IE 4.0: See You In September? techweb.com
Mike Assad posted this previously but I got to post some quotes along with my usual, uh, respectful comments.
Lead:
At Microsoft, summertime is megahype time, a
time to blast new software into the public's consciousness with colossal
ad campaigns.
...
"The internal Microsoft people are telling us they want this to be even bigger than the [Win] 95 launch," said one partner of Microsoft, who requested anonymity. "They see this as their big chance to kill off Netscape once and for all."
end quote
Oh boy. Free software, backed by a megahype campaign bigger than the Win95 launch, all for the purpose of killing Netscape once and for all. I can just hear the chants of Kill Netscape echoing through the halls of the Redmond campus. Is there a set time for that drill, or does it just build spontaneously at random moments? Of course, a little birdie told me long ago that Microsoft couldn't possibly be guilty of predatory pricing, because software is "free"- no marginal production cost, right? And the hype campaign of '97 can be written off as "marketing research", no doubt. Perhaps Alan Buckley can quote some Ayn Rand to me to explain how Microsoft can't possibly be violating antitrust laws here.
So, we had Start Me Up for Win95, what's it going to be this time? More old Stones tunes? Under My Skin? I could go for that one. Play with Fire?
So, when I left you guys on the "business is war" front a while back, I guess I just hadn't thought it through. Now it's coming clear. Business is war, and near as I can tell, war is hell. Bill Gates is without a doubt the preeminant businessman of our times, so I got to invoke Church Lady here for the obvious conclusion- could it be that Bill is indeed.... SATAN? Now the right tune for the launch is clear-
"Please allow me to introduce myself I'm a man of wealth and taste... " See linux.ge.fh-ulm.de for the rest of the lyrics, no doubt in violation of copyright law.
Cheers, Dan, with apologies to Mick. |
