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Checkered Past (9/22/98)
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"Skeletons in the closet" is a time-honored plot device in the soap opera genre, so why wouldn't you expect it here? We all know that Steve Jobs was one of Apple's co-founders, who was ousted by John Sculley in the mid-eighties. We also know that he went on to form NeXT, which Apple (under Gil Amelio) later bought, which gave Steve his opening to step back in and take over again. But what we don't necessarily know is what kind of alliances he formed during his NeXT years, and what kind of dirt he's swept under the carpet now that he's taken back the reins at Apple. But secrets leak out...
Take, for example, the information gleaned from a reading of The Microsoft File by Wendy Goldman Rohm and posted to MacInTouch. Rohm's book apparently alleges that Steve Jobs was "of great help" to Microsoft in their legal battle against Apple when Apple sued them for copyright infringement. All but the greenest of Applephiles will recall the big "look and feel" case that dragged on for years; Apple sued Microsoft, claiming that Windows was such an obvious copy of the Macintosh user interface that it constituted a violation of copyright. Microsoft finally won the case in 1995. Had Apple won the suit, Windows might look substantially different today-- or Apple might have a lot more money in the bank.
There's no mention of exactly what Steve did to give Microsoft an edge over Apple in the suit, but it just shows that you don't want that guy on your bad side. It's impossible to say what Apple would be like if Jobs never left in the first place, but the Microsoft copyright case was pivotal. Oh, what might have been...
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SceneLink (1035)
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And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 9/22/98 episode: September 22, 1998: Sure, Steve Jobs is the undisputed savior of Apple these days-- but what was his involvement with Microsoft's victory in Apple's landmark copyright infringement suit? Meanwhile, the iMac continues to weave its hypnotic magic, now extending its sway into the Far East, and Symantec France sinks to a new low in questionable sales tactics...
Other scenes from that episode: 1036: Ancient Chinese Secret (9/22/98) Unsurprisingly, the iMac's minty-fresh flavor isn't just appealing to the western palate. Early signs indicate that the Asian market will go similarly agog for what is probably the most-hyped computer in the history of the industry... 1037: A Breakfast Parable (9/22/98) Imagine that you want a Pop-Tart. I mean really want a Pop-Tart. Specifically, a Pop-Tart of the new "Frosted Triple-Chocolate Fudge Surprise" variety that you've seen in TV commercials for the better part of a month now, but which still hasn't hit the stores...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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