BILL GATES - Riding the APPLE MAC OS wave for success

Hello guys

Bill Gates was in news recently. This time not for launch of any OS version or to overtake any competitor (not Yahoo - Microsoft deal). This time he made headlines for stepping down. The man who revolutionized the personal computing experience and become the richest man of the world (Just by selling OS and softwares, unlike other forbes richest men previous to him) was leaving the business.

No doubt he was a maverick and the smartest person in OS and softwares business. But its not Microsoft which introduced GUI based OS. He took it from Apple's MAC OS. Microsoft was nowhere close to building an OS that could direct the computer based on mouse clicking and allowing dragging, pull down menu, scrolling capabilities, etc. These features are taken for granted today. But back in 1980 it was a revolution-An Apple innovation (Not Bill Gates). "Lisa" desktop of Apple had all these GUI features that can be imagined today even in 1983.

In the mid 1980's Bill Gates managed to wangle a license from Apple to build the Mac GUI into new Microsoft applications - and gradually, into the "Windows" environment itself. Apple was in trouble those days. Bill Gates was dynamic and smart to offer help to Apple and get in return the license that would make him the richest person of the world in days to come.

Where MAC failed, Windows scored. Bill Gates - the ambitious and brilliant business man learnt from MAC's failures. MAC OS was only for Apple PC's. During those days Compaq and some other companies were emerging and they needed a GUI OS that would sell to masses. Bill Gates jumped and gave his OS to all companies other than Apple. A concept bought from MAC (GUI license) made Bill Gates reach skies.

So to MAC and Apple fanatics, Bill Gates is a villian. But how do they explain Apple managing to buy the GUI OS concept from XEROX Corporation (The company that actually discovered and made GUI based Interface). Even Apple is a villian from XEROX view.

So I conclude Bill Gates gave a dose of its own medicine to Apple as far as GUI based OS is concerned.

Post your comments friends. I am open for any discussion