Systems and Stores

If you like variety, the story of personal computer operating systems is probably not a place to look for thrills. There was diversity in the early years, when every system basically had its own OS, but in those days, only the computer scientists even knew what an operating system was. You know the rest of the story: Unix gained a footing in the corporate, big-iron space, with Apple and Microsoft nailing down the end-user desktop, and Linux slipping indefatigably into the mix despite the best efforts of the competition.