Gates' Internet Fiction abcnews.com
Fred Moody tries to make amends, maybe. Or else he's being ironic, you be the judge.
(the column is primarily about the contrast between all the coverage about Microsoft being caught unaware by the Internet explosion, versus the current antitrust line that Microsoft's plans to integrate the web browser into the OS were known to the government in the '93-'94 time frame)
Why Propagate Humiliating Myth?
This raises the obvious question, of course, as to why Gates would publicly humiliate himself by disseminating the myth that he is conservative, hidebound, behind the curve and prevented from destroying Microsoft only by dint of the persistence and brilliance of younger employees. The obvious answer is twofold: on the one hand, it helps induce complacency in Gates' competitors; and on the other, it softens the Chairman's public image. Add a touch of humility and human weakness to his portrait, and he and his company become a little more sympathetic and lovable in the public eye.
It seems quite obvious that this strategic trait sets Gates apart from your garden-variety CEO. Try as one might, it is impossible to imagine Lee Iacocca, Steve Jobs or Oracle's Larry Ellison furnishing the media with proof of their own stupidity. The only similarly disingenuously humble industry leader that springs to mind is Intel's Andrew Grove.
Now what is it again that those two have in common? Oh, yeah . ruthless competitiveness, world domination and unrivaled success!
I have no idea what to make of this story, or what Fred Moody really thinks was going on. As I've said before, in the context of the consent decree, what Microsoft was talking about integrating with "Chicago" was MSN. This is consistent with Nathan Myhrvold's (Ken Auletta?) New Yorker profile, where the "Net" was many things, none of which encompassed the internet. But, the lawyers can say whatever they want- if it doesn't fit, you must acquit!
Cheers, Dan. |
