“Microsoft’s chief executive, Steven A. Ballmer, made a concerted effort [yesterday] to persuade Wall Street analysts that the world’s largest software publisher will again become a growth stock,” John Markoff reports for The New York Times. “Microsoft’s top executives have become increasingly frustrated over the last five years as the company’s stock first declined and then remained flat while some of its competitors’ shares have soared. Several analysts said today that Microsoft would be hard-pressed to make the case for growth prospects until it established a positive market reception for new versions of its Windows and Office programs, due in the second half of next year.”
“On Wednesday, the company shipped the first public test copies of the next version of the Windows operating system, now known as Windows Vista, to outside software developers. The program, which is roughly three years late to market, by some estimates, will go through two long test programs before being commercially available in the second half of 2006,” Markoff reports. “Today, Microsoft gave an extended demonstration of the program to the financial analysts, pointing to advantages like a unified version for corporate users – rather than multiple versions to address various needs within a company – simplifying the job of corporate information technology managers.”
Markoff reports, “Many features shown today are ones already introduced in Apple Computer’s OS X Tiger operating system. During today’s briefing, Microsoft executives acknowledged that the popularity of Apple Computer’s iPod music player had indirectly helped sales of Macintosh computers. ‘The halo effect enabled them to go after PC users and sell them Apple products,’ said Will Poole, the Microsoft executive in charge of desktop operating system products.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The halo effect enabled Apple to go after PC users and sell them Macs, Will. Come on now, you can say it: Mac-in-tosh. Try “podcasting,” too, while you’re at it. Microsoft’s stock chart looks like a Zamboni drove over it. We’re not doctors, but to us that chart says one thing: flatline. It’s smoother and flatter than even Ballmer’s head. Compare it to Apple’s over the last three years here; it’s Everest vs. the parking lot. Monkey Boy Ballmer dances while Redmond burns.
[Updated article layout 7/29, 9:34am EDT]
Related iPodDailyNews articles:
Microsoft employees squeamish about ‘podcast’ term, try using ‘blogcast’ instead – July 11, 2005
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Dvorak: Mac OS X is already better than Windows, Vista may be end of line for Microsoft’s dominance – July 26, 2005
Microsoft’s Windows ‘Vista’ too little, too late; could be rough times ahead for Redmond – July 28, 2005
Microsoft’s Windows ‘Vista’ promises similar features to Apple’s already-shipping Mac OS X – July 23, 2005
Enderle: ‘iPod Halo Effect is just a myth, same thing as having Paris Hilton visit Apple stores’ – May 02, 2005
Microsoft dismisses threat of Apple’s ‘iPod Halo Effect’ – April 04, 2005
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer: ‘We love to be first’ – January 25, 2005
God he’s a fat, ugly bastard!
LOL!!!
The freak show is in town guys!!
Look guys, I take the opportunity to bash MS whenever they need it (which is nearly every day), but to attack MS based upon what their CEO LOOKS like is a bit much. What he ACTS like is fair game though. Lets be a little more mature about this, OK?
Ballmer made himself fair game by acting foolish and looking ridiculous with his running, jumping and Howard Dean impersonation.
Sorry, but some of this posts on this topic are down right imbecilic. Is this only being read by a bunch of kids?
http://www.weltalswilleundvorstellung.de/art/balmer.mov
This is the best Ballmer remix. Be prepared to pee your pants if you, haven’t seen it yet (or even mabe if you have).
Wow. He’s pullin a Howard Dean in that video.
“This is the best Ballmer remix.”
a classic. that one’ll never get old…
Wow. What a freak! Geez, sweat much, Stevieboy? Loved the “Developer” remix. Scary that he has to act like that to whip a crowd of MS faithful into a frenzy. All SJ has to do is walk out onstage and say, “One more thing.”
ree:
http://www.weltalswilleundvorstellung.de/art/balmer.mov
This is the best Ballmer remix. Be prepared to pee your pants if you, haven’t seen it yet (or even mabe if you have).
Developers, developers, developers, developers…
LLLLLLLLLOOOOOOLLLL!!!
How a CEO should not behave!
He may be one of the right guys in the world, but boy what a pig and arrogant shit!
He is the most imbarressing boss on the planet. God if I worked for M$ I think I would have quit after meeting that guy!
No wonder M$ can’t do anything right – M$ are a total joke with a boss like that (mind you I knew that 14 years ago!).
Keep it up Ballmer – because with behaviour like that your company is going dddddddddoooooowwwwwwnnnnnn!
Next thing you know he will come to terms with the fact he is a pompus loudmouth idiot, and their software sucks.. The truth shall set you free stevo.
Please don’t place this picture near open food.
Everyone in the “real IT world” knows that Gene Simmons is Steve Ballmer’s love child.
Windows Vista will beat all expectations of value and security. Tiger is only a small glimpse of what Vista really has in store. With faster machines and broadband, we will be able to infest our machines with alarming speed and little effort.
Long live the patchers!!
Oh yeah, .NET wil transform blah, blah, blah.
©
Folks the most worrysome thing in that article is the fact that an MS exec afirmed the “iPod hallo effect” which means they might actually start paying attention to Apple instead of being worried about Linux. MS is a reactionary, threat based company. They have been flatline in many ways beyond the stock price because they did not have anyone to squash. That’s what they do, just ask Wordperfect co, Stack Electronics (remember them?), etc.
It was better for Apple to be off MS radar.
“With faster machines and broadband, we will be able to infest our machines with alarming speed and little effort.” – sputnik
You got that right. Hackers will most likely chop into Vista’s code within a few hours after its release. Viruses, trojans, & assorted malware will indeed spread with alarming speed via broadband.
Steve Ballmer Monkey Dance
http://www.tarmo.fi/arc/monkeydance.mpeg
Steve Ballmer Monkey Dance Music Video
http://www.msboycott.com/media/ballmer_monkey_music.mp4
Developers Developers Developers Developers:
http://www.msboycott.com/media/ballmer_developers.mpg
Developers Developers Monkey Music Video:
http://www.msboycott.com/media/ballmer_developers_music.mov
The “Godwin’s Law” Remix
http://www.bbspot.com/toys/video/ballmer/ballmer_fun.mpg