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"Desperate?" Naw... (5/3/98)
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It's not often that you get the see the word "desperate" applied to software giant Microsoft in the press these days, but it does happen every once in a while. Take, for example, this Bloomberg News article, which reveals that Microsoft is recruiting companies to join in on a press conference next week, intended to show the world how badly the entire computer industry (and the U.S. economy) would suffer if Windows 98 is delayed. This event, expected to take place in New York possibly as early as Tuesday, is one way in which Microsoft is "desperately trying to garner support" in light of potential antitrust action by the Justice Department and the attorneys general of thirteen states.
If the Department of Justice and/or the attorneys general are planning on doing something to block the shipment of Windows 98, they've only got about eleven days left in which to make a move; though Windows 98's official release date is June 25th, Microsoft is expected to ship the software to manufacturers on the 15th of this month. We don't think anything's actually going to happen, but that's just our opinion on the matter.
Personally, we at AtAT don't pretend to understand exactly why, if Windows 98 doesn't ship on time, the whole industry loses $15 billion in revenue. (Indeed, none of the people quoted in the article actually states precisely how a Windows 98 delay really costs them money.) Does that mean a similar amount was lost when Microsoft shipped Windows 95 a couple of years behind schedule? Software delays happen-- it seems to us that whether it's because unforeseen bugs crop up at the last minute or because the U.S. government decides you're not playing fair shouldn't make a real difference on the resulting effect of the delay. Still, whatever floats your boat. We'll know within a couple of weeks whether or not anything's going to happen.
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 5/3/98 episode: May 3, 1998: Defenders of the faith: sharpen those swords, fill those Molotovs, and prepare to do battle. Meanwhile, Apple's not the only one getting into the "information appliance" game, and somebody actually described Microsoft as "desperate," which is noteworthy even if it's not true...
Other scenes from that episode: 670: Throw Down the Gauntlet (5/3/98) Bungie, those mad geniuses who defined Mac gaming with Pathways Into Darkness and the Marathon series, recently redefined gaming on both platforms with their real-time tactical 3D simulation Myth... 671: Appliance, Shmappliance (5/3/98) Are you as sick of hearing about Columbus as we are? Okay, we would be a little more receptive to the whole thing if anyone knew just exactly what it's supposed to be (Set-top box? NC? Space-age all-purpose food preparation center?), but for now let's assume that it's a low-cost set-top unit that will allow consumers to play DVD's and enhanced CD's, and also to surf the 'net and maybe run a few games and other applications...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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