Before VMS there was the family of RSX-11 operating systems which also had ASTs (now called APCs in NT parlance), IRPs, etc. Dave Cutler led the RSX-11M variant which significantly influenced VMS. The various concepts and design styles of the DEC family of operating systems that culminated in NT goes back to the 1960s.
It's sad that the article didn't mention VMS or MICA since NT didn't magically appear out of the void two years after Microsoft hired the NT team. MICA was being designed for years at DEC West as part of the PRISM project.
It's sad that the article didn't mention VMS or MICA since NT didn't magically appear out of the void two years after Microsoft hired the NT team. MICA was being designed for years at DEC West as part of the PRISM project.