5 years ago: Is Apple turning into Microsoft?

12.01.00 January in Silicon Valley means two things: fog and the Macworld Expo. And, as sure as the Golden Gate Bridge gets lost in the morning fog, a Macworld Expo means a Steve Jobs keynote with some big announcements, more rabid Mac fans than you can shake an iBook at, and plenty of shouting. In fact, there is more cheering and general enthusiasm than you would usually see at rock concerts.

For the full opinion piece, Transatlantic Cable, click here.

12.01.05 We have taken the unusual step of using a column from five years ago to look at how far Apple has come. Setting aside the whole issue of it being almost a surprise that CEO Steve Jobs even considered not taking that post again full-time, a number of other things stand out.

There's no mention of iPods - regular, mini or indeed mini mini as of this week - but a lot of talk about the birth of OS X (say that 'ten'). And while that operating system is widely considered a solid success, how does it look in hindsight that the writer asked how close to Microsoft's strategy and how close to 'Steve Gates' were Apple and Jobs turning?