乔布斯传 第399期:微软契约(2)

 　　Under Amelio, the showdown had become explosive. 在阿梅里奥时期，微软跟苹果已经全面摊牌。

　　Microsoft refused to commit to developing Word and Excel for future Macintosh operating systems, which could have destroyed Apple.  微软拒绝给未来的麦金塔操作系统开发Word和Excel，这可能会毁了苹果。

　　In defense¹ of Bill Gates, he was not simply being vindictive². 替比尔·盖茨说句话，他并不只是简单的小心眼儿。

　　It was understandable that he was reluctant to commit to developing for a future Macintosh operating system when no one, 可以理解，他会犹豫要不要投入地为未来的麦金塔操作系统作开发，因为似乎没有人

　　including the ever-changing leadership at Apple, seemed to know what that new operating system would be. （包括处于变化中的苹果领导层在内）知道那个新的操作系统会是什么样子。

　　Right after Apple bought NeXT, Amelio and Jobs flew together to visit Microsoft, 就在苹果收购NeXT以后，阿梅里奥和乔布斯一起飞去拜访微软，

　　but Gates had trouble figuring out which of them was in charge. 但是盖茨当时难以判断他们两个谁做主。

　　A few days later he called Jobs privately³. 几天以后他私下给乔布斯打电话。

　　"Hey, what the fuck, am I supposed to put my applications on the NeXT OS?" Gates asked. “嗨，这他妈是怎么回事，我是要把我的应用软件放在NeXT操作系统上吗？”盖茨当时这样问道。

　　Jobs responded by "making smart-ass remarks about Gil," Gates recalled, 乔布斯说了些“对吉尔的恭维话”，盖茨回忆，

　　and suggesting that the situation would soon be clarified. 然后说局面很快就会清晰起来。

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 vindictive   

adj.有报仇心的，怀恨的，惩罚的

参考例句：

• I have no vindictive feelings about it.我对此没有恶意。
• The vindictive little girl tore up her sister's papers.那个充满报复心的小女孩撕破了她姐姐的作业。

3 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。