[Squawk 8888]

"We don't even think of Macintosh as a competitor."

Probably true. If I had a 95% market share and the other guy had 5% and charged twice as much I wouldn't think of him as a competitor either.

[bigsigh]

There were two turning points as I recall. When apple decided to protect the operating system and when Jobs treated Gates badly in their face-to-face in the 80s. I think it was amazing that Gates kept developing Mac software and even put millions into apple.

I'm a macaholoc since 1985, but the company hasn't always been the best biz brain on the block. Riding the crest now, so we'll look to the future. But I think Gates will be there too. LOL!

[cowboyway]

"We don't even think of Macintosh as a competitor."

That was probably a true statement by Gates. He probably saw Macintosh as more of a mentor.

[frgoff]

If I had a 95% market share and the other guy had 5% and charged twice as much I wouldn't think of him as a competitor either.

When Windows 95 came out, MS didn't have 95% of the market; Apple was the number three computer seller in the nation after IBM and Compaq.

Apple could charge so much for their machines because of the GUI. Windows 95, through some severe bungling by Apple lawyers changed that.

[jpl]

Probably true. If I had a 95% market share and the other guy had 5% and charged twice as much I wouldn't think of him as a competitor either.

Furthermore, the main reason Apple is still even around today is because Microsoft bought out a bunch of their shares a few years ago and kept them floating when they were about to go completely under.

[Hootch]

True.