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I've competed in the compiler business against Microsoft from the very beginning. They are smart and tough competitors. But they were never, ever, mean. On the contrary, Microsoft has been invariably friendly and collegial towards my business, and helpful when I've asked for help, and this was from the beginning (the 80's) right up to the present.

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for the younger folks here on HN I wanted to point out that Mr. Bright was the creator of the Zortech C and C++ compilers of old, as well as the co-creator of one of the most famous early computer strategy games of all time, Empire and Empire Deluxe. He would know whereof he speaks.

I personally used the Zortech tools in my C/C++ days, played Empire a ton, even written a few hobby clones of Empire.

So, not anything like Apple or DR DOS or Netscape that ever came near threatening MS.

So how is your compiler business today? Was it ever even remotely competitive with Microsoft strategy? no ? Thought so.

In fact you might call yourself lucky for not going into business with MS, or you would end up like

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sendo

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