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Maritz on… the BeOS

BeOS competes with Windows in all circumstances

Microsoft VP Paul Maritz doesn't know much about BeOS -- for example, whether it could run without Windows. Judge Jackson was interested to find out from the Maritz that "you can dual boot any operating system alongside Windows". Hitachi was installing BeOS and Windows, although Maritz did not know if Windows was present or not, but he adopted an extreme view that in all circumstances BeOS was competitive with Windows, even if Windows was present (which it was). However, Hitachi was being very cautious, probably to ensure it paid a reasonable price for Windows, by not showing the BeOS icon on the start-up screen, or setting up a dual boot. Instructions are provided, but users have to do the work themselves. Maritz was shown a statement by John-Louis Gassee to the effect that Be did not want to compete directly with Microsoft, but would be complementary. Maritz was not impressed and thought that on the Be Web site, Be was soliciting ISVs to write applications for the Be platform. Gassee noted that OS/2 tried to be a DOS/Windows competitor, but failed because "Windows in the office automation marketplace is too entrenched". In DoJ attorney David Boies' cross-examination, Maritz refused to yield to the idea that a successful alternate to Windows would need a wide variety of applications. Yet, in April 1998, Maritz had said in a deposition that real competitors would need "a wide range of applications". ® Complete Register trial coverage

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