when it comes to software management failures are a recurrent yet interesting theme. in regard to recent discussions it might as well be worthwhile to find out why and what influenced their decisions. "they didn't see the value" is just an elliptical subordinate cause which leaves out the most interesting parts. imho

there are several cases that popped up recently:

apple and microsoft back in 1985
bill gates urged apple to license its software to microsoft and to other computer manufactures.

dave winer has stored the document:

To: John Sculley, Jean Louis Gassee From: Bill Gates, Jeff Raikes Date: June 25, 1985 Re: Apple Licensing of Mac Technology | letter and memo

andy tanenbaum recalls: LicensingMacSoftware (audio/mpeg, 433 KB)

apropo apple: once upon a time there was bebox in the carp pond, and once upon a time a chat with gassée.