Great Business Stories

← Great Business Stories12 aug · 32 min

Microsoft 1994-2000: How Bill Gates Turned a Browser War Into an Antitrust Disaster

Microsoft 1994-2000: How Bill Gates Turned a Browser War Into an Antitrust Disaster12 aug32 min

<p>This is, without doubt, one of my favourite stories ever. And look, I&#39;ll be doing a good few episodes on Gates and Microsoft, but why I decided to start off with this one is because it&#39;s a fantastic standalone story. You have Bill Gates and Microsoft, in the mid-90s at the height of their power, and then along comes Marc Andreessen and Netscape, who develop a browser that really launches the World Wide Web. And this is an existential threat to Microsoft. They try to bully Netscape into a deal, but Netscape fight back, and this sets in motion an antitrust case that brings out Gates&#39; arrogance, petulance and fear, and it leads to a judgement where Microsoft is ordered to split in two. This is a cracking story, enjoy.</p><p><br></p>