DO BE EVIL

“Well, we don’t know everything they [Google] are up to, but we do know their slogan and we disagree with that.”

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, distinguishing himself from the competition, News.com, 13 September 2005

EXCEPT FOR AN ARMY OF LAWYERS, THAT IS

“People have to be reminded that there’s nothing that stands in our way of competing.”

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, denying that the software giant is getting sluggish, Forbes, 13 September 2005

IN OTHER NEWS, WAR IS PEACE

“Do you really want to pay for all the excess functionality in Windows that distracts your employees and reduces their productivity?”

Novell CEO Jack Messman, on his less-is-more product philosophy, ZDNet UK, 12 September 2005

EAT MY SHORTS

“This can be the basis for the digital distribution of entertainment, if we wanted to deliver original content, films or TV shorts.”

Fox executive Ross Levinson, on force-feeding content to the users of News Corp.’s new Internet acquisitions, Los Angeles Times, 9 September 2005

MY COMPENSATION PACKAGE WAS ESPECIALLY CREATIVE

“What I really like about Eric, Larry, Sergey and the whole Google family is its collective and eminent practicality and seemingly boundless creativity.”

Vint Cerf, on ditching MCI to join Google, Google Blog, 8 September 2005