“Speaking to an exclusive gathering of press in London on a number of issues, such as security, Steve Ballmer didn’t pass up the opportunity to take several digs at his company’s arch rival Apple,” Andy McCue reports for Silicon.com. “At the heart of the debate is Digital Rights Management (DRM) technology which will let content providers such as record labels and movie studios keep control of their intellectual property (IP) – or at least ensure all royalties are paid and copyright observed.”
Andy McCue reports for Silicon.com., “Billing Microsoft as the good guys and Apple the villains of the piece – at least as far as corporate America, rather than users, is concerned, Ballmer said: ‘We’ve had DRM in Windows for years. The most common format of music on an iPod is ‘stolen.’ However, Ballmer conceded it isn’t going to be an easy battle to win. ‘Most people still steal music,’ he said. ‘We can build the technology, but there are still ways for people to steal music.'”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: If Ballmer’s correct about “stealing,” then any player capable of playing unprotected music would be the tools of thieves the world over. Interesting, Ballmer focuses only on Apple’s iPod and leaves the Dell DJ’s of the world out of his critique. And, unfortunately for Ballmer, Apple’s so far ahead, he needs a high powered telescope just to be able to see the iPod maker’s cloud of dust.
This is rich! How come, a large part of the stolen digital contents are in .wma and .wmv format? How come video and audio piracy is strongest in countries that are not Apple strongholds?
How do you know when Ballmer is lying? His lips are moving!
Last time I checked the online authorities were more concerned with video and movie pirating than they were with illegal music. Guess who is releasing a portable video player to aid all those video pirates, well the master pirate of them all, M$. The hipocrazy is delicious.
This Ballmer guy kinda reminds me of Cheney…
This totally scans
The people I know who have PCs never purchase software, it is all pirate – games, applications, music, video – you name it.
In fact, one of the reasons I commonly hear for justifying a decision for a PC over a Mac is that “oh well, (we/they/I) can copy more software from their friends at school/college/workplace’.
For Ballmer to pitch MS Environments as some kind of haven from software/audio/video pirates … get real nutty break-dance boy!
what a fsck head.
Mr. Ballmer should change his name to Richard Head.
I have spent real money on over 8,000 legally purchased compact discs and my wife has spent well above $1000 on *legally* purchased iTunes tracks (and now she’s getting into Audible books). My wife and I both have Master’s degrees and we make enough money that we PAY for what we want; we NEVER steal. We also have 5 fully funtional Macs in our household and 3 iPods that we *legally* purchased. I’m sure that there are *many* other people who could say something similar.
Oh, and by the way, I don’t use Microsoft products. Sorry Mr. Ballmer.
G-Spank reminds me of a wanker…
Hey Ace, was that intented:
‘hipocrazy’. It suits Ballmer – he’s a bit like a crazy hipo.
heh.
Mer (he’s got no balls) says:
“We�ve had DRM in Windows for years.”
Oh…they can protect content, but not their operting system? Please. The most common software on WinDoze is “stolen.” It matches their GUI, most of their non-functionality, and the personal and financial information of people dumb enough to use it.
It’s logical extension time.
The majority of iPod customers are – somewhat ironically – Windows users.
Therefore, Ballmer is – in effect – accusing his own customers of being thieves.
Now I’ve never read any sales or marketing manuals, but I should imagine that calling your own customers’ honesty into question is not exactly taken from the pages of “How to win friends and influence people”.
…since ‘Windows’ is the #1 pirated program in the world…
sick
I am a first generation iPod user. My degree is in Radio Management and spent three years within the music industry. Since the iTMS opened up, I have used it as my new means of buying music. While I’ll lend out my CDs to people, I always tell them if they like what they hear, they should buy it. Yes, most artists make jack from CD sales and more money from their concerts and merchandise sales, but the only way they really get promoted is through the record labels which means they need the strong CD sales to get that advertising.
To say that iPod users are thieves and to lump me in with that crowd is offensive. It could be thought of as libel.
But hey isn’t the iPod’s library just a mirror of the user’s library on their computer. So it doesn’t matter what device they use, the actual pirated content is on their computer.
And to think this man is in charge of a multi billion dollar business.
It obvious he got his position through his dancing skills because that appears to be the only thing he is good at (insert sarcastic grin here)
gstank reminds everyone of a steaming pile of dung! gstank = friendless, low life, loser-worm!
The only thing I steal is my MS Office copy, because who should have to pay for that
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I have had carnal relations with G-Spank. I am a hooved animal.
Reminds me of Cheney too… puts F.U.D. out there and then sits back and grins, waiting to see how many people will buy it.
Both money grubbers masquerading as serving the best interests of the populace at large.
Ballmer doesn’t care about the issue of stealing music per se, this is just an attempt to smear Apple and the iPod. As mentioned above, if this was about stealing music he would have mentioned every other digital music player that uses the MP3 format too.
Nope. Smoke and mirrors. Yell “Fire!” then point as Apple as the arsonist.
Nice try Ballmer. Unfortunate for you, most people are a little brighter than that.
It’s so much fun to make accusations that freely… Let me try… Ballmer is a dumb ass… Wow, that was so nice…
How does the balmy-head oinker sleep? Mewonders. I think the word that should be attached to Microshite is beleaguered.
Ballmer is making this all up. He forgets the reason why the music industry trusted apple in the first place. The built in anti-transfer technology built in to the ipod (yeah iknow it’s easily broken witha myriad of programs out there, but they aren’t even TRYING with the other players.)
At last check, the only real source for legal downloadable music was the itunes music store, and only ALL the other hard disk players (Dell DJ, Creative Nomad xxxx, Rio xxxx) had absolutely NO anti-transfer protection whatsoever. so swapping Mp3s between friends is basically condoned.
absolute w*nker.
How immature is it of him to call people who use something other than Microcrap theives. Uggghhh, the hipocrasy, I can’t take it.
I gotta listen to my iPod (which has over 27 gigs of legitimate music), this man has raised my blood pressure.
ooops!! suddenly it’s not helpful for MS to mention those OTHER ’70 or so’ music players out there on the market. i’d be surprised if any one of them didn’t support mp3 format.
He must be talking about MP3 files downloaded through services like LimeWire…not AAC files which are usually aquired legally. PC users with iPods and other MP3 players account for most of the illegal downloads.
What does this have to do with Apple Macintosh users?
Well, it seems that Microsoft has been insincere by alleging that Microsoft is a company that makes secure, useful, elegant, and innovative software.
Obviously, Microsoft has been ripping off software consumers who expect something more than continual delays, complete ineptitude, repeated rumors, and abject failures.
I nickname Ballmer, “Ballsmer” ’cause he has some balls to make a bullshit statement like that. If he wants to condemn a lot of happy PC-using iPod users, that’s his problem. But if they turn on him and switch, he’s got real problems then. I know all those people on campus with the white headphones aren’t Mac users. I wonder if they be interested in what their CEO thinks of the devices they love?
geez watch out how much milage our dear friend Thurrot (sp?) will get on that one…
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Poor Balmer. Envy can be so ugly.
Fucking Ballmer lies like Bush, and all the sychophants will eat it up like puddin’
Go suck ketchup.
“People still make malware,” he said. “We can build the technology but there are still ways for people to make our operating system as susceptible as a one-legged frog on an LA freeway.”
“Most Windows users still want really cool all-in-one computer better than the G5 iMac,” he said. “I recommend the ultra-sexy, ultra-modern Gateway Profile 5.”
“Most Windows users still want to browse the internet,” he said. “We can build the technology but it may be easier if they just used Mozilla.”
“Most Windows users want a functional and useful 64-bit operating system with a clean and elegant search capacity,” he said. “We can build the technology but it may take Microsoft another 10 years to redefine the concept. Maybe these people who lack patience should consider Tiger instead.”
�I don�t know what this Automator thing is. Must not be important if I know nothing about it.
�Let me reiterate this point, if I say it�s not important, it�s not important. If Microsoft doesn�t sell, it�s not worth buying. If Microsoft doesn�t develop it, it�s not a good idea. Nothing, no matter how good, is ever better than Microsoft, even if you have to wait a full generation to get it. You will love everything Microsoft makes and anyone who chooses any other product is just damn wrong.�
Apple should sue for slander. Better yet, us iPod owners should start a class action lawsuit!
We’re talking to ourselves, the choir, the attendees at that London meeting need to be reminded who produces the most pirated product on the globe. If they cannot protect their own why should they be allowed to control the henhouse keys.
* celebrates ballmers revelation about MP3’s..
…despite the 135 million songs..
Funny! I couldn’t stop laughing!
Micro$oft calling Apple users thieves!
The truth is all M$ wants is to present their DRM as the best, and that paying (for all eternity) subscriptions for all your music is the way to go. Micro$soft security is useless, their DRM and other security features have been cracked multiple times.
Sure, you can fill your player with all the music you can fit in it. But what happens with it once you stop making payments to Micro$oft? On the other hand once you fill your player with Micro$oft secured music (ha! secured!), all you have to do is run one of the many cracking tools available on the net and cracked them open. But I’m sure that will never happen in Micro$oft land, because all PC users are saints, and this only happens with Apple users. Right? What a guy! Is like he really bought his own lies!
This is rich. Apple is the first company to come up with an alternative to online piracy that makes sense, give the big speals about how it is bad karma, etc and Ballmer is trying to portray them as the bad guys. Get real.
P.S. Ballmer reminds me of Cheney too.
He probably just found out his kid has an ipod
MCCFR:
Excellent point. Ballmer insulting and demeaning Windows iPod users has got to be the epitome of stoo-pidity.
But maybe this is Ballmer’s personality. Maybe he also calls his children “those little bastards” and his wife “worthless slut�.
Most marketers know that teenagers have the most disposable income of any group. (or the ability to manipulate parents)
When a 12 year old asks why can’t I use my music anywhere, its probably a very good idea to pay attenetion and come up with a solution.
Dr Edwin Land (you may remember him as the inventor of the instant Polaroid Land camera) listened to his young daughter when she asked “daddy, how come we have to wait so long for the pictures?”
While I agree that Ballmer is full of crap, I do feel that the original article was misleading with its title. No where in the article is he quoted as saying iPod users are “thieves.” It’s like he’s circling the wagon, so to speak, and inferring this. But for silicon.com to put that as their title is downright deceptive and unfair to monkey-boy. Maybe that’s all journalism is about anymore–putting spin on stories to make them more sensational.
On a somewhat related note, I find it interesting that both Gates’ and Ballmer’s kids are being used as market indicators for what people want in the way of digital devices. Maybe someone should create a Ballmer/Gates family based reality TV show. That way we can all get a first-hand view of how we should all be living and enjoying digital media.
Hi Fandango:
I think you were right on with your comment about Ballmer, but did you mean “Richard Cranium?”
Sly, MSN, RNC
Yep, they’re gettin’ scared. They’re resorting to irrational attacks.
Is that slander or liable? He accused all iPod users of being theives?
From the Register:
“He singles out the Mac maker for attention because – wait for it – “we’ve had DRM in Windows for years”. The implication is that DRM hasn’t been in the Mac OS for a similar duration, and that’s what’s allowed all those stolen tracks to seep through onto the web.
Windows has, of course, also had Napster, Grokster, Streamcast, Aimster, Kazaa full and lite, et al for years, but – again – none of that Windows-only music theft apparatus has registered on Mr Ballmer’s radar screen, it seems.
No, there’s no music piracy on Windows, and that’s because Windows has had DRM for so long. People haven’t been ripping CDs. They haven’t been sharing the songs using Windows-based P2P software. And other folk haven’t been downloading and transferring them to portable players. Clearly, all those shared tracks have just popped out of nowhere.
Actually, it’s a wonder Ballmer didn’t accuse Apple of offering them itself.”
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/04/ballmer_ipod_thieves/
If you do not come out of the article thinking Ballmer is an idiot than there is something wrong with your understanding of English.
The one and ONLY thing that Steve did right in his whole life is to room with Bill, nothing else!!!!
Mac Zealot:
Well, that’s what I call his wife whilst he’s at work.
Seahawk:
Correct me if I am wrong, but are you suggesting that Ballmer has lost all connection with reason and all touch with the real world?
MCCFR:
How could you do it. I looked at Mrs. Ballmer for 5 seconds and became celibate for 3 years!
Mr. Simpson…
Oh, but Ballmer did in fact call anyone and everyone who owns an iPod a thief – here’s the quote from above that warrants the headline of this article:
“The most common format of music on an iPod is ‘stolen.'”
If that’s not calling us thieves (yes, I own an iPod with more than 4,000 LEGITIMATELY PURCHASED AND LEGAL songs), I don’t know how else that can be interpreted. If his statement was taken out of context, I sure would like to hear the context from which that little tidbit emanated. According to the article, that’s EXACTLY what he said. Plain and simple. And if that’s the case, then he’s a total a$$ for thinking that he can get away with saying something like that without repercussion or comment to the contrary.
Oh no! The all great Steve Balmer knows I use a Mac and steal music! I must repent!
The power of Balmer compels me!
Aww, Balmer is just miffed because people don’t break the law and steal music for his music player. Poor guy, he scares small animals and children and noone like his products. See, stealing is the best way to show you love someone…or your iPod. ^_^
jk!
I thought we mac heads were only 2% of the population. I’ll bet the majority of ipods are owned by windows users. This gut will cut his own throat if he’s not careful.
Besides, let the RIA worry about the music. What about all the pirated software thats out there. On both platforms.
I meant ‘this guy’ will cut his own throat…
As these remarks were made in London, I suggest a (very, very large) group of iPod users sue Ballmer for libel under British law. That should just about wipe out Micro$oft’s cash reserves.
Buried Caesar-
I disagree that saying the following two quotes are equivalent:
“The most common format of music on an iPod is ‘stolen.'”
“iPod users are music thieves.”
Ballmer said the first, not the second. Silicon.com can be blamed for putting words into Ballmer’s mouth (second quote above).
Silicon.com has paraphrased or rather jumped to a logical conclusion without letting its readers know that explicitly. But why are the two statements different in my opinion? In the first, Ballmer can be inferred to be saying that if you add up all of the tracks on all of the iPods in the world and break them into different categories, the ‘stolen’ category would come out on top in percentage. True? Maybe, but it would be impossible to prove or disprove. But even if it is true, that doesn’t mean that iPod users are all music thieves. And that is exactly what is inferred by the second quote, the one silicon.com made up. Ballmer could be correct in his actual statement if it just so happens that 40% of the iPod users have huge amounts of pirated music from Napster on their iPods. The other 60% of people are perfectly honest, but their music is comprised of mp3’s, aac’s, wav’s, and aif’s. But my problem is that Silicon.com unfairly villified him by paraphrasing the way they did. They should have stuck with straight quotes which makes Ballmer look pretty bad anyway. His DRM comments are unsubstantiated. It’s a shameless and idiotic attempt to plug their piece of junk media center.
How are tablet PCs doing, by the way? And the X-Box compared to the PlayStation2?
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I dislike Ballmer as much as anyone else here, but I don’t think stooping to slurs and misquotes is particularly beneficial.
Mike
Totally irresponsible. Shame.
microsoft likes anal
Does that mean that PC users are all virus scripters?
That would make a little more sense.