Bill Coleman

Atlanta, GA

Sr. Software Developer

Apple DID license Mac Technology to Microsoft in 1985. Without that license, Windows would not exist.

This important fact is too often overlooked. While the conventional wisdom is that Apple failed to make mass market penetration because it refused to license the technology, the opposite is true -- Apple gave away the Macintosh crown jewels in order to secure a continued license for AppleSoft BASIC -- an important component to the Apple II.

I seriously doubt Apple will repeat such an egregious mistake.

Apple's key advantage over other PC makers is that the make the whole widget -- Hardware and Software. This allows a level of integration and compatability that just isn't possible using components pieced together from third parties.