The internet celebrates the DOJ's decision against
Microsoft -- by re-reading Bill Gates' 1998 testimony!
At least, that's what I did! Perfect hindsight now shows us
Gates appears to saying to the government, "Please spank me, I've been very
bad." At one point, the DOJ's lawyer, who was reported to be one of the
toughest cross-examiners in the country, referred the Microsoft executive to an
executive's memo to Gates urging Microsoft to continue its jihad against one of
its competitors. You know you're in trouble when the prosecutor asks you coyly,
"Do you know what he means by 'jihad'?"
Gates answered gamely "I think he is referring to our vigorous efforts to make
a superior product and to market that product."
But the judge didn't really start laughing until Gates
was grilled on Microsoft's plans to begin "pissing on" Java.
Gates: "I don't know if he's referring to pissing on JFC, or pissing on JDK
1.2! [Er,] nor do I know what he specifically means by 'pissing on'."
Ziff-Davis reported that Gates was then asked (facetiously) if he thought the
phrase was a Microsoft code-word used for saying kind words about one's
competitors...
Commemorate the day geeks have waited for for years. They always knew
Microsoft was anti-competitive. But could they get a U.S. judge to side with
them?
Thanks to Bill Gates' testimony, the answer was yes!
