They were all varying levels of evil at various times. People thought Microsoft was a predatory monopolist. Embrace, extend, extinguish. Oracle a sue-happy company run by a megalomaniac. “What’s the difference between god and Larry Ellison? God doesn’t think he is Larry Ellison.” IBM was a stuffy has-been with strong military-industrial ties. I have no good joke for IBM, which is part of IBM’s problem.

Google’s “Don’t be evil” really was in stark contrast to all that. (Whether lived or not is a separate thing. )