Apple vs Microsoft | Seeds of Discontent | 3

This book is a detailed exposé of Bill Gates' life and the early days of Microsoft. The authors follow Gates from his childhood as an unkempt thirteen-year-old computer hacker to his present-day status as the most powerful and feared player in the computer industry. The book provides a balanced analysis of Gates' business triumphs and his driven personality, including his singular accomplishments, brattiness, arrogance, and hostility. It also delves into the intense atmosphere at Microsoft, the company's strategic positioning, and key events such as the partnership with IBM and the development of MS-DOS and Windows.

This biography, based on more than 40 interviews with Steve Jobs and over 100 interviews with family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues, provides a riveting story of Jobs' roller-coaster life and intense personality. It highlights his passion for perfection, his ferocious drive, and how he revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing. The book explores Jobs' contradictions, his 'reality distortion field,' and the lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values that can be drawn from his life and career.