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Alex, Dvorak's "Inside Track" commentary in the June 24th issue of PC Magazine denotes Gates' disdain of the NC by "dubbing" it "Not Compatible." Clearly Gates helps to fuel the flames in the war of words over the direction of computing. A direction he alone wants to control. Instead of going along with the NC as an acronyn and concept, Gates has to roll out the "one and only" Microsoft spin on the concept and call it Windows Terminal or WT. Here's another example of Gates getting caught behind enemy lines, just as he did with the Internet.
Here's the total quote (subscribers can find the link on ZD Net.
"My thoughts are that we're getting a lot of mixed messages from Microsoft. Whatever the case, the company seems intent on not missing any more technology boats like the one that left an Internet dock called the World Wide Web. So as this TV-convergence situation--which I was convinced was dead--reemerges, Microsoft wants to make sure it's a force if the technology becomes popular. MS signaled it intent by buying WebTV for $425 million. At WinHEC (Windows Hardware Engineering Conference) it showed a new user interface just for the TV platform with a menuing front end that looks like what you get on a hotel room TV set. Choices (on the computer screen) include television, move and CD music. At the show, MS also tossed out some new buzzwords and insults. One is ZAW, which stands for "zero administration for windows"--part of the total-cost-of-ownership promotion. To ridicule Larry Ellision's Network Computer, Bill Gates dubbed the NC "Not Compatible." In the meantime he introduced a compatible version of an NC device called a Windows Terminal, or Winterm or WT. The company also began using the term "thin client" in earnest, showing that it actually fears this NC threat although there is no evidence of one."
Dvorak, 6/24/97 PC Magazine Page 89.
When it comes to anti-microsoftism, Gates loves to play the game.
Up, Up & Away!
Scott
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