Author: Matt

“All technology devices and all components are more like mackerel than like Chateau Lafite. They do not get better with time.”

Venture capitalist Irwin Federman, on the technology industry’s planned obsolescence, The Industry Standard, 5 July 2001

“We’re not going to sit around and cry in our beer, ‘wah wah.’ Who wants to do that for three days?”

Industry Standard chairman John Battelle, on the entertainment planned for his magazine’s annual conference, The New York Times, 2 July 2001

“People have said that I believe that Microsoft is evil, but that’s not true. I think they’re amoral, and their business practices make me angry.”

Star antitrust witness and former Intel exec Steven McGeady, on Microsoft’s unrepentant ways, The New York Times, 2 July 2001

“The rules that companies are allowed to innovate have always been clear. All Microsoft has ever asked for is to be able to work within the rules as they exist.”

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, spinning curiously after a court ruling that affirmed that his company’s most significant innovation in recent years was finding new ways to extend its existing monopoly on PC operating systems, CBS MarketWatch, 29 June 2001

“There will always be crybaby boobies who are unhappy with any company.”

Covad spokeswoman Martha Sessums, on disgruntled DSL customers who can’t get good service from the company …

“I tried first to get Covad but it didn’t work out. I have a cable modem.”

… a group that includes former Covad CEO Robert Knowling, ZDNN, 28 June 2001