If you could change one event in computing history...

[LaBang]

This idea was stolen from another forum.

You can only change one event, not the end result.

Oh, and nothing nasty like wishing the death of someone.


Mine would be: IBM not accepting M$ terms for licensing DOS (which they didn't even have yet!).

 

[Rallispec]

that whole napster thing a few year ago...

i would have changed it so that the music industry didnt care and let us do what we want.

 

[ScoobMaster]

IBM's (non) marketing of OS/2

 

[UltraQuiet]

Commodores non-marketing of the Amiga. What a great platform.

 

[Nemesis77]

Originally posted by: LaBang
Mine would be: IBM not accepting M$ terms for licensing DOS (which they didn't even have yet!).

Same here. Or maybe the "non-punishment" ruling of one of the MS-antitrust-cases.

 

[propellerhead]

The invention of computer viruses, trojan horses, worms... that kind of stuff.

 

[desy]

Apple releasing the licence for their HW so it could have became a cheaper platform and blow the PC outa the water

 

[FoBoT]

apple/steve jobs deciding to be a hardware company instead of concentrating on OS/software

^ *jinx* ^

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: desy
Apple releasing the licence for their HW so it could have became a cheaper platform and blow the PC outa the water

They did that. There were 5 or 6 companies making mac compatible computers a few years back, but I guess Apple thought it wasn't working out, so they stopped that.

 

[LaBang]

Originally posted by: notfred

Originally posted by: desy
Apple releasing the licence for their HW so it could have became a cheaper platform and blow the PC outa the water

They did that. There were 5 or 6 companies making mac compatible computers a few years back, but I guess Apple thought it wasn't working out, so they stopped that.

Yeah, I think that they did it too late. If they had done it in 1985 it might have worked out. But at the time apple did it, they depended upon their hardware sales and their hardware being tightly integrated with their OS. So they took the SUN route.

 

[vi edit]

Make windows fall under the GNU GPL?

 

[desy]

Yep, too late , if they did it it in say 88 or so . . .. . .

 

[Viper GTS]

You'd be hearing my name associated with id software instead of Carmack's.

Carmack is God.



Viper GTS

 

[Colt45]

i kind of wish the internet was mostly "for geeks by geeks" instead of what it is now.

anything you can profit off will be exploited i guess :-/

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: DaveSohmer
Commodores non-marketing of the Amiga. What a great platform.

I was thinking:
The demise of CBM never occurring. Whether it be an Amiga platform that kept up the competition, or something else (The C-1024, baby! ), I wonder how things would be different if CBM were still here.

I know they are, sort of, but they really don't count.

 

[UNCjigga]

How about if Xerox PARC/Bell Labs/Berkeley University had adopted GNU-like public licensing schemes for their operating systems (BSD/UNIX?) back in the late 70s/early 80s?

 

[yakko]

Xerox realizing the full potential of their GUI and mouse creations.

 

[hoihtah]

i'm thinking... making pr0n-free internet.
but that seems to be an end result rather than one event.

and besides... that would leave 75% of you guys without a webpage to visit.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Have Moore's Law state that computing power would double every 18 days.....and be true EDIT:Can you imagine the upgrade cycle

 

[kranky]

I would have used tri-state bits (0, 1, -1).

 

[Cyberian]

Mine would be: IBM not accepting M$ terms for licensing DOS (which they didn't even have yet!).

That sounds like an interesting premise!
I worked for IBM at the time, but knew absolutely nothing about those talks.

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
You'd be hearing my name associated with id software instead of Carmack's. Carmack is God. Viper GTS

Good call, though I'd have chosen to be the silent partner of pre-1998 Microsoft/Bill Gates -- Just a silent executive, raking in the dough!



Actually, I just would have joined AT forums before Oct 1999.

 

[Beau]

Or maybe change Windows to have been an open source shareware

 

[chuckieland]

3dfx moving from just chip maker into a video card maker
this move maybe responsible of the 3dfx downfall
and i love 3dfx

 

[LaBang]

Originally posted by: Cyberian

Mine would be: IBM not accepting M$ terms for licensing DOS (which they didn't even have yet!).

That sounds like an interesting premise!
I worked for IBM at the time, but knew absolutely nothing about those talks.

Cool, how was it working for IBM back then? Was it really like a business cult like it is made out to be? Was there a dress code, company songs,..? Were you expected to wash your car and play golf on sundays?