Bonum Certa Men Certa

Microsoft: “Find a Way for [CompuAdd] to Recoup What They Have Paid to DRI, Then License with MS so That Not a Single DRI Machine Ever Ships”

DRI



Summary: What happened to DRI and to CompuAdd after a deal had been signed between this pair (another look at Microsoft's anti-competitive history)

TODAY's Comes vs Microsoft exhibit is Exhibit PX01010 (1991) [PDF]. It deals with what Microsoft did to DRI and it starts with a message from Tom to Brad Chase, the bully Brad Silverberg [1, 2, 3] (whom the brother of the world's largest patent troll writes to), and several other employees. To quote a portion from the beginning:

We are going to work this as though the Product Marketing were Authors writing a story, Program Management will be editors pointing part of the story they think the author missed and development and test being the background researchers.


Further down we see a message which was also sent to Joachim Kempin, the bully in charge of OEMs [1, 2]:

- Put me on their mailing list

2. Explore these possibilities:
- Find a way for them to recoup what they have paid to DRI, then license with MS so that not a single DRI machine ever ships



It's probably Microsoft's #1 innovation -- blocking competition (at CompuAdd in this case). Microsoft does similar things against GNU/Linux, so this is very relevant and worth filing below.






Appendix: Comes vs. Microsoft - exhibit PX01010, as text










From tomle Fri Oct 4 12:49:13 1991
To: bradc bradsi ericst jimla marionj richf tomle
Subject: Warteam Notes
Date: Fri, 04 Oct 91 12:39:37 PDT

The new Dos warteam met today to discuss how to proceed in developing a story against DR for Comdex. We all agreed that we turned up lots of info in our previous test that offered a lot of insight and formed the basis of the story we want to tell but was disjoint. We need to go further now and verify problems we think are significant. Our primary goal in this meeting was to develop a way to use the development and test resources in a focused way such that their efforts have the highest probability of developing into a significant story against DR. This effort, and the work items associated with it are assumed to be everyone's highest priority.

We are going to work this as though the Product Marketing were Authors writing a story, Program Management will be editors pointing part of the story they think the author missed and development and test being the background researchers. Developers/Testers will have two main tasks:

Verifying bugs/problems
Researching a feature
Product Marketing will


Take information at hand and information being developed and will prioritize what can be developed into a good story and what can't.
The general focus areas for development will be:
Disk Compression
SuperPCQuick
DR's A20 Handling
Novell/DR environment
Undelete


Work Items -- Owner


Check with Legal on how Close developers can get to DR-DOS before we have to shoot them. -- TomLe

Prioritize the problems found in our in-house testing and on the DR Compuserve forum -- RichF

Scan the Dos Bug database looking for stuff we had to fix that DR probably didn't -- EricSt

We will meet again tomorrow to go over progress.

Thanks.
Tom



########################## 499
From bradc Fri Oct 4 12:49:41 1991


To: bradsi
Subject: FW: CompuAdd Meeting
Date: Fri Oct 04 12:51:23 PDT 1991

fyi

>From ronh Thu Oct 3 15:35:41 1991
To: oemman
Subject: FW: CompuAdd Meeting

Date: Thu Oct 3 15:34:26 1991
>From bradc Thu Oct 3 14:04:35 1991


To: jeffl richardf ronh
Subject: FW: CompuAdd Meeting
Date: Thu Oct 03 13:59:10 PDT 1991

i know this probably goes without saying so pardon me on this one but we really need to be in the face of our oems a lot over the next couple of months - lots of friendly visits

please let me know if there are some oems where a visit from someone on my team could help
thanks

>From susandi Thu Oct 3 09:12:24 1991
To bradc joachimk johnj richardf ronh
Subject CompuAdd Meeting



Date Thu Sep 26 09:11:14 PDT 1991

Johnj and I visited CompuAdd on Tuesday, 1 October Our objectives

  • Confirm whether the CompuAdd Express/DRI deal was inked (It is.)
  • Understand the decision process and why Microsoft was not informed of the opportunity. Express Microsoft's concern (!!!!) about our partnership with CompuAdd
  • Identify next steps for regaining that business.
We had separate meetings with George Martin, Director of R&D (#2 man to CEO Bill Hayden), and Rick Krause, newly appointed President of CompuAdd Express. Rick negotiated the current agreement with Microsoft. What we discovered:
The Decision Process & Partnership

CompuAdd Express is a totally separate company from CompuAdd. The decision to go with DRI is final. We believe CompuAdd Express has committed to a 25k volume at around $9/unit. The decision was made in a very short time frame and solely by Rick Krause with approval by Bill Hayden. Rick went with DRI because it is cheap (under $10/unit), and it offers a way to differentiate (???) their systems from both their competitors and Compuadd. Rick didn't contact Microsoft because he assumed he already knew what our best price was based on the CompuAdd agreement negotiations, and he didn't see any point in getting into a bidding war. During our meeting, it became clear that Rick made this decision with no thought to key issues such as CompuAdd's existing pre-paid balance (over $800K and growing!!!), added support costs and customer acceptance of DRI -vs- MS DOS. He assumed that he could provide MS-DOS on special request by getting the MS-DOS via "distribution". He seemed surprised and concerned to learn that MS-DOS is available only via an OEM license.



Our meeting with George Martin went well. We stated that MS has previously considered CompuAdd a strategic partner, and that the move to DRI makes us wonder whether there was a partnership at all. "Why would a 'partner' not give us the opportunity to do business?" We raised the issue of the pre-paid balance, and asked why CompuAdd did not use this opportunity to reduce their (non refundable) pre-paid balance.

We also brought to their attention that the market will not separate "CompuAdd" from "CompuAdd Express"; any negative response to DRI and/or the Compu/Add Express line will accrue to both parties --CompuAdd *and* CompuAdd Express.

George Martin had no immediate response to either issue; he stated that it had not been CompuAdd's intention to jeapordize the relationship. He took notes.



Plans for Regaining the Business
1. Get Rick Krause's commitment to do these things:
- Meet with me each time I visit CompuAdd (once per month or more).
- Inform me of any press releases coupling DRI and CompuAdd Express


- Put me on their mailing list

2. Explore these possibilities:
- Find a way for them to recoup what they have paid to DRI, then license with MS so that not a single DRI machine ever ships
- Get MS-DOS on the higher-end machines, relegating DRI to 286 and lower machines. Contain DRI in that "box." This may be possible since their DRI agreement is based on a quantity rather than a quantity over time commitment
- Convert them on their next catalog drop (March 1992)

3. Ensure that they are not playing both sides in a gray-market or piracy manner. I will call their sales line at least twice per month to confirm their selling methods.



I ask for suggestions from OEM management and account managers for additional ideas on how Microsoft can regain this business.

The bottom line: Microsoft has its work cut out to reverse this poorly considered (stupid) decision.



################### 500
From cameronm Fri Oct 4 12:53:17 1991
To: bradsi
Subject: Re: Windows & OS/2 Conference
Date: Fri Oct 04 12:49:40 PDT 1991

Okay I will try and sign up Paul.From bradsi Fri Oct 4 11:21:26 1991
To: cameronm


Subject: Re: Windows & OS/2 Conference

Date: Fri, 04 Oct 91 11:19:23 PDT

it is most likely that windows will not be shipped by the end of january. so you are right. I would more likely be a target. while paul could shade more on win nt.

>From cameronm Fri Oct 4 10:54:45 1991
To: bradsi
Subject: Re: Windows & OS/2 Conference
Date: Fri Oct 04 10:51:04 PDT 1991



You are right that it should be one of the two of you. I think either of you would do a great job. Paul is not going to be any better than you are and you are more likable.

You are Mr. Windows!

If 3.1 is going to be later than this (very end of January) you might not want to present (as you may be more of a target) and maybe we want Paul to place a subtle emphasis on Windows NT (and off Win 3.1 delays), if we have shipped Windows 3.1 you should do it and be the "proud father."

Cam

>From bradsi Fri Oct 4 10:38:14 1991
To: cameronm
Subject: Re: Windows & OS/2 Conference

either paulma or I should do it. which do you think would be preferable? paul is a more polished speaker than I am.





Credit: Groklaw

Recent Techrights' Posts

Turns Out LLMs for Code Don't Save Time and Don't Improve Quality
Neither legal nor useful
 
Pissing Contests and Pissing Off Everyone
people who came from Microsoft are trying to vex and divide the community
Microsoft Repeats the Mistakes Made by the EPO After We Exposed a Major Microsoft/EPO Scandal 10 Years Ago
That scandal was all over the media, not just in English
The Demise of LLMs
We've just checked BetaNews again. They've dropped all the slop and went back to human authors.
Gemini Links 13/07/2025: Sonpo Museum of Art and FCEUX
Links for the day
Links 13/07/2025: UnitedHealth's Censorship Campaign, Australia Wary of China
Links for the day
Firing Away With Nonsense
Or fighting fire with fire
Links 13/07/2025: Climate Crisis, GAFAM Poisoning the Water
Links for the day
The Microsofters Will Have an Obligation to Compensate Us
This story isn't just about Microsoft. It's also about corruption, there are many women victims, there is abject "abuse of process", and many more scandals to be illuminated in years to come.
Reproducing at the EPO Instead of Producing Monopolies for Foreign Monopolies With Their Price-Fixing Cartels
Does the EPO recognise the need of well-educated Europeans to bear kids?
Valnet Inc. Dominates Real (Not LLM Slop) GNU/Linux Coverage in 2025
And likely in prior years, too
Free Software Foundation (FSF) Fund Raiser Goes on
Later this month we'll expose another OSI scandal
EPO Staff Representatives Issue a Warning About Staff's Health and Inadequate Care
Even the EPO's own stakeholders (money sources) are openly protesting against what the EPO became
Links 13/07/2025: Partly Assorted News From Deutsche Welle and CBC
Links for the day
Gemini Links 13/07/2025: Board Games and Battle Styles
Gemini Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, July 12, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, July 12, 2025
Plunder at the Second-Largest Institution in Europe
cuts, neglect, health problems, even early deaths
Links 12/07/2025: Political Developments, Attack on Opposition, Climate Actions
Links for the day
Gemini Links 12/07/2025: Melodic Musings and Small Web July
Links for the day
Links 12/07/2025: Jail in China for Homoerotica, South Korea Discriminates Against Old Workers
Links for the day
If Only Everything Was Rewritten in Rust, We'd Have No More Security Issues?
Nope.
Links 12/07/2025: Birdwatching and Fake/Misleading Wall Street 'Valuation' Figures
Links for the day
Gemini Links 12/07/2025: How to Avoid Writing, Apps for Android
Links for the day
Using SLAPPs to Cover Up Sexual Abuse and Strangulation
The exact same legal team of the Serial Strangler from Microsoft and Garrett already has a history fighting against "metoo"
EPO Staff Committee on Harassment in the Workplace
slides
Adding the Voice of Writers to UK SLAPP Reform
The journey to repair antiquated (monarchy era) laws will likely be long
EPO Takes More Money From Staff for Speculation (Pensions), Actuarial Study Explains the Impact
"The key change in this year’s Actuarial Study, due to cascading the new “risk appetite” from the financial study, is a significant increase of the total pension contribution rate of 5.7 percentage points, up to a total of 37.8%. This is driven by an unprecedented decrease in the discount rate of 105 bps down to 2.2%."
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, July 11, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, July 11, 2025
Microsoft - Like IBM - Does the "Relocation" Tricks (Start Over Elsewhere, Then Get Sacked by Microsoft)
It is a "low blow" or a "dick move"
After the Free Software Foundation's Campaign to Raise Money Let's See Campaigns to Finish Off Microsoft (Vista 11, GitHub etc.)
Microsoft is in effect collapsing
Your Publications Have No Major Impact Unless or Until You "Get Some Heat"
we're on the right track
Slopwatch: A Cause for Hope, the Hype is Dying
For about a month we showed that becoming a slopfarm - for several weeks - resulted in utter failure and ruin for BetaNews
Links 11/07/2025: Censorship Worsening, 3D Printing Success Stories, UK and France Unite Around Nukes
Links for the day
Gemini Links 11/07/2025: Zorin OS and Scriptonite Updates
Links for the day
Links 11/07/2025: Hardware, Russia, and China
Links for the day
Links 11/07/2025: Intel Collapsing and Microsoft Resorts to Bribery to Push Slop Via Obligatory Education
Links for the day
The EFF Sided With the Team That Strangles Women and Tells Women to Kill Themselves
They say that apathy and inaction are a form of a "stance"
"Nat [Friedman] and [the Serial Strangler From Microsoft] Were Always Exceptionally Close," Says Former Housemate and Colleague
Now Alex (hiding behind another name when that suits him) not only attacks women but also people who merely report what he did to women
Exemplary List of Things That Are Not Artificial Intelligence or Even Intelligence
The "age of AI" or "era of AI" or "AI revolution" mostly boils down to rebranding, just like "the cloud"
New Letter From the European Patent Office Explains How the Office Plots to Grant Many Illegal Patents, a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of 'Growth'
Open letter to Mr Rowan (VP1) and Mr Aledo Lopez (COO)
Abuse of Process
5RB is employing people who help violent men
What Microsoft's Nat Friedman and Microsoft Lunduke Have in Common
"Get in da car; No time to explain, loser"
Microsoft and IBM Don't Have Much of a Future (They Mostly Pretend at This Point)
IBM and Microsoft are in some ways alike but in many ways different
It's Not Just Twitter (or X.com) That's Dying, Microsoft's Equivalent is Dying Also
Unable to find a business model
GitHub Copilot Can Cause the Bankruptcy of GitHub to Come Sooner and GitHub to be Shut Down Just Like Skype
Some publicly available information suggests that even for each paid subscriber for plagiarism (LLM 'coding') GitHub Copilot still loses more money than it makes
Wayland is Bad for the Planet
If you use Wayland, it'll take you longer to accomplish tasks and you will consume more energy (or battery life)
Legitimising Those Who Sabotage You
Microsoft is a very malicious company
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, July 10, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, July 10, 2025
On Microsoft Layoffs
we might be looking at about 60,000 Microsoft layoffs since 2023
EPO Management Already Breaks Its Own Promise (Lie) on "Bringing Teams Together"
This gut-punching move happened just 2 days ago
Gemini Links 11/07/2025: Occupation of 2025 and "Old Man Yells At Soundcloud"
Links for the day
Our Lawsuits Against the 'Cancel Mob' (Ringleaders) Helped Reduce Anti-Free Software Online Abuse
That's not to say that lawsuits are the best way to handle terrible people. But that can help.