OS/2: The Operating System Microsoft Killed From the Inside

Proud Ruins

Proud Ruins

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In 1987, IBM and Microsoft unveiled OS/2, an operating system they promised would be the future of computing. Technically superior and backed by two industry giants, it was poised to dominate. Yet, just eight years later, it was utterly crushed by Microsoft's own Windows, becoming a mere footnote in history. This video explores how a project with such immense potential was killed from the inside.

This wasn't a simple market failure; it was a strategic battle between two companies with vastly different visions and power dynamics. IBM, the established titan, sought to regain control of the PC standard, while Microsoft, the agile newcomer, fought for its very survival and future dominance. The clash of their corporate cultures and priorities ultimately sealed OS/2's fate, demonstrating how even the most "inevitable" technologies can be undone by internal conflict and shifting ambitions.

What do you remember about OS/2? Let us know in the comments and subscribe for more tech history!

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