Apple and Creative

I read in the news about the lawsuit of Creative suiting Apple over some user interface pattern related to iPod. In the article, it is interesting to learn back in 2001, before Apple release its first iPod, it wanted to license the hardware from Creative. Back then Apple was the new comer to the infant mp3 player market, while Creative was in fact the market leader. At the end Creative cannot reach an agree with Apple and Apple decided to design its own hardware. The rest is history. I am sure the executives at Creative must be really regret about his decision to blow the deal or executive s slipped this golden oppertunity already let go. Sometimes looking back into history, you would make a different decision if you know what will turn out is different. The problem is, how can you know what’s lying ahead of you?