BASIC-DOS: PC DOS reimagined

So over 40 years ago, if Microsoft and IBM had partnered just a little bit sooner, if they'd been able to predict how popular the platform would become, if they could have harnessed more of its power, and if Microsoft had been able to build more synergy between their flagship BASIC product and the underlying Quick and Dirty" operating system, how dramatic could the impact have been?

It's impossible to know with any certainty. However, what's not impossible is creating that product today, and to see for ourselves what the IBM PC was really capable of from Day One."

And that was the inspiration for BASIC-DOS, a product (well, just a proof-of-concept at this point) that combines the power of BASIC with a multitasking DOS.

A fascinating bit of alternative history, and one that goes beyond mere words - BASIC-DOS is in development as a retro-programming project, and is intended to be released next year. You can get a preview of what's to come, and follow development on the blog.