Bonum Certa Men Certa

Bill Gates and His 'Attack Groups'

Bill Gates: "With Netscape and Corel working together its nice that we organized ourselves so the group attacking Netscape and the group attacking Corel are under common leadership!"This post is a sequel to a previous and very recent one. It continues the exploration of early days when Novell owned WordPerfect and Microsoft engaged in aggressive (and probably illegal) tactics. The following exhibit brings to light Microsoft's attack groups [PDF]. It refers to Corel and the roots in Novell.

As the E-mails clearly demonstrate, Robbie Bach is involved here as well and there is a coordinated attack on rivals, as opposed to focus on one's own products. It's the pattern that involves outmuscling competitors -- something that Cringely spoke about a month ago. Don't we now see it when Xen gets hijacked, Novell's Linux plans are subverted and adoption of one unified standard is fought against by Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates, who personally pressure some 'top guns' in the United States government.

A quick look at the E-mail shows the type of thinking involved (thanks, 'Doug Mentohl').

Original Message----

From: Robert (Robbie) Bach Sent: Friday, January 17, 1997 8:50 AM To: Bill Gates Subject: FW: Netscape: and Corel to Provide Integrated Software Optimized for Network-Centric Environment

Per our discussion in the hotel room.., this press release actually says they are "jointly developing WordPerfect 8" and integrating Communicator into that. Combine that with the Corel Java work and I think this does make Netscape a key competitor ....

Robbie

--Original Message--- From: Library News Service

---Original Message--- From: Bill Gates Sent: Friday, January 17, 1997 12:56 PM To: Robert (Robbie) Bach Cc: Richard Fade; Jon E)eVaan; Brad Silverberg Subject: RE: Netscape: and Corel to Provide Integrated Software Optimized for Network-Centric Environment

I guess the Groupwise relationship with Novell was structured so that Corel could just ignore it since this attacks that directly. I thought Corel had committed a bunch of royalties for Groupwise and loyalty to Novell. We should have Novell analysts probe this issue.

I do wonder how the pricing between the 2 companies work since they both want to make revenue on these products. We should get Netscape and Corel analysts to probe this issue.

We do need to get our people to evaluate these JAVA products again. I look forward to seeing what the analysis comes up with.

With Netscape and Corel working together its nice that we organized ourselves so the group attacking Netscape and the group attacking Corel are under common leadership! I agree their relationship could get stronger over time with Netscape buying Corel. It would be complex but if they pulled it off it would strengthen them.

--Original Message----

From: Robert (Robbie) Bach Sent: Monday, January 20, 1997 4:50 PM To: Bill Gates Cc: Richard Fade: Jon DeVaan; Brad Silverberg; Steven Sinofsky; Michael Hebert; Michael Graft; Brad Chase Subject: RE: Netscape: and Corel to Provide Integrated Software Optimized for Network-Centric Environment

You mentioned this in the MYR today...we are following up and calling analysts to get their info on the Netscape/Corel relationship. .. MikeHeb will forward as soon as we have it. SteveSi is also looking at the latest Corel Java apps they posted.

Thanks Robbie

From: Steven Sinofsky Sent: Monday, January 20, 1997 5:24 PM To: Bill Gates Subject: FW: Netscape: and Corel to Provide Integrated Software Optimized for Network-Centric Environment

I sent this to aaron:

it is also http://officeweb/publicl/javaaoffice


This discussion about Java is particularly interesting at these times. Under de Icaza's technical leadership (among others'), Novell seems to have become a bit of the black sheep to Linux, just like Linspire. Mono is a smoke and mirrors decoy that is intended to give the impression that C# is cross-platform, just like Java. Mono is a weapon against Java, which the text above, as well as many other exhibits show, was one of Microsoft's greatest fears.

Microsoft's fear of Corel, Novell and Netscape is explored further in this long correspondence which reveals Microsoft worries [PDF]about Corel entering the Internet video phone business.

The predatory fight over the OEM channel (see this post from a couple of days ago) does not only affect Linux. Corel was affected as well [PDF].

- Original Message - From: Bill Gates Sent: Sunday, February 28, 1999 4:56 PM To: Joachim Kempin Cc: Bob Muglia (Exchange); Bill Neukom (LCA); Steven Sinofsky; Steve Ballmer Subject: Gateway

Attorney client privileged

I an reading about the Gateway adoption of the Corel software. I am interested to understand what this means better and how it relates to any contracts we have with them.

- Original Message - From: Joachim Kempin Sent: Sunday, March 01, 1999 3:59 PM To: Richard Fade Subject: FW: Gateway

could you update us on all the details please.

- Original Message - From: Richard Fade Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 1999 4:56 11:35 AM To: Joachim Kempin; Bill Gates; Allen Wilcox (LCA); Steve Ballmer; Steven Sinofsky; Bob Muglia (Exchange); Robert (Robbie); Bach; Ruthann Lorentzen Subject: Gateway

Attorney client privileged

We renegotiated Gateway's application agreement in November. This included Office 2000 on the G-Pro and high end of the G-Series models. It also included renewing their Work Suite license for those G-Series products not shipped with Office SBE. At the time they were planning a new platform which would allow them to offer configurations > $1,000. Gateway prices are for full systems including a monitor. At the time they were unsure of their costs and held back committing to Works Suite on this low end product line.

So these low end systems are not covered by our existing contract. They have now divided G - Series into "Performance" and "Essential" lines, the Corel bundle is on the Essential line. They did this deal with Corel and informed us after the fact.

Gateway represented that their low end buyers ere indifferent about the WP / tools they provided. Price was their decision criteria - we have not been complacent. We believe the Corel offer for WP Suite is $2 - #$3. We had a similar situation in the past 60 days at Dell, where we were able to retain all of our current business.

We are working on recovering this business, I met with Peter Ashkin (now Gateway Sr. VP for Products) last Friday on this and other issues. We have a shot at regaining for this summer.


Prebundling and marketing to OEMs (not customers) has always been a strength. How about concentrating on good products however?

Recent Techrights' Posts

A Dozen Observations About "UEFI 9/11" Deflections
What we are expected to see, tentatively
The World's Richest Ponzi Scheme (Faking Value Using Net Waste)
The higher they go the harder they fall
We Could Dual-Boot Back in the 1990s, Why Has This Become So Difficult?
And prone to breakage
Slopwatch: Google News is Still Promoting Many Fake Articles About "Linux", in Effect Rewarding Misinformation and Plagiarism
things continue to deteriorate
They Say That People Are Afraid of or Worried About "Hey Hi", But the Worriers Should be the Fools Who Invested in It
At the end of the day nobody should worry more than those who invested their money in this bubble
 
Longtime Red Hat Staff: Maybe Just Disable 'Secure Boot'
A refreshing take from Adam Williamson
Gemini Links 11/09/2025: Playdate Console, Dichotomy between the Real and the Digital
Links for the day
The Microsoft AstroTurfing and Microsoft-Led Blame-Shifting Tactics Are Ahead of Us
Of course it has nothing to do with security, it's about control, i.e. them controlling everything
Celebrating Assassination is Bad Because It Legitimises Assassination of the People You Like, Too
Condoning or even celebrating political assassinations is bad optics (and taste)
Being Conditioned to Accept Unreliable Computer Systems That Fail With Black Screen of Death (BSoD)
Welcome to 2025
New Series: The Coup Against GNU/Linux Has Begun
today, this year in particular, we shall also focus on Secure Boot, which is sold based on a lie and tortures many computer user
New Paper on "BYOVD, but in firmware. Signed UEFI shells, vulnerable modules offer new paths for Secure Boot bypasses."
One might say digital "security theatre"
Links 11/09/2025: Oracle Layoffs, Drunk Pilots in Japan Airlines, US-Korea Tensions Grow
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, September 10, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Xubuntu Site Compromised
Let's hope it is not a security breach
Links 10/09/2025: Retaliation at Facebook and Microsoft Reveals Almost 100 Security Holes
Links for the day
Gemini Links 10/09/2025: Annihilation of Self, The Future Eaters, and Leaving Academia
Links for the day
Harassment evidence: franceinfo's Clara Lainé report on Ubisoft prosecution
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 10/09/2025: Microsoft Layoffs in "RTO" Clothing and Windows TCO, GitHub TCO
Links for the day
Blaming Everything on China
TikTok works for China. GAFAM works for fascists.
People Get Tired of "Hey Hi" (AI), Unlike the Subservient Money-Obsessed Media That Gets Paid to Pretend This Bubble Still Matters
"crash will be way bigger than dot.com burst in 90s. and that was Internet, actually transformative technology, not this expensive AI toy with direct dependency on the energy input which is not scalable"
Brett Wilson LLP Accepts That the Serial Strangler From Microsoft Filed a Case That Also Implicates My Wife (Everything is Connected)
They used to pretend that there were two separate cases
10 Reasons to Disable (or Enable) UEFI Secure Boot
Tomorrow the "trusted corporation" Microsoft will see a certificate expire
Gemini Links 10/09/2025: Hospital and Large Feeds
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, September 09, 2025
IRC logs for Tuesday, September 09, 2025
The Bluewashing of Red Hat is Being Completed, Many Staff Understand They'll be Made Redundant
Jim AllowHurst (Whitehurst) is meanwhile promoting Microsoft's agenda from within other companies
Throwing Away "Old" Computers (Mozilla and Other Climate Deniers)
Mozilla is not leftist
statCounter Sees GNU/Linux Exceeding 10% in Bulgaria This Month
What can Microsoft still do to stop GNU/Linux?
Dark Patterns
Microsoft saying "security" is like a Convicted Felon in the White House saying "law and order".
It's Almost Fall (Autumn)
To "Facebook prison" you are bound
Bruce Schneier About "Secure Boot"
Bruce Schneier isn't a fan of "Secure Boot"
Links 09/09/2025: Microsoft Mass Layoffs Again and "RTO" (Timed Like It Serves as a Distraction From the Mass Layoffs)
Links for the day
RMS Told Microsoft to Stop 'Secure Boot' (He Even Went There to Say That), But They Didn't Listen
Dr. Stallman (RMS) assumed that speaking to sociopaths would work
What Richard Stallman Told Me About 'Secure' Boot in 2012
"if the user doesn't control the keys, then it's a kind of shackle"
Those Who Helped Microsoft Weaponise "Secure Boot" Against GNU/Linux and BSDs Are Fleeing
Microsofters doing what they do best: they evade accountability
Simple is Better, Simplicity is Power
That is "the advantage of having commodity GNU/Linux systems," an associate notes
Much Ado About Nonsense
Microsoft Lunduke is still all dramatisation and sensationalism
Current Events in France
It needs to dump Microsoft and other GAFAM (US) giants, move to Free software
Further Media Cut-downs
media reporting about the media being cut
Links 09/09/2025: US-Korea Tensions and Meta Whistleblowers
Links for the day
Gemini Links 09/09/2025: Moon Eclipse and ROOPHLOCH Reports
Links for the day
Links 09/09/2025: “Torrents of Hate” and Political Crisis in France
Links for the day
Gemini Links 09/09/2025: "Dedigitizing" and Forgejo on FreeBSD
Links for the day
Google News (Not Just Google Search) Lets Itself by Gamed by One Slopfarm - to the Point Almost Half of "Linux" News is Bot-Produced Plagiarism (LLM Slop With Slop Images)
That says a lot about what Google thinks of quality, even in Google News
Bill Gates-Funded Media Inadvertently Refutes the Microsoft Lie That in 2025 Microsoft Had Just Two Waves of Layoffs
There were about 12 rounds of layoffs so far in 2025
Official SUSE Blog Still Uses LLM Slop (Bots) to Make Fake Articles (Marketing)
The company is all about sound bites
Companies Realise That Slop Doesn't Work as Advertised, Accordingly Dump It
"Hype dims as a country-wide survey of US corporations shows a sudden drop-off in AI use among firms with more than 250 employees."
Microsoft-Funded Lawsuits Against Critics of UEFI 'Secure Boot'
Remember that no company (or law firm) ever survives collaborations with Microsoft
From theregister.co.uk to theregister.com (US) to The Register MS (Run by Microsoft Operatives) and theregister.ai
The best way to break this racket (or cycle of hype and harm) is to break the chains of funding
Open Source Initiative (OSI) Culture of Censorship Necessitates More Speech
The OSI bans dissent or people who merely point out that the OSI is abusive
How to Reach Us Discreetly (Other Than Encrypted E-mail)
We're still managing to maintain a 100% source protection record. We soon turn 19.
LLMs Are Vastly Worse Than a Waste of Energy and the Externalities Are Huge
Worse than just higher power bills for everybody
LLMs Versus Search (Not Replacing Search But Engaging in DDoS Attacks Against Web Sites That Permit Searching)
The state of the Web isn't just bad; it's utterly terrible
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, September 08, 2025
IRC logs for Monday, September 08, 2025
It's Only the Second Week of September and Already Two Waves of Layoffs at Microsoft, Slopfarms and Microsoft-Funded Sites Spin It as "AI Investments" Rather Than Commercial Failure
A very large third one expected next week
The UEFI 9/11 - Part IX - Shunning Old Computers (in 2023 the Certificate Was Updated/Overridden, Underlying Aim May Be Herding/Forcing People to Get TPM and Other 'Novel' Restrictions)
the "upgrade treadmill"