Re: Computer Wars (was Wozniak vs Jobs)

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Todd P. Whitesel writes ...
> 
> Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net> writes:
> 
> >     Once Woz and Jobs had Apple going, it's too bad someone didn't show
> >up to steer things in the right direction-- someone like Bill Gates .
> 
> Well, yes and no -- Gates brought in a bunch of non-computer business folks
> to steer things as soon as it became obvious that DOS was going to be a gold
> mine. I'll agree that he deserves credit for realizing the necessity of that
> move.
>

     Okay; but, I doubt that we are dealing merely with a good decision
to hire skillful bean counters. Despite numerous somewhat successful
efforts to portray Microsoft as a rapacious monster bent on gobbling the
the world, the company has, in fact, been slow to adventure into new
territory. Basically, Microsoft always 'takes care of business' and
seeks to demolish competition attacking its current power base. This is
a strategic philosophy which comes from the top, not from bean counters.

     More often than not, Microsoft's rapid expansions have been the
result of some modest sortie which encountered incredibly inept
competition. Windows is an excellent example.

     As everyone knows, Apple included an excellent mouse & windows
interface with the first Macs. Instead of porting it to improved Apple
II home computers and owning the home (and, eventually, business)
markets, Apple satisfied itself with quickie high-profit, narrow-market
scores and let its real power base crumble.

     For years the computing world supposedly trembled in fear of the
day Apple would actually do something with the Mac OS-- i.e. something
beyond hiding it on a low-volume machine no one worried about.
Meanwhile, Microsoft bumbled through Windows 3, stumbled into Windows
95, and ended up owning the dominant PC mouse and windows operating
system.

     And, when it looked like Apple might, in desperation, license its
OS to some Microsoft competitor-- or, maybe worse, release a new,
enhanced Apple II with the OS-- what happened? As you may recall, dear
old Microsoft 'helped' Apple with a major stock buy.

     To be sure, it was a rather blatant move; but, one thing you have
to admire about Bill Gates is that he knows when to act and he does. Had
Apple's leaders been running Microsoft, they would have piddled around
until the Mac OS was licensed to Dell, Gateway, and a consortium of 15
other PC makers and Windows was being eaten alive.

     The bottom line is that Apple needs a new direction. Maybe it needs
a new leader, too.


Rubywand