Bill Gates

But were consumers ever harmed? I continue to wonder this. It was horrible for Microsoft, even though there weren't any real material changes they had to make. But effectively, they won. Which I guess they should have, because it's not clear that there was negative impact to consumers. There was all kinds of negative impact to existing competitors or future potential competitors.

But were consumers ever harmed? I continue to wonder this. It was horrible for Microsoft, even though there weren't any real material changes they had to make. But effectively, they won. Which I guess they should have, because it's not clear that there was negative impact to consumers. There was all kinds of negative impact to existing competitors or future potential competitors.

Yeah, Microsoft had one competitive advantage that no other company had, and that was Bill Gates.

Yeah, Microsoft had one competitive advantage that no other company had, and that was Bill Gates.

In fact, Bill stepped down before the final ruling from Judge Jackson.

In fact, Bill stepped down before the final ruling from Judge Jackson.

Yeah. Going through something like this has to feel personal and has to change you forever. I can't imagine how it wouldn't. Totally. Especially when, again, it's not clear to me how consumers were harmed. So this constant battle, this war that was waged on forever and ever and ever and ever, It totally distracted Microsoft.

Yeah. Going through something like this has to feel personal and has to change you forever. I can't imagine how it wouldn't. Totally. Especially when, again, it's not clear to me how consumers were harmed. So this constant battle, this war that was waged on forever and ever and ever and ever, It totally distracted Microsoft.

And as anybody can attest, especially in the tech industry, if you are distracted, you just fail because you need to have all of your best resources making stuff, building stuff focused on a firing on all cylinders, clear North Star strategy. And so if you tie up a company for five years and you lose your leader through it.

And as anybody can attest, especially in the tech industry, if you are distracted, you just fail because you need to have all of your best resources making stuff, building stuff focused on a firing on all cylinders, clear North Star strategy. And so if you tie up a company for five years and you lose your leader through it.

Yeah. It's not fair to blame everything we're about to talk about, all the future consumer failings on this, but it is helpful to keep this in mind and say, okay, why perhaps did they not fully have their wits about them?

Yeah. It's not fair to blame everything we're about to talk about, all the future consumer failings on this, but it is helpful to keep this in mind and say, okay, why perhaps did they not fully have their wits about them?

It's actually shocking they held on to as much talent as they did in a 15-month period of people assuming the company was about to be split.

It's actually shocking they held on to as much talent as they did in a 15-month period of people assuming the company was about to be split.

Oh, I was wondering if you found this.

Oh, I was wondering if you found this.

And you kind of need a new set of people to do that. It's kind of amazing that Steve was part of the old guard and the new guard to do this, because how can you say I'm going to put how unfair I feel this was aside and and just focus on moving forward. That is an extremely difficult compartmentalization exercise.

And you kind of need a new set of people to do that. It's kind of amazing that Steve was part of the old guard and the new guard to do this, because how can you say I'm going to put how unfair I feel this was aside and and just focus on moving forward. That is an extremely difficult compartmentalization exercise.

And so for Brad to come in and say, like, I'm going to be the guy who is able to disregard the past and figure out how we – and I used this phrase in the first episode – become a trusted partner to governments around the free world. I mean, how crazy is it that this Microsoft that we just talked about for the last hour – became the Microsoft that can do no wrong from a regulatory perspective.

And so for Brad to come in and say, like, I'm going to be the guy who is able to disregard the past and figure out how we – and I used this phrase in the first episode – become a trusted partner to governments around the free world. I mean, how crazy is it that this Microsoft that we just talked about for the last hour – became the Microsoft that can do no wrong from a regulatory perspective.