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To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (20754)	8/26/1998 2:21:00 AM
From: Daniel Schuh	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24154

U.S. Investigating Microsoft's Role in Intel Decisions nytimes.com Federal and state investigators appear particularly interested in an August 1995 meeting between Intel executives including chairman Andrew Grove and Microsoft executives led by chairman Bill Gates. At the meeting, Gates made "vague threats" about supporting Intel competitors, according to one of many internal Intel memos that the company was required to hand over to investigators. Gates, according to a memo written by an Intel executive who attended the meeting, was "livid" about Intel's "investments in the Internet, and wanted them stopped." Oh my. It appears that Microsoft must be free to "innovate", but that freedom doesn't extend even to co-conspirator Intel. Gotta love that Bill. "They have to ship the machines the way we build them". The differences between Microsoft and Intel over NSP technology were widely reported in the trade press in 1995, but the memos now reveal that the two companies were also at odds over Intel's plans for developing support for Internet features and a software engine for Java, a programming language created by Sun Microsystems Inc., a Microsoft rival. A microprocessor that supported Java would have enabled programs written in that language to run on any operating system -- a serious threat to the dominance of Microsoft's Windows. According to an internal memo written by an Intel executive who attended the meeting, Gates left no doubt that he wanted the software development at the Intel Architecture Labs, or IAL, curbed. And at the same time he publicly announced that Microsoft would share technologies and spend up to $100 million to train engineers to develop and service products on a version of Windows written for a competitor's microprocessor. This seems to be a very clever use of the settlement Bill had to make with DEC on Cutler's stolen code for NT. Smart guy, Bill. "Gates didn't want IAL's 750 engineers interfering with his plans for domination of the PC industry," the Intel memo stated. "Gates made vague threats about support for other platforms, and on the same day he announced a major program to support the Alpha microprocessor made by Digital Equipment Corp., an Intel competitor. Gates was livid about IAL's investments in the Internet, and he wanted them stopped." Very interesting. Odds are, though, when push comes to shove, the Intel guys will express their sincere love and admiration for Bill and Co. Just like all the OEMs do. This freedom to innovate thing, it's sort of like your freedom to throw a punch stops at my nose. Everybody else's freedom to innovate is subordinate to Microsoft's freedom to "innovate". Here "innovate" is primarily the "inimidate" variant, as opposed to the "imitate" or "integrate" flavors. AKA standard Microsoft business practice. Gates said, "Intel deserves a lot of credit for stepping back." Grove replied, "We didn't have much of a choice. We basically caved." Gates objected to that characterization, but Grove stuck to his line. "We caved," the Intel chairman said. "Introducing a Windows-based software initiative that Microsoft doesn't support . . . well, life is too short for that." Cheers, Dan.

To: Daniel Schuh who wrote (20754)	8/29/1998 3:54:00 AM
From: Andy Thomas	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 24154

>> If Windows 3.1 was not running on MS-DOS, it would show users fake error messages. << I remember this. I was told to look for testers with the message, and to ask them for certain strings from the message, and to pass these on to a certain software developer within MSFT. I really didn't see this as terribly devious and still don't. There was something about DR-DOS which was often choking win 3.1 setup and this particular developer was trying to figure out something about dr-dos. That's why the code was put in. The "bogus error message" contained information for the developer. I'm still here. I've been moving around, trying to get settled. I'm working as a technician - computer purgatory for the confessed software sinner. Since I contributed to the creation and release of sub-optimal software, I pay pennance by servicing the machines. Besides, I love working as a service technician! <g> FWIW Andy