Bill Gates Confidential Email from Antitrust Case Leaked

On April 30th, 2003 the Microsoft Staff got word of Steve Jobs new venture iTunes. This caught Microsoft completely by surprise- which is obvious in top execs emails. Microsoft decided they needed to jump into the music/entertainment game and fast. They were going to try and scrap something together in four weeks.

Here's a Transcript from Bill Gates Email to Staff: (Obtained as Evidence in the Microsoft Antitrust Case)

Subject: Apple's Jobs Again...And time to have a great Windows Download Service...

Steve Jobs ability to focus in on a few things that count, get people who get user interface right and market things as revolutionary are amazing things.

This time somehow he has applied his talents in getting a better licensing deal than anyone else has gotten for music.

This is very strange to me. The music companies own operations offer a service that is truly unfriendly to the user and has been reviewed that way consistently.

Somehow they give Apple the ability to do something pretty good.

I remember discussing EMusic and us saying that model was better than subscription because you would know what you are getting.

With the subscription who can promise you that the cool new stuff you want (or old stuff) will be there?

I am not saying this strangeness means we messed up - at least if we did so did Real and Pressplay and Musicnet and basically everyone else.

Now that Jobs has done it we need to move fast to get somethlng where the UI and Rights are as good.

I am not sure whether we should do this through one of these JVs or not, I am not sure

what the problems are. However I think we need some plan to prove that even though Jobs has us a bit flat footed again we move quick and both match and do stuff better.

I’m sure people have a lot of thoughts on this. If the plan is clear no meeting is needed. I want to make sure we are coordinated between Windows DMD, MSN and other groups.

Here's the complete transcript- from http://antitrust.slated.org/www.iowaconsumercase.org/011607/7000/PX07219.pdf

Theres a great follow up email after-Check that out too.

Thanks & Enjoy.