Computer Confederation: A Computer TL

Mircosoft entered the OS business in 1980 with Xenix, a Unix-based OS, it had moderate success, they started developing a DOS operating System known as MS-DOS, they just needed a computer to provide the OS On, they almost got it with IBM in November of 1980 but negotiations went sour when IBM decided to exclusively use Digital Researches CP/M-86s OS instead, Mircosoft without a computer to supply MS-DOS with decided to scrap the project.
 
1982-1984

The IBM PC released, it was a success despite minor flaws in the OS, Two years later, Apple released the Apple Lisa, it was an absolute Commercial Failure despite the innovative GUI and were trailing behind competitors such as the Commodore 64 and the IBM PC, as a last ditch effort Steve Jobs would be in-charge of a whole new project, The Apple Macintosh this would be Steve Job's Last chance to have any sort of control in the company as many were starting to distrust him including CEO John Sculley, in October 1983 the Macintosh would be revealed with a release date of 1984, Sculley unhappy with Steve Jobs oversaw development of another Project, The Apple GD (Short for Golden Delicious), The Apple GD mixed elements of the Apple II in with the idea of a GUI, The Macintosh sold well but not enough to satisfy Apple and Jobs left the Company soon after its release, The Apple GD was Apple's last chance to make a profit, innovative ideas such as a color GUI,contributed to the GD being sold less as a business computer and more for recreation akin to the Commodore or Atari features such as once you insteted the floppy the program would instantly start off, this would coin the term "Convenience Entertainment" as the GD did not require much to set-up and its programs loaded fast and it was a machine ahead of its time

Meanwhile Mircosoft its MS-DOS scrapped started to decide to get into a hardware business, it started development of a Computer known as the Mircosoft Estate, it was a computer for Business and its OS, Mircosoft Windows would be just that, many considered it to be a "Business Commodore" as programs would be loaded on a floppy and many functions were extremely similar to the Commodore such as lacking a GUI.
 
1982-1984



Meanwhile Mircosoft its MS-DOS scrapped started to decide to get into a hardware business, it started development of a Computer known as the Mircosoft Estate, it was a computer for Business and its OS, Mircosoft Windows would be just that, many considered it to be a "Business Commodore" as programs would be loaded on a floppy and many functions were extremely similar to the Commodore such as lacking a GUI.

Love the idea of a software company run by a Serbian immigrant.
 
1985-1988:

Apple:
With the success of the Apple GD, Apple would release the Apple GD II in 1986, this machine would carve Apples dominance in the Gaming Industry, a new feature of the Apple GD II would be a book containing a Programming language which would allow people to develop their own games alongside many other successful titles such as SimCity and Tetris

Mircosoft:
With moderate success of the Mircosoft Estate, they would release the Mircosoft Kick in 1987, this was a GUI Computer, again designed for enterprise and major Business usage, this was a commercial failure due to Bugs and the system, and it would frequently overheat or crash as a result many business used competitor computers instead, this forced Mircosoft back into the Software Business, they approached Sega with an offer that Sega had never gotten before, a 16-bit Gaming PC, Sega accepted and it would be sold as the successor to the Sega Master System

IBM:
After the IBM PC, they decided to continue their partnership with Digital Research and made the IBM PC 2, however many would consider the IBM PC 2 Outdated for its time as it had no GUI, it only sold about 300,000 Units so IBM ended their partnership with Digital Research and sought to create a Business oriented Machine which the market was clear for after Mircosoft withdrew from the Hardware Business

Others:
Atari slowly withdrew from the Gaming industry with the failure of the Atari 5200, so they start development on an OS,Commodore would remain largely dormant with no Computers released.
 
Sounds like an Apple monopoly in the making:

Apple: successful PC, if not oriented to business (yet)
Microsoft: goes into game consoles
IBM: loosing their market share
Atari: developing an OS for what PC?
 
1988-1990:

Apple:
After the successful Apple GD II, they released the Apple GD Pro in 1988, while not as successful as the Apple GD II it would give IBM a run for their money on the Business sector and would be released to moderate success selling about 3 Million Units

IBM:
In dire straits, IBM turned to Atari, Atari agreed to put their OS on their new computer the IBM PC 2GS the OS was known as the Atari Wine, The IBM PC 2GS was advertised as a "Computer for Everything" and was somewhat successful as a result Ataris and IBMs partnership would last to this day

Mircosoft-Sega:
Mircosoft agreed to give the new Sega console a 16-bit User interface, this made it the first ever console to do so, it even had a early CD Disc Drive allowing both Music and Games to be played on the console,the Console was announced as the "Microsoft-Sega Xbox" and competed with Nintendo's SNES, the console was an international Success and the Xbox would be mass advertised on practically every TV station and magazine, Some of the Xboxes Launch titles like Sonic the Hedgehog and Mortal Kombat showed the consoles graphical capabilities and over 10 million units were sold this gave both companies the money they needed badly.
 
Top