Re: [tlug] Re: [OT] Say _no_ to the Microsoft Office format as an ISO standard

["Josh Glover" <jmglov@example.com>]

On 09/07/07, david.blomberg@example.com
<david.blomberg@example.com> wrote:

> While normally hard to disagree with much that Josh has to say.

Actually, none of the stuff you are disagreeing with came from me. :)

Which is why lines like this are useful:

"On 08/0707 15:59, Ken <burlingk@example.com> wrote:"

> > When they first created DOS, it WAS Gates that did most of
> > the work on that project.
>
> Created? Actually bought it was a shareware version from my
> understanding.

It was not shareware, it was a commercial product; but yes, the
product that became MS-DOS was originally called QDOS:

"MS-DOS began as QDOS (for Quick and Dirty Operating System), written
by Tim Paterson for computer manufacturer Seattle Computer Products
(SCP) in 1980. It was marketed by SCP as 86-DOS because it was
designed to run on the Intel 8086 processor. 86-DOS function calls
were based on the dominant CP/M-80 operating system, written by
Digital Research, but it used a different file system. In a sequence
of events that would later inspire much folklore, Microsoft negotiated
a license for 86-DOS from SCP in December 1980 for $25,000, then
re-licensed 86-DOS to IBM. Microsoft then acquired all rights to
86-DOS for only $50,000 from SCP in July, 1981, shortly before the
PC's release." [1]

> As for the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.  They do some good but
> they do a lot of bad.  Democracy Now ran some news on it a few months
> back, (they are pretty far left but you need some balance to go with the
> rest of the news) that showed the Gate foundation donates to pharms and
> others causing harm more than 10 X the amount they give to the poor. The
> same went for Buffet and the rest.  The only reason mentioned was that
> those investments had a good return rate.

I have more of a bone to pick with Big Pharma than most, but I would
really question your data.

The Wikipedia article appears pretty balanced:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation

Check out the Criticisms section:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_%26_Melinda_Gates_Foundation#Criticisms

I really have no problem with any of that, not in light of the
tremendous amounts of money being brought to bear, in what I consider
a very efficient and reasonable fashion, on global poverty and health.

Cheers,
Josh

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ms-dos#History