RoughlyDrafted has a very insightful article on the background history of Apple’s Quicktime platform development efforts, and how Microsoft was indirectly (and inadvertently) a force in establishing Final Cut Pro as a contender in the NLE market. There is also backstory on how Adobe Premiere fit into things, Avid’s involvement, and of course the reason for the oddball “Bruce the Wonder Yak“ quotes inserted by programmers into Macromedia Final Cut’s resource files (which still remain to this day in FCP 5).

It’s a very interesting and well written essay, and offers a unique look into the crazy politics and development process of innovative NLE software.