In remarks reproduced by InfoWorld, Bill Gates praised the Macintosh II’s faster 68020 processor, larger display and expansion options, especially for desktop publishing. But he doubted Apple would become a strong choice for corporate buyers, citing price pressure and competition from the broad DOS and IBM-compatible market. His comments appeared in InfoWorld’s March 2, 1987 issue coverage of the Macintosh II and SE; the available text is a 2014 retrospective, not a separately inspected copy of the original issue.
What Gates liked about the Macintosh II
Gates argued that the Macintosh II’s high-end configuration could make it easier for people to use a Mac for a wider range of work. He pointed to its Motorola 68020 processor and larger display, saying, “By having a very high-end offering with the 68020 performance and a larger display, I think it makes it easier to people who’d like to have the Macintosh serve all their needs.” The wording and view are reproduced in InfoWorld’s retrospective; they are Gates’s period assessment, not a present-day performance comparison.
Desktop publishing and the larger display
Gates singled out desktop publishing as a use case where the earlier small display could constrain users. He praised running Mac Word III on a full-page display and described the speed improvement as substantial. In his view, the Macintosh II’s screen and processing improvements made the computer more capable for this kind of publishing work.
Why Microsoft’s publication department needed Ethernet
Gates described Microsoft’s publication department using Macs to produce manuals. He said AppleTalk was pleasant to use and built in at relatively low cost, but its low speed and limited bandwidth did not meet the department’s needs when documents contained scanned images. For that workflow, he said, the department needed Ethernet to connect with other systems.
#1 Best Overall
He welcomed the Macintosh II’s expansion options and the ability to add Ethernet, whether through the bus or third-party devices connected through SCSI. This account concerns Gates’s organization and the computers of that period; it does not establish compatibility with modern networks or equipment.
Why Gates doubted Apple’s corporate prospects
Gates separated Apple’s overall market share from its standing with corporate buyers. He predicted Apple’s relative share of the market as a whole would rise after the Macintosh II and SE announcements, but did not expect Apple to make corporate customers a strong point.
His reasons included corporate buyers’ sensitivity to price, the number of DOS machine makers, competition from IBM, Compaq and Tandy, and the plug-in card ecosystem available to IBM-compatible computers. He characterized the contest as “move and countermove,” with both sides improving their products. These were forecasts and comparisons made in 1987, not conclusions about later market outcomes.
What the 11-to-1 figure means
Gates said, “The ratio of PC to Mac sales, even in the United States, is like 11 to 1.” InfoWorld reproduces that line as part of the 1987 remarks, but its retrospective does not independently substantiate it as a market statistic. It should be read as Gates’s approximate claim at the time, not as a verified measurement.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Rank #3
Where to read the reproduced remarks
InfoWorld’s 2014 retrospective reproduces Gates’s comments and identifies their original context: the March 2, 1987 issue’s discussion of the Macintosh II and Macintosh SE and their possible effect on the corporate market. The source is useful for what Gates said, but it is a later republication rather than an independently reviewed facsimile of the original issue.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
