May 15, 2003

NY Times: How Microsoft Warded Off a Rival

My spin: The NY Times has an extensive piece on the "Linux" factor.

News Clip: BRUSSELS, May 14 ó At least 90 percent of the world's personal computers run on Windows software. But Microsoft wanted still more.

Last summer, Orlando Ayala, then in charge of worldwide sales at Microsoft, sent an e-mail message titled Microsoft Confidential to senior managers laying out a company strategy to dissuade governments across the globe from choosing cheaper alternatives to the ubiquitous Windows computer software systems.

Mr. Ayala's message told executives that if a deal involving governments or large institutions looked doomed, they were authorized to draw from a special fund to offer the software at a steep discount or even free if necessary. Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive, was sent a copy of the e-mail message. (full story)

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