Re: Perspective on Technology

["Beard, Samuel" <Samuel -dot- Beard -at- GSC -dot- GTE -dot- COM>]

Tom Huffman wrote:

I agree with everything you say, except you left out one important part of
the
MS-Apple deal. MS also got Apple to agree to make IE Apple's default
browser,
effectively bribing struggling Apple to help MS in its obsessive drive to
kill
Netscape by "cutting off its air supply."

*******
I respond:

You're right, Tom. I had forgotten about that since I still use Netscape at
home and at work. That was also a major part of the deal for MS.

I originally wrote:

> In many ways, the "serious infusion of cash" is an overstatement. At the
> least, it doesn't accurately reflect the situation. Microsloth invested
$150
> million in Apple and agreed to produce a version Office for the Mac for
the
> next five years. In return Apple dropped its lawsuit against MS alleging
> infringement on the Mac OS's "look and feel." By all accounts, what has
> turned Apple around has been the success of the iMac, the G3 computers,
and
> return of Steve Jobs. Of these, the first two would not have been likely
(or
> even possible, considering the iMac was Steve Jobs' baby) without Jobs'
> return. Granted, the release of MS Office 98 for the Mac has garnered
> significant attention and praise from users. Most notably, the fact that
MS
> invested the money to begin with lends some legitimacy in the eyes of some
> users and developers, however wrong that perception may be. My point being
> that, IMHO, the "serious infusion of cash" in and of itself is a pittance
to
> both Apple and MS. It's more about the behind the scenes advantages for
both
> companies that really prompted the transaction. And make no mistake, the
> continued survival of Apple in the marketplace is DEFINITELY to the
benefit
> of MS. Witness the DOJ lawsuit as proof, not to mention the added income
of
> all the iMac and G3 and PowerBook owners out there that think they
> absolutely have to have MS Office 98 for the Macintosh to do any work
> whatsoever.
>
Sam Beard
Technical Writer
GSC, GTE (soon to be Bell Atlantic-GTE, soon to be something else
entirely!!)


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