During the U.S. government's landmark antitrust case against Microsoft, Bill Gates gave a videotaped deposition in 1998 that became infamous for his combative, evasive demeanor — quibbling over the meaning of common words and claiming not to recall key emails. Clips played in court drew laughter and damaged Microsoft's position, contributing to Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson's findings against the company. The deposition remains one of the most scrutinized moments of Gates's career as a corporate leader.