| Wednesday, April 24, 2002 |
13:52 - "Redmond Justice" plays on
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=514&e=4&cid=514&u=/ap/20020423/ap_o
|
(top)  |
This is probably news to none, at least conceptually, but here's what Bill Gates has been known to do:
U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, who handled the original liability case, found that Microsoft retaliated against other companies many times.
When Apple Computer chose a rival Web browser over Microsoft's, Gates called Apple's chief executive to ask him "how we should announce the cancellation of" Microsoft's translation of the Office business suite for Apple's Macintosh computers.
On paper, this doesn't sound that terrible. But picture yourself, for a moment, in Steve Jobs' shoes, circa 1997. You've just returned to Apple. You're sitting there in your office, you're more than a little bit on edge, your company is being widely ridiculed and yet you have a vision to uphold. You make a decision which is intended to please the idealistic core of your constituency-- bundling Netscape with new Macs. And then the phone rings.
It's Bill Gates, with a snide and smarmy tone, telling you that you've just fucked with the wrong people, boyo. Some people don't know what's good for 'em... such a shame. Well, now you're gonna get your just reward-- reap what you sow. So, would you prefer knife-in-the-back, or concrete shoes, or a good old-fashioned gangland sniper bullet? Perhaps poison? Maybe anthrax? What's your pleasure, friend? I'm all ears. I'm flexible. Let's hear it.
When you hang up the phone, trembling with mingled rage and terror, what do you do? Do you just roll over like a good little vassal to your Lord and Master?
Or do you veeerrry slllooooowwly and caaarefully declare war?
It takes a special kind of pettiness to be Bill Gates. Unfortunately, all that America sees of him is "Genius who made good", not "Jealous little cretin who throws tantrums whenever anyone doesn't do his bidding". And it's too bad that those tantrums leave smoking craters in their wake.
|
|
