New Book Examines Apple

Joining the chorus of media watchers who chronicle the fate and flaws of Apple Computer Inc., former Times staff writer Jim Carlton will discuss his book “Apple: The Inside Story of Intrigue, Egomania and Business Blunders” on Thursday at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan theater.

The book describes how Apple went from an industry leader in the 1980s to a meager player in the 1990s.

One anecdote outlines a 1985 meeting during which Bill Gates, chairman of what was then a much smaller Microsoft Corp., managed to extract an agreement from Apple executives that gave Microsoft the right to reproduce the look and feel of the Macintosh in Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

The free event begins at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.