Michael Dell, Spurred By 'Reputation, Greed,' Takes Dell Private: 20 Talking Points

In 1997, shortly after Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs returned to the struggling computer maker to lead a turnaround, PC kingpin Michael Dell was asked what he would do if he were running Apple. He famously told an audience of several thousand information technology managers, "I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders."