Before John Soyring took the stand in the Microsoft antitrust trial yesterday, the government showed more footage from the videotaped deposition Bill Gates made in September. Like yesterday’s excerpt (CI No 3,540), this one concerned an email that Gates said he had no recollection of writing or sending. However, where yesterday’s excerpt showed a guarded and reticent Microsoft CEO, in today’s he appeared far more at ease. Dated October 30 1997, the email concerned Microsoft’s relationship with IBM. According to David Boise, who leads the government case, the email highlighted Gates’ desire to restrict the uptake of Java and network computers, both of which could harm Microsoft’s core business. Gates described a meeting with Cyrix Corp board member Gary Stimac. In July 1996, Stimac had left his position as senior vice president and general manager of Compaq Computer Corp. Gates wrote that Stimac had been offered a position as head of the IBM PC Company, but that Stimac was concerned about the poor relationship IBM had with Microsoft. Gates said that while he would like to see Stimac head up the IBM division, he told him of problems Microsoft had with the IBM PC Company. The Java religion coming out of the software group was a big problem, he wrote. Boise and Gates sparred over which software group Gates had meant. Gates maintained that the passage did not refer specifically to the IBM Software group, but to one of a number of groups. In the email, Gates also complained that IBM continue[d] to use their PCs to distribute things against us. He wrote that he could deal with their software ambitions if they were not such rabid Java backers. Gates then complained about IBM providing financial backing for Java development undertaken by Sun Microsystems Inc and Netscape Communications Corp – two key rivals to Microsoft. The email ended with Gates’ suggestion that IBM and Microsoft could step back from confrontation. While he did not say what (if anything) Microsoft would concede, Gates spelt out the concessions Microsoft expected from IBM. On their side I mean Java and NC, he wrote. Outside the courthouse after the testimony, Microsoft officials said the tape had showed Gates answering questions quickly, directly and completely. When asked if that comment implied that other clips had shown Gates’ answers to be slow, evasive and incomplete, they declined to comment. รก