“Microsoft yesterday backed away from comments made by CEO Steve Ballmer, who had told Japanese software developers that the next version of Windows would be dubbed Windows 8, and that it would launch in 2012,” Gregg Keizer reports for Computerworld. “‘It appears there was a misstatement,’ a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement the company issued Monday afternoon. ‘We are eagerly awaiting the next generation of Windows 7 hardware that will be available in the coming fiscal year. To date, we have yet to formally announce any timing or naming for the next version of Windows.'”
Keizer reports, “Michael Cherry, an analyst with Kirkland, Wash.-based Directions on Microsoft, wondered exactly what part of Ballmer’s comments Monday were misstatements. ‘Was it the name, Windows 8?’ Cherry asked. ‘Or was it [the release in] 2012? Sometimes this is like being a soothsayer, pulling apart the entrails of animals.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: While it is telling – we’d say shocking, but nothing about Ballmer shocks us anymore – that the CEO doesn’t know what to say or not to say about his own company’s products, this whole thing just gives us a case of the Whatevers. We already have real Macs.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “James W.” for the heads up.]
“Misstatement”.
Is that a new brand of underwear?
Seems a lot of people cover their ass with it….
@TT:
This has to be one of, if not, the best comment I have read in a long time! Many kudos! I am still laughing! It warms my heart! Thanks for brightening my day! (And it is Thursday here in Oz – a cold, bright sunny winter day!) Thanks again.
That’s what happens when the sales guy is running the company.
Everything is proceeding as The Real Steve has foreseen …
He musta forgot to take his meds
The CEO of a company misspoke about which *year* their flagship product would be released.
That’s beyond comprehension, even for Microsoft.
Ha!
In the world of Microsoft… *this* passes as tantalising gossip. How dreadfully boring.
If he had a co- CEO like RIM he could blame it on the other guy. Poor Ballmer.
Well, to be fair to the man, I feel, at the very least, he embodies two men himself.
Physical prowess aside, in his energy, decision making and enthusiasm, he is his own co-CEO and cheerleader. I refer you to his developer, developer, developer dance. On a Leno show, he wouldn’t need a parade of dancing judge Itos, Ballmer alone will suffice.
Some of us suspect, he may even have an extra something inside to lend over to Google if needed. We can only hope.
It matters not what the big guy says, all that matters is that he remains the CEO of Microsoft.
Hear, hear!
Ballmer pulls a Kyle.
How did you manage to F this up Ballmer?
Baldmer is a tool.
Is there no part of the M$ business operation that Baldmer can’t foul up?
The reason why they are rolling back on the comments is that the bald gorilla has let the world know 2012 is the earliest for M$ to have a half baked iOS copy running on tablets. Windows Phone 8: “Potato” is the codename.
If you want to watch Mr Potato Head he’s here talking crap: https://www.youtube.com/user/WMPowerUser#p/u/3/saVsheKGt-0
An inverse lip sync moment, where Ballmer is scared of seven, because seven eight nine. I know, a rather Balmy joke…
ROFL
In Ballmer’s defense he hasn’t been to a board meeting in years. I mean, who the heck schedules those things during the same time as Power Rangers is on!?
Time an ardent Apple fan posts a “Leave Ballmer Alone!” emotional youtube pleading.
This guy is such an incompetent I’m sure he’s headed into politics.
I suspect that “Windows8” was a code name during development. The real product will be “Windows 2010”, and it will ship on 2013.
This could be the end of the road for Ballmer. If he doesn’t know the basic schedule of his flagship product, it’s over.
Windows is like the entrails of animals. You read it here.
“Pulling apart the entrails of animals” is in fact a rather precise description of how Microsoft writes software, after it is done copying whatever it can from Apple’s work.
In other news Microsoft’s next operating system is to be code-named ‘Skid Mark.’
Good one!
And then “Smear” ?
It sounds as though Microsoft is the tail wagging the Dog. They probably have been allowing Ballmer to read only what they want him to know and proceed with his replacement. Although, it will take a while before they find someone with the balls to take over a flea-bag company that is in such dismil shape.
Maybe the Microsoft handlers should take Ballmer out for a walk more often and lock the door to his house more often. On the collar add, “Reward, if found promptly dial xxx.xxx.xxxx as he need his medication often and could pose a threat as uncontrollable speech and body movement could ensue.”
Windows 8: “This time for sure!”
@ TowerTone! Love it!
So… When are those “Windows 8 Party Kits” being mailed out???
obviously someone on the windows 8 team was too afraid of Ballmer to have that crucial conversation – I wonder if his head popped off.
Microsoft decided more time was needed to copy Mac OS X Lion features… 🙂
Obviously, it was stupid to “announce” that Windows 8 would ship “in 2012,” to make it even more obvious that Windows 7 is already obsolete for the next 12 to 18 months.
And if (when) they miss the 2012 deadline, it would cause even more embarrassment.