Pride Before the Fall: The Trials of Bill Gates and the End of the Microsoft Era

by John Heilemann

Book Overview

This is the definitive investigation of the most important business story of our time. In riveting style, Pride Before the Fall uncovers the truth behind the headlines -- including the hidden roles of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0066621178
• ISBN13: 9780066621173
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 246 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent book on Microsoft anti-trust trial

This book puts out a lot of factual information while keeping the read interesting. I've used this in a college ethics class, and most students liked it. I know of an attorney's office that used it to familiarize their staff with the case. The book is biased against Microsoft, but shows enough of their side that it doesn't come across as a shallow review. Lot's of interviews keep the book interesting.

Engrossing, thoroughly informative, very well-written

This is an extraordinarily lucid, crisply-written account of the Microsoft trial and the circumstances leading up to it. Heilemann sets the scene with masterful depictions of the environment in Silicon Valley and especially at Microsoft, as well as of the various characters involved. Be aware, however, that this fascinating charting of Microsoft's rise to power and the complicated road to eventual government prosecution takes up almost 2/3 of the book. The subsequent trial scenes, while highly entertaining, may seem short by comparison.Heilemann covered the case as a reporter and interviewed practically all the major players. The result is a balanced, even tale in which Heilemann remains mostly objective but is still able to comment critically and insightfully on the happenings. The story, even with its high level of depth, is propelled quickly by Heilemann's sophisticated writing, replete with erudite metaphors and colorful quotations.Any recent books about the Microsoft case are handicapped to a certain degree because the appeals process is not over and a final remedy, yet to be determined. Still, this book provides an excellent foundation for understanding future developments in the case, as well as simply a great read. Heilemann truly makes the trial, and the world, of Microsoft, come alive.

The Trial Book To Read

PRIDE BEFORE THE FALL relays the trials of Microsoft from a different point of view than Auletta's account. Heilemann's access to the key players, many of whom are unknown to the general public and received nary a headline, is just excellent. If you're going to read only one book about the Microsoft trials, this is it.

A Clear (and Witty) Showing

This brilliant and thorough account of the complicated dynamics of USv. Microsoft ought to be read by everyone who uses a computer. Despiteits unfortunate and misleading title, this is a book that first andforemost explains in detail what Microsoft did that was unlawful andwhat was done about it. Heilemann introduces individual afterindividual on the many sides of the case - Bill Gates, Joel Klein,David Boies, Steve McGeady, Bill Neukom, Garth Saloner and the rest- offering a critical picture of motive, drive, method, andspecific contribution to the outcome (as of November 2000). The booksucceeds by its resistance to the usual (and in this case wrong) Davidv. Goliath or organizational determinism metanarratives. Instead, itis a story of a loose-knit organization of Davids fighting the Borgthat chronicles the complicated reasons that the Davids themselvesnever became a Borg. Heilemann's achievement is no less extraordinarybecause it is done simply and adroitly through his choice of language.First, his folksy style (tangling "like a pair of scorpions in asock") sustains his focus on the organic even while he walks usthrough the technological specificities of integrated browsers,operating systems, and platforms: a tale peopled with pudding-bowlbangs and cowlicks refuses to be intimidating. Second, the cominglingof earthy figures of speech and and computer-speak (an acronym such asAPI is simply a metaplasmus, while the product name `Windows' ispatently metaphoric) serves to remind the reader that while the marketcircuitry is new, the human story is not. Heilemann's book is anexcellent read.

Rare that someone gets it

I've tired of explaining to people the Bill Gates/Microsoft monopoly to non-techies. I'm very surprised and happy of this writer's grasp of the core subject and lays it out in an interesting manner. Most books gloss over the "real" Bill Gates preferring to stick with his promotional machine's image but not this one.