Microsoft Wanted To Drop Mac Office To Hurt Apple

Overly Critical Guy writes to mention that more documents in the Iowa antitrust case have come out. This time, it's revealed that Microsoft considered dumping the Mac Office Suite entirely in a move to harm Apple. "The email complains at poor sales of Office, which it attributes to a lack of focus on making such sales among reps at that time. It describes dumping development of the product as: 'The strongest bargaining point we have, as doing so will do a great deal of harm to Apple immediately.' The document also confirms that Microsoft at the time saw Office for the Mac as a chance to test new features in the product before they appeared in Windows, 'because it is so much less critical to our business than Windows.'"

Comments

Harm Apple?

[basic0]

If they really wanted to harm Apple and it's users, they'd port Clippy to Office:Mac and enable it by default.

Re:Nature of the beast....

[zappepcs]

Wait a damned minute. MS does NOT have a patent on illegal behavior.....

Oh wait, you said 'patently'

Never mind

Dropping MS office for the Mac could..

[russ1337]

Dropping MS office for the Mac could hurt MS Office for the PC long term - Why?

Apple might consider including OpenOffice.Org then advertising it:

Mac: Hi, I'm a Mac,
PC: and I'm a PC
PC: So what is that your doing
Mac: Oh, just some office stuff, you know, spreadsheets, documents, presentations
PC: I can do those too
Mac: Yeah, but I don't use your monopoly expensive as shit software, I use this free one which is actually better. It doesnt try to format shit I don't want. Oh, and it's free and works on a PC too. You should try it.
PC: Hey you're right! This OpenOffice.org is the shnizzer! All the PC users should download it from www.openoffice.org right now!

Re:Timeline 1997

[B3ryllium]

Probably a whole lot of BJs.

Microsoft exploded a Bug-Bomb

[HTH NE1]

they would get even more for their bribe money to whoever received it that immediately pulled the DOJ dogs off of Microsoft after they had been convicted of abusing their monopoly position.

I imagine the proceedings went something like this:

"Due to the severe and heinous nature of your crime, you, Microsoft of Redmond, Washington, are--"

"Recognized for selfless love and devotion to His Shadow."

"Of 26 Counts of Monopolistic--, -s of Monopolistic--, -s of Monopolistic--"

"You, Microsoft of Redmond, Washington--"

"You are hereby given an Award of Merit!"