[stanmancan]

I'm pretty sure I remember reading in the Steve Jobs Biography that Steve admitted Apple wouldn't survive without Microsofts investment. At the same time, Bill seemed to agree that Microsoft would have been in quite some trouble if the UI lawsuits went through. So while the investment was indeed a settlement of sorts, Apple may not have survived to tell the tale without Microsoft's cash infusion.

[Samuel_Michon]

Apple still had billions in cash when it accepted Microsoft's purchase of non-voting shares.

Microsoft's pledge to continue making Office and IE for Mac was way more significant, as Apple's share price had been going rapidly at the time. Microsoft showing faith in the platform put a temporary hold on that.

That gave Jobs the time he needed for rigorous reorganization. Gil Amelio had already fired thousands of employees. However, Jobs replaced the entire board of directors, most of the VPs and other high up execs. He discontinued most products, including the Newton MessagePad and eMate. He terminated the deals his predecessors made with Mac clone makers. And then he worked hard with the very best of the best within the company to create one or two new products a year, slowly building a strong lineup of profitable products.

[taligent]

$150 million is nothing for a company that was looking at billion dollar losses.

[huggyface]

Losses that involve writing down inventory, goodwill, and accounts receivable don't stop you from settling paychecks each month.

It's weird that people keep refuting the importance of Microsoft's investment when the actual Apple people involved herald it as critical.