In a recent conversation on his YouTube channel, former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer engaged in a captivating dialogue with Dave Cutler, the chief architect and designer of Windows NT. The discussion, which resurfaced in 2023, revealed some intriguing anecdotes from the competitive landscape of the tech industry during the late 1990s.
Unveiling the Coffin Incident
Plummer initiated the conversation by probing Cutler about a well-known tale involving a rather unconventional gift sent to Sun Microsystems around the time of Windows NT’s launch. Cutler recounted the story with a mix of nostalgia and amusement, highlighting the playful yet fierce rivalry that characterized the era.
“Scott McNealy was kind of mealy-mouthed, and there were some other people around that were a little bit that way too,” Cutler remarked, referencing Lee Reiswig from IBM. “Somebody, and I don’t know who it was, found these black cardboard coffins, and they were about two feet long.” The idea was audacious: sending coffins to competitors as a tongue-in-cheek gesture.
Cutler elaborated, “So we decided that we would send Scott McNealy and Lee Reiswig a coffin, and we would put a special message in it.” The message was delivered with a birthday card that played the ominous “Death March,” a fittingly dark touch for the occasion.
Adding a Dash of Humor
The narrative took an even more amusing turn when Cutler recalled the playful antics of Sun Microsystems. “At the time, Sun was running ads with… they had a dog, and the dog’s name was Network,” he explained. McNealy famously brought the dog on stage during a presentation, where it urinated on a fire hydrant emblazoned with the Microsoft logo—a low blow in the ongoing rivalry.
In response, Cutler and his team decided to up the ante. “We got some fake dog doo and put it in the box… both of these we had hand delivered, so we know that they actually showed up.” This cheeky retaliation added a layer of levity to the competitive atmosphere, showcasing the unique blend of rivalry and camaraderie that defined the tech sector at the time.
A Missed Opportunity
Cutler also mentioned a third coffin that was intended for another tech titan, possibly Larry Ellison. “I forget who we were going to send the third. The third one might have been going to Larry Ellison or somebody else… but that one never went off,” he noted, leaving listeners to ponder what might have transpired had that delivery occurred.
Reflecting on these stories, it’s clear that the playful antics of tech giants have evolved. While the notion of sending coffins may not hold the same charm today, the spirit of lighthearted competition remains a hallmark of the industry. In a world dominated by social media spats, perhaps a little humor—like fake dog poop—might be a more palatable way to settle scores.
