In response to Perhaps the movies made too literal a translation, Steve Sinofsky reminded me that everybody at Microsoft got a special advance screening of the movie True Lies, or at least five seconds’ worth. The computer that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character infiltrates runs the Arabic version of Windows 3.1, and the Arabic version of Word 6 appeared on screen as well. Steve was in charge of the Office division at the time and managed to get permission to show a clip from a rough cut of the movie at the 1994 company meeting. He explains, “I had to run to the airport and pick up a beta tape, show it at the meeting, and then return it via air-courier.” It was like some sort of spy movie.

Oh, wait.