Microsoft has teamed up with Phoenix Technologies to create a new generation of the PC's Basic Input Output System (BIOS). The move will give Microsoft an even tighter grip on the basic design of the PC. The companies say that the partnership will bring 'enhanced functionality' to the BIOS to increase the 'device's reliability, usability, manageability, and security'. The BIOS, which was originally developed by IBM for the original PC, handles the hardware configuration of the computer and was what made the IBM machine different from other MS-DOS based machines running on Intel hardware. Over the years, Phoenix has become the de facto standard for those wishing to build an 'IBM PC compatible' computer.
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