Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT)Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie was happy to talk about the history of computing Wednesday at a Silicon Valley event but did not want to talk about its future, as least as far as what Microsoft’s plans might be pertaining to tablet computing
Appearing at the PLATO@50 conference held to honor the PLATO (Programming Logic for Automated Teaching Operations) platform, Ozzie refused to respond to comments Apple CEO Steve Jobs reportedly made this week about devices such as Apple’s iPad reducing the need for PCs. Ozzie declined to say what PC software king Microsoft’s strategy would be in relation to tablets.
“I would respond to that by saying this is great event, this is a tremendous event. I’m really glad to be here tonight. It’s really about PLATO and it’s about [PLATO founder Donald Bitzer, who was in attendance],” said Ozzie, who worked on PLATO and derived Lotus Notes from it.
The event, Ozzie stressed, was “not about Microsoft” and its plans.