[Ti] mandatory booting into os x

[Michael Bigley]

>I'm still curious for any kind of fact-based answer to the
>question.  Ie, not a reasoned dismissal of the question.
>Eg, did that purchase, described at the time as evidence of
>an understanding for cooperation, result in any M$ish
>decision-makers being placed?

The number was $150 million, IIRC. And it was part of an agreement 
for Apple to drop the patent infringement suit against Microsoft for 
the Windows OS, not an investment. That was the minor part of the 
agreement; even in the darkest days of Apple, which was that time, 
they still had $4 BILLION in cash on hand. So the money was more 
symbolic than significant.

The significant part of that agreement was that MS continue to 
produce in relative parity with Windows, the Office Suite and 
Internet Explorer.  It was about Bill Gates coming out publicly 
saying "We support the Mac OS in software development." at a time 
when developers and hardware vendors were abandoning Mac like rats on 
a sinking ship.  BTW, that agreement ended this year, but MS now has 
the Mac Business Unit, which is turning a tidy profit for the 
company, so despite the rumors, I doubt MS will abandon Mac in the 
near future.

With Jobs coming back to the helm, he needed to stop the developer 
abandonment, or at least slow it, and that agreement was a huge band 
aid. Microsoft got a "safe" competitor to wag in front of the DOJ 
antitrust investigators.

Jobs brought a lot of the "old" Apple philosophy back; that is, 
listening to their customers.  He also brought a new commitment and 
relationship to developers.  It has only been in recent months that 
they seem to have let that slip.

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Mike Bigley                Maineville, Ohio
       http://www.norbertrunning.com
Please support an American Indian Elder &
Medicine Man by visiting the above link.
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