I believe this is Bill's first public mention of Linux.
- dan
http://www.slate.com/Code/DDD/DDD.asp?file=billg&iMsg=4
People tell me the part where Barksdale polled the audience and asked
only the PC users to raise their hands and then drop them if they use
any Microsoft software was the best theater of the hearing. A video bite
is even better than a sound bite and this was a strong video bite. If I
had been smart about it I would have asked them to indicate if any of
them have to pay Microsoft anything in the future unless we come up with
a great new version of Windows. In other words, Microsoft gets no
revenue except for innovation that goes so far beyond what they already
have that it's worth the trouble to switch. I should have asked why they
didn't choose LINUX or OS/2 or Macintosh--was it because of some
capacity restriction or simply because they thought Windows with all the
applications we have evangelized is the best choice. The same poll could
have been done at one time for WordPerfect or Novell Netware or dozens
of other technology products that are no longer popular.