Steve Ballmer

Now, interpreters are notably different than operating systems, but Microsoft definitely had sort of raised the flag and everyone could see if I want to go buy software for my computers, broadly, they're an interesting group to talk to.

It's amazing.

It's amazing.

Yes. Bill really, really wanted to bring Steve on, knew him from the Harvard days, knew what an asset he could be. He is the yin to Bill's yang. Yes. And so, I mean, frankly, 8.5%, it's a big grant. Who's out there running a 30-person company and you're giving away 8.5% slugs? It just doesn't happen. Those are founder shares.

Yes. Bill really, really wanted to bring Steve on, knew him from the Harvard days, knew what an asset he could be. He is the yin to Bill's yang. Yes. And so, I mean, frankly, 8.5%, it's a big grant. Who's out there running a 30-person company and you're giving away 8.5% slugs? It just doesn't happen. Those are founder shares.

And this is really a sort of reflection that the way that Bill thought about Steve was as a founder. In fact, it created some tension with Paul Allen where Bill asked Paul if they could go to 5%. Paul said, sure. And then Bill actually offered him 8.5%. And Paul got upset. And Bill said, I'll eat the 3.5%. It can come out of my share because I want him that bad.

And this is really a sort of reflection that the way that Bill thought about Steve was as a founder. In fact, it created some tension with Paul Allen where Bill asked Paul if they could go to 5%. Paul said, sure. And then Bill actually offered him 8.5%. And Paul got upset. And Bill said, I'll eat the 3.5%. It can come out of my share because I want him that bad.

Yes. And specifically, they ask Microsoft for programming languages. They're like, we're making this great PC. We're going to need a basic. We think you guys are working on a COBOL. We'd like some COBOL.

Yes. And specifically, they ask Microsoft for programming languages. They're like, we're making this great PC. We're going to need a basic. We think you guys are working on a COBOL. We'd like some COBOL.

God, they were so bad. Every single thing that's been named to this point, except for the company Microsoft, was a horrible name. Oh, the processor is 8008, and now it's 8080, but the machine is 8800 that the processor is inside. Give me a break, everyone. It's horrible naming.

God, they were so bad. Every single thing that's been named to this point, except for the company Microsoft, was a horrible name. Oh, the processor is 8008, and now it's 8080, but the machine is 8800 that the processor is inside. Give me a break, everyone. It's horrible naming.

Yeah, it does seem like very few people are thinking about their products as something they really need to build a brand around with consumers. Yes. Hence the naming schemes.

Yeah, it does seem like very few people are thinking about their products as something they really need to build a brand around with consumers. Yes. Hence the naming schemes.

Right. We don't have an operating system. So this guy does.

Right. We don't have an operating system. So this guy does.

And he signed hefty, hefty NDAs. So he cannot say who it is, but he's like, you really should take this seriously.

And he signed hefty, hefty NDAs. So he cannot say who it is, but he's like, you really should take this seriously.

Wasn't one of them that he's out flying an airplane?

Wasn't one of them that he's out flying an airplane?

And in particular, they would have to do some customizing. But part of what IBM wants is a customized version of an operating system for the IBM PC. They don't want this to be fully off the shelf. Yes.