Pirates Of Silicon Valley

idunno · December 29, 2003 11:53PM

Has anyone seen Pirates Of Silicon Valley? It is a a film about the rise (and fall of Apple and Microsoft and how they both stole and cheated to get there they are. I thought it was an okay film... Personnaly I would have prtrayed Microsoft as more evil.

Anyway, how much of Apple does Microsoft actually own?

applenut · December 30, 2003 12:11AM

Quote:

Originally posted by les t

Has anyone seen Pirates Of Silicon Valley? It is a a film about the rise (and fall of Apple and Microsoft and how they both stole and cheated to get there they are. I thought it was an okay film... Personnaly I would have prtrayed Microsoft as more evil.

Anyway, how much of Apple does Microsoft actually own?

The movie was entertaining. And it did in my opinion portray MS quite negatively

In 1997 MS invested 150 million dollars in non-voting stock. It was more of a symbolic gesture than an investment. The movie was misleading. I believe that MS has sold most of those shares since.

wrong robot · December 30, 2003 12:23AM

I didn't see the whole thing but what I did see, was kind of eh?

Like that scene when Demi-god Steve jobs summons the mere mortal Bill gates to his chamber and is like "YOU STOLE from me!" then there is a big cut and paste conflagration of scenes that might as well have been from a windows promotional video(with eager bill gates pointing to various screens and stuff about how windows is actually different)

and then jobs' is like "oh okay, I guess I was wrong, you didn't steal from me"

at least that's what I garnered from that scene...anyone care to fill me in?

or how about the scene with the programmer working hard on some new code and he made the code like a smiley face or something "this way when people see their computer they'll feel more connected with it" and jobs' unplugs his computer and fires him.

I gotta go rent that

kenneth · December 30, 2003 12:47AM

I have it on VCD.

hom · December 30, 2003 8:50AM

I was going to link to Woz's page because he goes in depth about the accuracy of the movie, but www.woz.org seems to be down. According to him, a lot of the movie was right on, but some of it was completely made up, like the LSD scene and the final confrontation between Jobs and Gates.

danmacman · December 30, 2003 9:30AM

Quote:

Originally posted by HOM

[B]I was going to link to Woz's page because he goes in depth about the accuracy of the movie, but www.woz.org seems to be down./B]

It is now www.woz.com, and it is affiliated with his new company Wheels Of Zeus.

danmacman · December 30, 2003 9:35AM

BTW, this topic comes up every once in a while, so I post this email I received from Woz every time someone posts such a question. The following is my email to Woz, and his reply (sent 8/19/00):

"Woz, I watched Pirates last year when it debuted, but TNT aired it again this week, so I got a chance to tape it. I have watched it twice since then. I just wanted to know if that is even close to being truthful? Also I wondered if you and Steve are still friends? One more thing, would you be so kind as to send me an autographed photo of yourself? I would much appreciate it. Thank you for your time."

Close to the truth in terms of key personalities and issues and conflicts

that were part of the evolution of our industry.

Actual incidents could never be portrayed very close to perfectly. That

means sets or people present or timing.

The significance of what was shown is debatable. I believe it's very good

though.

-- Woz <mailto:[email protected]> <http://woz.org>

sledgehammer · December 30, 2003 10:28AM

did you get the photo?

placebo · December 30, 2003 12:36PM

That was an okay movie, it really made me pity Jobs' family, although I'm sure he changed.

Bill Gates was awfully sexual, huh?

aquatic · December 30, 2003 1:57PM

Has it come out on DVD yet? Last time I checked it had not been released to DVD. I of course have the Divx. It's a really great movie, and especially so considering it's "made for TV" it has big names, Noah Wyle and Anthony Hall.

ghost_user_name · December 30, 2003 2:24PM

The move was great! I am going to aquire the DivX now...

kenneth · December 30, 2003 4:06PM

I don't think there will be a DVD release of the movie.

trebuchet · December 30, 2003 5:40PM

We watched is as part of our computer science class I had first term. A lot of the key things that happen are true, as to where the GUI came from, DOS, etc. It was very interesting to see it played out like that. A fun watch for sure. I think the Jobs stuff is probably over-dramatized, but I have come to expect that of any documentary styled flick.

danmacman · December 30, 2003 6:07PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SledgeHammer

did you get the photo?

Nah, unfortunately I never got the autographed photo.

Pirates Of Silicon Valley

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