----Original Message-----
From: Allison J Parent <allisonp(a)world.std.com>
I would say that 8kbasic was the first decent software
product from MS
though it was soon to change in the early 80s.
FYI the Extended BASIC interpreter for CP/M-80 and the BASCOM Compiler
for CP/M-80 were excellent products. Neither were bloatware by any
standard.
Quite right. Early MS products were extremely good quality software,
particularly compared to their competitors at the time. Tight, largely
bug-free and with well thought-out interfaces (exclude Multiplan, but
highlight MS Decathlon). Pity they couldn't (or wouldn't) keep up the good
work. Does the demise of quality stem from the departure of Paul Allen? I
don't know when he left MS.
David
"I am a Bear of Very Little Brain, and long words Bother me."
A. A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh, Ch. 4