It's Rob Glaser all over again. In what can only be described as a public relations coup for Microsoft, a variety of third parties have discovered that the problem with Apple's QuickTime software is due to coding mistakes made by programmers at Apple Computer, not because of any code in Windows that hampers QuickTime. Apple executive Avie Tevanian claimed last week that Microsoft was deliberately "sabotaging" QuickTime. It appears now that the real problem is in Cupertino, not Redmond.
"Apple's willingness to claim 'sabotage' without basis in fact is very disappointing," said Tod Nielsen, General Manager of Microsoft's Developer Relations Group. "At Microsoft, we are absolutely committed to making sure that all software developers have the tools and support they need to ensure that their applications run well on the Windows platform. Apple's shoot-from-the-hip allegations and their decision to blame their own development mistakes on Microsoft in a court of law is not only wrong, but is harmful to the entire software industry, and more importantly it's harmful to our mutual customers."
In other words, the heavy weight of Microsoft Office once again swings like a guillotine over Apple Computer.
According to Microsoft, and a company called MindCraft that was hired to verify the testing, Apple's developers ignored specific directions provided by Netscape (of all people) to developers about how to write and install a browser "plug-in," a program that adds functionality to a Web browser.
"Apple's development errors and their decision not to follow Netscape's development instructions are causing the interoperability problems Apple now claims are the fault of the Windows platform," Microsoft wrote in a press release.
Microsoft has created a fix for QuickTime that is now available from the Microsoft Web site.
"Though it is clearly not Microsoft's responsibility to provide fixes to another vendor's product, we decided to offer the fix to customers because we feel they should not pay the price for Apple's programming mistakes, groundless allegations and courtroom antics," Nielsen said. "Hopefully, Apple will also make a fix available for their customers, as well as correct the mistake in the next version of QuickTime."
Ouch