TRS-80

My dad was into computers like when no one was into computers.

So I grew up, you know, with a, if you even remember, a TRS-80 Model 1.

These things were, you were coding to a cassette tape.

Not even a floppy drive.

There were a few French computers out there, but they were not particularly relevant.

There was actually a French computer that was kind of a TRS-80 variant as well.

That was a joint venture, again, with RadioShack and some others.

So what are they going to do? Apple's legal advisors figured something out.

Yeah.

TRS 80.

Uh, oh hey, we slid- we slid into Star Wars.

Wasn't paying attention.

We do know from interviews that he insisted on keeping the clause that allowed Microsoft to license DOS for all other OEMs in exchange for IBM paying a premium.

In hindsight, that clause is what kept the next generation of PCs–from Tandy’s TRS 80 clones to HP’s three thousands series-- from becoming a sunk cost in the market and instead turning into a revenue engine for Microsoft An important takeaway is that founders must not lose sight of what they are handing over.

When you sell an exclusive license to software, you’re giving up the right to be the sole provider on future iterations of hardware.

In the mid eighties, as IBM was the de facto platform provider for business PCs, Gates understood that locking Microsoft out of later OEM contracts would be akin to surrendering a key piece of infrastructure to a single entity Looking forward to twenty twenty four, Microsoft’s brand is dominated by cloud and AI ,services that depend on vast distributed computing resources.

People in the chat are suggesting the old school computers that they're going to buy this guy.

Commodore 64, a Radio Shack TRS-80.

Remember the old days when they had the green screens? Oh, yeah.

Apple I, maybe an Apple II.