Part 5 (1/2)
”I suppose so.” Angelo said. ”What was this about your system?”
”My thesis was to create a new operating system for computers. It's a fully modern system that can kick a.s.s all over any system currently in widespread use. That's what we use at LABN.” Chee said.
”Is that why Marlowe bought so many new computers?” Angelo asked.
”Yeah. My new operating system is so advanced that state of the art systems are maxed out using it. The old iron we had was too dusty to keep up.” Chee said proudly.
”Is your system what's going to make you and Marlowe billionaires?” Angelo asked.
Chee started and then got a crafty look. ”Possibly.”
”Your system is technically advanced, right?” Angelo asked.
”The best anywhere currently, and I'm working on keeping it cutting edge.” Chee boasted. ”Nothing can touch it.”
”Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't OS/4 considered better technically than Geos?” Angelo probed.
”Yeah. For its day it was a beautiful piece of code. Man, it was elegant. It should have eliminated Geos.” Chee said, wistfully.
”I have a friend who swears by CP/M.” Angelo said.
”Yeah, that's okay. I mean it's old. The original was written back in the sixties, okay, but it's robust. You have to be either a total idiot or a total genius to crash CP/M.” Chee sounded wistful again.
”But every one uses Geos, now.” Angelo pointed out.
”Ahhh,” Chee dismissed ”That was just marketing. Wild Bill Dornan can't code his way out of a paper bag, never could, but he knows more about underhanded business tricks and marketing to the great unwashed than any man alive.”
”Underhanded business tricks?” Angelo asked. xx
”Oh, you know. Scuzzy s.h.i.+t like not giving us the source code for Geos-95. We couldn't write our network interface for it until I personally hacked the code and even then we had to pay a royalty. He has refused to license Geos-95 to certain vendors who prefer our system. He's practically giving away access to GeosNetwork to undercut our business. If LABN were to go under, then he'd ratchet the rates right up into the sky like he did in New York.”
”And this is underhanded?” Angelo asked.
”He's giving away product in our market and subsidizing it with the profits from other markets. The whole purpose is to drive us out of business. I looked it up, that's the whole definition of unfair business practices. But Wild Bill also uses his huge profits to subsidize a large crew of very evil lawyers, so there's not much we can do.” Chee said.
”You're certain that your new system can succeed where others have failed?” Angelo asked.
”Exactly.” Chee said confidently. ”People are getting tired of all the problems that go with the Geos system. They're tired of Wild Bill Dornan telling them what to think and what to buy and all the rest of it. As soon as there's a better alternative, they'll flock to our door with checks in their hot little hands.”
”Well good luck with it.” Angelo said. He didn't know exactly what problems with the Geos system that Chee was referring to. His computer on his desk in Vista City worked fine. ”You know, I used to know someone who went to UCLA in the Computer Science department.”
”Oh?” Chee failed to see why this should concern him.
”Yeah, It was a little before your time, but maybe you heard of her.” Angelo speculated.
”What's her name?” Chee asked.
”Randi Aiken.”
”Some newsman. Don't you know she's dead?” Chee asked.