Steve Ballmer

So, I mean, everything else in there is much cheaper than the processor. So I don't know, depending on how much they have to give to the sales channel they're selling through, if it's retail or distributors.

Yeah. So it's decent margin business. Unlike what the PC business would become over time, they managed to have nice margins.

Yeah. So it's decent margin business. Unlike what the PC business would become over time, they managed to have nice margins.

Yeah, software department of one. But, you know, he's got his buddy Bill Gates, who is not employed, but Bill's definitely working on software for the altar as well.

Yeah, software department of one. But, you know, he's got his buddy Bill Gates, who is not employed, but Bill's definitely working on software for the altar as well.

And as we record this, that was 49 years and one day ago. So we are sitting here on April 5th recording. That was April 4th, 1975. And it is very funny to look back at some of the original signatures when Bill writes on letters. It's Bill Gates, the general partner of micro-soft, which is great. I think it's actually a Paul Allen name where he wants to put together microcomputer and software.

And as we record this, that was 49 years and one day ago. So we are sitting here on April 5th recording. That was April 4th, 1975. And it is very funny to look back at some of the original signatures when Bill writes on letters. It's Bill Gates, the general partner of micro-soft, which is great. I think it's actually a Paul Allen name where he wants to put together microcomputer and software.

And Bill's like, that's perfect. We're immediately just going to run with it. As it was a partnership, originally they were going to call it something like Allen and Gates. And then they ultimately are like, no, Microsoft is perfect.

And Bill's like, that's perfect. We're immediately just going to run with it. As it was a partnership, originally they were going to call it something like Allen and Gates. And then they ultimately are like, no, Microsoft is perfect.

I will say like, it's a nice clarifying North Star because it really draws the line in the sand and says, we're in the software business. And Gates makes this really clear to Paul Allen, who is often tempted to do hardware stuff. And Bill is very hardcore about saying, no, what we're uniquely good at in the world is software and we should stick to that.

I will say like, it's a nice clarifying North Star because it really draws the line in the sand and says, we're in the software business. And Gates makes this really clear to Paul Allen, who is often tempted to do hardware stuff. And Bill is very hardcore about saying, no, what we're uniquely good at in the world is software and we should stick to that.

I also suspect Bill is starting to realize there's an amazing business model here, if we can pull it off, where we don't have to make the hardware and we can charge for every copy of the software sold. But that insight, I would say, has not yet fully materialized.

I also suspect Bill is starting to realize there's an amazing business model here, if we can pull it off, where we don't have to make the hardware and we can charge for every copy of the software sold. But that insight, I would say, has not yet fully materialized.

Yep. And Bill's case that he makes on that to Paul is, hey, you took a job and you were doing this on the side. I was all in. And Paul's an agreeable guy and 36 is still a nice percent. And so he says, sure.

Yep. And Bill's case that he makes on that to Paul is, hey, you took a job and you were doing this on the side. I was all in. And Paul's an agreeable guy and 36 is still a nice percent. And so he says, sure.

Which, why would they ever do any sub-licensing deals? Like, why would you give it to your competitors?

Which, why would they ever do any sub-licensing deals? Like, why would you give it to your competitors?

So let's just round that part of the revenue to zero.

So let's just round that part of the revenue to zero.

Or phrased another way, it's we will give you $180,000 for you to hand over exclusive rights to all that cool basic stuff you just wrote to us. But if we sell fewer than X machines, we're actually going to pay it out to you on a prorated basis at $30 a pop rather than giving you the full $180,000.