Paul Thurrott Hits One Out of the Park

So the latest interesting email released as evidence in Microsoft’s anti-trust case in Iowa is a 1997 exchange between Bill Gates (briefly) and the MacBU’s Ben Waldman (at great length) on the state of what became Office 98 for Mac. The initial coverage is focusing on the fact that Waldie’s message acknowledges that killing Mac Office was on the table. It is interesting to see that threat laid bare, but, let’s face it, of course that option was and remains on the table. All products can be cancelled.

Paul Thurrott nails it:

More important, we have that email record that everyone is so excited about. What it shows to me is a company dedicated to making great products and, yes, supporting then-struggling Apple with the best version of Office Microsoft had yet created. Don’t believe me? You can read it yourself. My guess is you’ll come away with a less dramatic version of history than the Mac pariahs are pushing.

Well said.

★ Tuesday, 6 March 2007