How compatible were "MS-DOS Compatible" machines?

[Dave McGuire]

On Jan 30, 2008, at 7:21 PM, Chuck Guzis wrote:
>> Was there ever a *vanilla* MS-DOS?
>
> Short answer--yes.  It was called an "OEM Kit".  Basically, you got
> the binaries and instructions on how and what I/O drivers to write
> and you linked the whole mess together to form two files, IO.SYS and
> MSDOS.SYS, though you weren't confined to those names.  Many
> utilities, such as MODE and FORMAT were provided in skeleton form
> with the vendor filling out the details.  This lead to a some
> interesting variations on MODE.  For example, the Grid MS-DOS version
> of MODE allows one to control the power status of the peripherals and
> a whole bunch of other things.
>
>  I may even still have the OEM documentation wandering around
> somewhere, printed up on fading tractor-feed paper.

   Is this stuff available anywhere?  I'd love to get my hands on it.

            -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL