Leonard Erickson wrote in a message to Jack Stein:

 -=> Quoting Jack Stein to Peter Knapper <=-

 JS> The only annoying thing I found was that IBM and MS would foist such a
 JS> lame, incompetant SORT utility on the public.  I'd be ashamed to have
 JS> something that limited associated with my name, let alone a giant
 JS> computer mega-company.  In fact, a brief look at command.com and
 JS> cmd.exe, compared to 4DOS, 4OS/2 and Unix shells clearly shows that
 JS> IBM and MS have had their collective heads deeply placed where the sun
 JS> don't shine for what, 15-20 years now?   

 LE> Actually, MS *tried* to cut a deal to let them include 4dos
 LE> as the command processor with DOS (back around DOS 5.0). But
 LE> they tried to offer JPSoft the same deal they offered
 LE> Central Point Software. "Let us include your program without
 LE> us paying you any royalties, and we'll leave your copyright
 LE> notice in there."

You would think wonderful companies like MS and IBM could write their own?
You would think wonderful companies like MS and IBM would spend a few of the
BILLIONS they rip from the public on a decent shell.  IBM for example paid $3
BILLION for LOTUS, a DEAD company.  I'm certain I could have bought Rex Cons
soul for a little less than that...

 LE> JPSoft told them what they could do with the offer. CP said
 LE> "Sure!" and let MS include a less than current version of
 LE> some of the stuff in PCTools. 

 LE> You'll notice which company is still around. :-)

Yeah, the one that IBM spoon fed.

 LE> JPSoft *did* make a counter offer of sorts. It was along the
 LE> lines of "Why don't we sit down and negotiate a royalty. We
 LE> aren't greedy, but we want *something* per copy." MS wasn't
 LE> interested. 

No, MS is greedy, not JPSoft.  IBM is greedy, not JPSoft.  The public gives
them all their money, and get little in return.  Thats why I say giant cartels 
like IBM, MS, INTEL and ZIFF-DAVIS are bad business for the public.  Thats why 
anti-trust laws were invented.  Too bad our government is too corrupt to do
anything about it for us.

                                              Jack 
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