Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Curtains for Windows

I think that the dry interjection from the lawyer in this extract from a deposition taken from Steve Balmer relating to a court hearing lately is hilarious.

Ballmer: Kai-Fu had a -- a distinct commitment and responsibility on behalf of the company for being the senior executive here in Redmond, with responsibility for godfathering, shepherding all of our R&D activities in China. It's a structure we also use for India. We have a senior executive with knowledge of India be the R&D godfather for India, encourage work to go there, shepherd, and -- and mentor people in the area. Kai-Fu had that broad, important responsibility for China. ... '


Deposing lawyer: 'This term, 'godfather' -- is that an official title within the Microsoft organization?'


Maybe Willi Cicci and Senator Geary were talking about a buffer overflow in the Godfather Part II.

Senator Geary: Mr. Cici, was there always a buffer involved?
Willi Cicci: A what?
Senator Geary: A buffer. Someone in between you and your possible superiors who passed on to you the actual order to kill someone.
Willi Cicci: Oh yeah, a buffer. The family had a lot of buffers!


With Windows, just like the family,"when the boss says push a button on a guy, I push a button."

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