According to the report, "it would seem that the creation of Microsoft was largely supported, not least financially, by the NSA, and that IBM was made to accept the (Microsoft) MS-DOS operating system by the same administration".

Link

-- Zdude (zdude777@hotmail.com), February 20, 2000

Answers

I remember back when the IBM PC was developed, IBM went to Digital Research (DR) to have them port the CPM operating system to their new PC. CPM was the standard operating system of many computers at the time. DR and IBM could not agree to work together, and IBM was approached by Microsoft, a then small software developer of programming languages for the Apple computer. Bill Gates essentially copied CPM and sold it to IBM as the DOS for the IBM-PC.

I don't believe there was a conspiracy here, just a small ruthless company taking advantage of a blunder by a large competitor.

This doesn't mean that the various representatives of the FedGov goon squads haven't "encouraged" backdoors and other security flaws in Microsoft programs in recent years. If anything, these homegrown Gestapo types in the FBI, ATF, DEA, IRS, and NSA are kicking themselves for not doing more to make computer software less standardized, restricting access to computers and the internet, etc.

-- Bryan (BryanL@aol.com), February 20, 2000.

Nothing like Strong Encryption to spoil their day!

-- ~~~~ (Losing it @ Lost it .com), February 20, 2000.

Losing it,

What do you do if it turns out that your encryption software has a special NSA backdoor, too? (You're already using OS software that has a backdoor for the NSA .)

-- bz (beezee@statesville.net), February 20, 2000.

PGP encryption has always offered their
source code for perusal. No backdoors.

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), February 21, 2000.

If my recollection is correct, IBM approached Microsoft, not the other way around. Also, Microsoft bought MS-DOS from a small company named Seattle Computing (or something like that) for a small price, then Licensed it to IBM.

Like him or not, that Gates is one clever fellow, especially when it comes to using the law against competitors!

-- Flash (flash@flash.flash), February 21, 2000.