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I would imagine not everyone on HN knows that Microsoft saved Apple from going bankrupt in 1997 [0]. Jobs made a deal with Gates for a $150MM investment that w

I would imagine not everyone on HN knows that Microsoft saved Apple from going bankrupt in 1997 [0]. Jobs made a deal with Gates for a $150MM investment that would effectively save Apple. Of course, both companies got something out of it. Nobody gives you that kind of money for free. It a great business lesson. Your competitor doesn't have to lose for you to win. It is also important to remain humble. You never know when you'll need help. I am going through an interesting moment right now while starting a new tech business. While I have funded 100% of it myself so far, my best customer is someone who was in direct and intense competition with my other business 15 years ago. We are now talking about him coming-in as an investor and taking-over CEO responsibilities so I can focus on technology. Had we been nasty to each other over a decade ago, these conversations would have been impossible today. [0] https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/steve-jobs-and-bill-gates-what-happened-when-microsoft-saved-apple.html https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/steve-jobs-and-bill-gates-wh...

rasz 4y ago
Looks like not everyone knows his is all a lie, in reality $150m was a settlement in a lawsuit going after Microsoft, Intel and third party contractor. Microsoft got caught conspiring with Intel, paying third party contractor to steal QuickTime code https://www.theregister.com/1998/10/29/microsoft_paid_apple_150m/ https://www.theregister.com/1998/10/29/microsoft_paid_apple_... >David Boies, attorney for the DoJ, noted that John Warden, for Microsoft, had omitted to quote part of a handwritten note by Fred Anderson, Apple's CFO, in which Anderson wrote that "the [QuickTime] patent dispute was resolved with cross-licence and significant payment to Apple." The payment was $150 million. >It a great business lesson. that stealing is bad?

rasz 4y ago

Looks like not everyone knows his is all a lie, in reality $150m was a settlement in a lawsuit going after Microsoft, Intel and third party contractor. Microsoft got caught conspiring with Intel, paying third party contractor to steal QuickTime code https://www.theregister.com/1998/10/29/microsoft_paid_apple_150m/ https://www.theregister.com/1998/10/29/microsoft_paid_apple_... >David Boies, attorney for the DoJ, noted that John Warden, for Microsoft, had omitted to quote part of a handwritten note by Fred Anderson, Apple's CFO, in which Anderson wrote that "the [QuickTime] patent dispute was resolved with cross-licence and significant payment to Apple." The payment was $150 million. >It a great business lesson. that stealing is bad?