, citing Steve Balmer.
It was a relationship Microsoft only maintained so long as IBM was the biggest threat. Microsoft rightly saw the cheaper clones as the path to topple IBM, so the severed when the time was right to make that play.
The only real reason Microsoft won and IBM didn't is that IBM didn't see the writing on the wall for the PC clones eating them alive and pivot to avoid losing it all.
I really like all the visuals and details in this more thorough article that was linked: https://virtuallyfun.com/2024/02/26/an-actual-look-at-microsoft-os-2-2-0/