Why Microsoft got huge really quick?

1. IBM was coming out in full force with their first personal computer, the IBM PC.
2. IBM did NOT have software to run on it.
3. Bill Gates and company knew that whoever sold the software for the IBM PC would get filthy rich.
4. IBM did not give a crap about the software, they were interested in selling PCS.
5. Bill Gates and co. found out that the owner of CP/M would welcome a purchase offer.
6. Microsoft convinced IBM that they had the OS that would make the IBM PC rock.
7. IBM said sure, we'll buy it.
8. Microsoft said I'm sorry, you misunderstood us. We want to license it to you, on a per unit basis.
9. IBM said sure, why not?
10. Microsoft said oh, and we can sell it to anyone else we want.
11. IBM said sure, why we care? All we want is to sell PCs.

Microsoft turned around, purchased CP/M and used it as the basis for DOS. Then they sold to to anyone that wanted it.

That is why Microsoft got filthy rich.

They got even richer later with Windows, but they became a monster thanks to the licensing deal with IBM.

What was Microsoft's claim for fame before DOS? They wrote one of the very first BASIC interpreters for kit computers.