Tricks of the Microsoft Windows Vista Masters

Introduction: Tricks of the Microsoft Windows Masters

“We learned a lot during the Vista [process]. People can see how we’ve mixed together our Office talent and Windows talent to get the best of both worlds, and how we’re going to do things going forward.”

—Bill Gates, interview with Steven Levy for Newsweek (February 1, 2007)

Did you know that it is often necessary to sift through 250 to 400 tons of rock, gravel, and sand to mine a one carat diamond? And once a diamond is found, it must be cut precisely by a craftsman and polished to bring out the shine we all appreciate. In the case of diamonds, they must be both “discovered in the rough” and “crafted into an object of beauty” before placed before us in a showcase.

The same is true of the ...