August 6, 1997: In one of the most famous moments in Apple history, Steve Jobs reveals a $150 million Microsoft investment that saved his company from ruin. But the famous $150 million Microsoft investment wasn’t an act of charity — it was a carefully calculated deal that helped both rivals survive. At the time of its Apple investment, Microsoft was riding high on the success of Windows 95, the dominant operating system for personal computers. “They were an awful board, a terrible board,” Jobs said later, in comments published in his biography. New Apple board brings hope for a turnaround after Microsoft investmentIn place of the old Apple board, Jobs installed a new, more favorable group.