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I've been dealing with Microsoft for almost 20 years.  (Back when Microsoft
basic was sold on Paper Tape for $20).  There is an amazing similarity 
between that basic and WANG 6502 basic.

In 1981, I applied for a Job with them (they had driven my employer into 
Chapter 11 with royalty demands).  They asked me to write a specification 
for an Operating system.  I wrote a spec for an operating system that 
combined the best features of CP/M, UNIX, and FORTH.  They turned down my
application, and 3 years later implemented my spec in the kernal of the OS/2 
operating system.

I worked at computer consoles where I studied the intricate workings of 
the version 6 UNIX kernal (the PD version), and eventually worked on some
of the first SMP operating systems.

In 1982, I helped behind the scenes of the first commercial test of
TCP/IP interoperability (Dahlgren).  This was the birth of the internet.
(Prior arpanet sites tried to relay X.25 and various packets).

In 1983, I wrote the specification for the "Virtual Call", which Larry
Early used to implement the Virtual Call Generator (a C-Like Compiler
to generate virtual calls).  This was eventually traded by my employer
to SUN in exchange for some of their intellectual property rights.

In 1984, I worked with Bill Anderson and Marty McGowan to restructure
500,000 lines of source code into an optimally reusable form.  One of the
project managers left the company and joined Objective-C.

In 1987, I wrote the critical recovery software for PDAs and "Organizers",
this was for the Federal Express SuperTracker.  Total savings-$2 Million/day.

In 1988, I organized a $1 Million evaluation of available interoperability
platforms.  The ONLY protocol available to meet our needs was TCP/IP.  
Although I left the company, TCP/IP became the de-facto standard at 
Federal Express.  Total savings-$4 Million/day.

In 1990, I was the "behind the scenes source" for the Chairman of the
LOMA Insurance industry committee that caused the adoption of TCP/IP and
UNIX.  Total savings to the Insurance Industry $2 Million/hour.

In 1991, I introduced IBM to the concept of a reusable inventory of 
software, including adoption of the GPL libraries.  The immediate savings
was over $150 Million.  Within 6 months, IBM had ported GPL products
to all platforms from PC to ES-9000.

In 1992, enrolled the director of Frame Relay sales at MCI into carrying
NSF traffic and selling commercial TCP/IP to Frame relay connectivity.
This was the birth of the commercial internet.

In 1993, enrolled the Product Director of DowVision into working with WAIS
Inc to put Dow Jones on the internet.  Was responsible for negotiating the
terms and specifying the minimum requirements of S-HTTP. 

In 1995, -- That's a suprise. :-).

	Rex Ballard
	Standard & Poor's/McGraw-Hill
	Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect
	the Management of the McGraw-Hill Companies.


On Wed, 7 Jun 1995, J. Neil Ferree wrote:

> Rex:
>  
> Just your your lengthy reply to dave oliver's post on "What's wrong with MS
> trying to keep track of their software via their trojan horse virus thing".
> 
> I gotta say Rex, (having had Microsoft as my account while selling ad space
> for PCWorld magazine) you have an uncanny insight into the MS mantra!
> 
> Caution, they can get pretty pissy and clip you if you get too volitale! 
> 
> Nonetheless, I really enjoyed your MS expose.
> 
> J. Neil Ferree                     Business Exchange Network
> Managing Partner                 http://www.bxn.com (Fall 1995)
> TDM & Associates               Where you can Buy/Sell/Bid Online
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>   Connecting Small Business to the World of Electronic Commerce
>   310-675-2921 (Voice) ~ jnferree@bxn.com ~ 310-675-9446 (Fax)
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> "I make up the Rules of the Game, then I attempt to play the Game.
> If I seem to be losing, I change the rules" - Doing Biz on the Net.
> 
> 

From rballard@cnj.digex.net Wed Jun 21 01:28:07 1995
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