[Coco] The CoCo Crew Podcast -- Episode 35 is available!

[Francis Swygert]

Salvador hit the nail on the head -- the intro of the IBM PC (XT) was the nail in the coffin for all the other, smaller computer manufacturers. IBM had an "open system" -- they used more or less off-the-shelf components that were readily available, then published full specs so anyone could make hardware and software for it without special licensing or development kits. The exact opposite of Apple! That eventually led to headaches for IBM, as they quickly lost control of the market. That's why they tried to introduce a proprietary buss some years later... can't remember what it was now... that quickly flopped because no one wanted to go back to proprietary hardware. It (proprietary systems) worked for Apple all these years, but they never have had the market penetration of the PC Clones. Probably as much as IBM itself, but when they came out with that open system it didn't take long for other manufacturers to jump in and play! IBM legitimized the computer as a business machine, which is probably their largest contribution to the PC revolution.  Frank Swygert
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