1) distribution agreements and good relationships with hardware makers trumps quality - that's how they've beaten Apple and IBM (OS/2 Warp, launched in 1994 was better than Windows 95 and compatible with DOS and Win 16)
2) worse is better, a lesson they themselves took from Unix - timing is more important, you can always improve later
3) operating systems are natural monopolies - if you win the market of low-end PCs and keep growing, you'll eventually take over the whole market
If anything, I fear Google is the next Microsoft. I hope not because I love Android.
On the other hand, there was no concept of "rooting" your Windows installation, and the idea that you could only run apps approved by Microsoft would have caused immediate outrage and accusations of anticompetitive behavior. It's amazing how quickly Apple has been able to shift the Overton window, to the point where there's barely any reaction to Microsoft requiring approval for Windows 8 Metro apps.
Thank god for that - however Microsoft was pretty open for its time, as being a pure software company and letting computer makers to bundle your OS was the exception, not the norm.
1) distribution agreements and good relationships with hardware makers trumps quality - that's how they've beaten Apple and IBM (OS/2 Warp, launched in 1994 was better than Windows 95 and compatible with DOS and Win 16)
2) worse is better, a lesson they themselves took from Unix - timing is more important, you can always improve later
3) operating systems are natural monopolies - if you win the market of low-end PCs and keep growing, you'll eventually take over the whole market
If anything, I fear Google is the next Microsoft. I hope not because I love Android.