Re: Fucking Clueless Political Analogies [ RE: From MSNB--Jobs in the

Ernest Prabhakar (ernest@apple.com)
Fri, 8 Aug 97 15:26:47 -0700


Interesting. Joe is incensed because the author uses a hyperbolic
historical analogy. I guess I am more tolerant. I see the statement as
"Bill Gates is to computer software what German aggression was to human
societies." I think the focus is on the German war machine, rather than the
larger crimes against humanity which characterized the Third Reich. But I
can appreciate your concern for trivializing historic tragedies.

I, on the other hand, am still appalled that people equate "licensing
patents" to "access to every technical secret Apple has." Sigh. I guess I
don't mind exageration as much as I mind arguing from misinterpreted facts,
even if JoeB does have the moral high ground.

-- Ernie P.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Joe Barrera <joebar@microsoft.com>
But wait, he's been outdone (I just had this forwarded to me):

Witness to history: Apple and the France of 1940
By Sam Whitmore
August 6, 1997 2:22 PM PDT
ZDNN

In June 1940, a World War I French general, Marshal
Henri-Philippe Petain, was tapped to be the figurehead of a puppet
government which became known as Vichy France. The French loved and
revered Petain. Although Petain had deep-seated misgivings about his new
masters, he put on a brave face. War itself was the enemy, he said. The
French should listen to and trust their liberators. Peace in France was
worth any price.

Today, Apple is led by an interim leader who is also the
hero of previous wars, Steve Jobs. As with Petain, the faithful cannot
doubt Jobs' credibility, his talent or his allegiance to the cause. So
when Jobs dropped the bomb on Tuesday that Microsoft bought $150 million
in stock and access to every technical secret Apple has, and that
Internet Explorer had become the official Macintosh Web browser, the
sanctity of the moves had to be believed. Marshal Jobs had spoken.
...

Let me know when Gates starts killing Jews. Until then, get a FUCKING
grip, people.

To compare OS "wars" with the horrors of WWII is to grossly, obscenely,
unforgivably trivialize the latter.

- Joe

Joseph S. Barrera III <joebar@microsoft.com>
<http://research.microsoft.com/~joebar/>
Phone, Office: (415) 778-8227; Cellular: (415) 601-3719; Home: (415)
588-4801
The opinions expressed in this message are my own personal views and do
not reflect the official views of Microsoft Corporation.