[Coco] Easter Eggs in BASIC, Bill Gates and the CoCo

[Arthur Flexser]

On Tue, Jan 7, 2014 at 10:08 AM, Bill Loguidice <bill at armchairarcade.com> wrote:
> Well, the CoCo 3 one was included because it was so "scandalous," but yes,
> I agree that it would have been a good idea to have mentioned the prior
> Easter Egg as a counterpoint and to put the severity of the reaction
> (perhaps as an overreaction) into perspective.
>

Bill, my point, somewhat poorly expressed, was this:

You say (p119), "Siegel felt that Microware's action jeopardized the
project and put Tandy in a precarious position.  Microsoft was already
being openly challenged by having its BASIC ROM patched by the
programmers at Microware.  Having the Easter Egg embedded in the ROM
was the equivalent of Microware sticking the proverbial middle finger
in the air, with Tandy providing the supporting hand and arm."

The three mugateers graphic was certainly more dramatic and elaborate
than Microware's CLS Easter Eggs.  But, the latter deactivated and
replaced Microsoft's prior CLS Easter Egg, so if Microware was giving
Microsoft the finger with the graphic, the Microware CLS eggs
certainly capped it with an exclamation point.

(Okay, a mixed metaphor there.  But then, what proverb involves the
"proverbial' middle finger?  The early bird gets the finger?)

Art