“As Intel plots its rebound, longtime partner Microsoft also hopes to get its groove back by unleashing what Chief Executive Steve Ballmer calls ‘an amazing wave of innovation,’ rolling out at least a dozen new products this year, including updates to Windows and Office, plus programs that run on smart phones and the Web. But the new apps boast so many tiny buttons and mind-boggling connections among myriad programs that eyes were glazing over at a New York event where Microsoft gave a sneak peek to 500 tech buyers. Forbes caught up with Ballmer right after the event,” Daniel Lyons writes for Forbes.
Forbes: Apple Computer now sells Intel-based computers with simple user interfaces. You’re going the opposite way with these complex programs. Do you think a regular person will be able to operate them?
Ballmer: The answer is yes. Can everybody do everything? No. But if you have one or two users who can do everything their work enhances the productivity of everybody.
Forbes: You took some shots at IBM. Why the smack talk?
Ballmer: Smack talk? I don’t encourage smack talk anymore.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: A fish rots from the bald head down.
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Imitating Apple Computer is no match for innovation – January 17, 2006
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Apple’s talent and innovation vs. Microsoft’s hype – October 25, 2005
PC World: Microsoft innovation – an oxymoron – September 14, 2005
Charles Arthur: Microsoft’s definition of ‘innovation’ different from everyone else’s – April 27, 2004
Microsoft reorganizes moribund Windows unit – March 23, 2006
Microsoft’s inability to ship Windows Vista leaves door open for Apple – March 23, 2006
Tech writer: Forget booting Windows on Macs, now is the time for Apple Mac to take back share – March 23, 2006
Microsoft Vista fumble could lead to score for Apple Mac; Mac OS X Leopard may beat Vista to market – March 23, 2006
Analysts: Apple could benefit from Microsoft’s latest Vista slip – March 22, 2006
Forbes: Microsoft’s Vista slips again – Steve Jobs must be waking up a happy man this morning – March 22, 2006
What’s the difference between Mac OS X and Vista? Microsoft employees are excited about Mac OS X – March 22, 2006
Vista delay causes Windows-dependents slump in pre-market trading; Apple rises – March 22, 2006
Enderle on MS Vista slip: ‘I personally can not recall Apple ever getting an opportunity like this’ – March 21, 2006
Microsoft delays Windows Vista again – this time until January 2007 – March 21, 2006
Microsoft’s Ballmer: It’s true, some of Windows Vista’s features are ‘kissing cousins’ to Mac OS X – September 18, 2005
Microsoft CEO Ballmer: Apple’s moved to Intel? Ho hum – June 07, 2005
Microsoft CEO Ballmer on the digital home: ‘There is no way that you can get there with Apple’ – October 03, 2004
Now I’m excited.
More stuff to not buy.
Man, the interview excerpts reflected so badly on Ballmer and Microsoft, I thought MDN made them all up.
Wow.
Come back to the CEO chair, Bill Gates. All is forgiven…
That pic really makes him look like a ghoul.
A wave goodbye would be more like it.
Amazing Wave of Innovation from Apple you mean? I think he’s a little confused. . . o geez.
Forbes: Do you think that everyone can use your products?
Ballmer: Yes. But not everyone can.
WTF?
“Can everybody do everything? No. But if you have one or two users who can do everything their work enhances the productivity of everybody.”
I can’t believe that this is his philosophy So really Microsoft only needs one or two people to do everything? I always thought that everyone should be able to be productive and that is why a Mac is better people actually get work done. – Of course it is too bad that these 1 or 2 people he speaks of aren’t in the IT dept.
It explains what the MS insiders were posting the other day, saying how embarrassed they were and that the man should be fired!
BTW MDN, nice ‘typo’ in the headline
This is what happens when a sales guy with no vision runs the show. Sadly, this happens far to often in corporate america.
Pic looks like a coward ass, yellow belly lib getting ready to lick my anus clean, eh?
He is a total loser – read this answer:
What is up with those goofy dinosaur ads you guys run? Do you like them?
What we’re trying to say is the new stuff is better than the old stuff. And these dinosaur ads, they do the job. I told our ad people, I’m going to start suspending my personal bias about what looks good and looks bad, as long as they can show me research data that supports this stuff.
HE IS RUNNING MICROSOFT!
“Microsoft CEO Ballder promises ‘amazing wave of innovation’ in 2006”
Also, look for the simultaneous stream of black howler monkeys coming from his butt.
So basically Microsoft are happy if 2 or 3 people can use their stuff but to everyone else it’s a big FU. Assuming that these 2 or 3 people designed the thing that basically means that no-one will be able to use their products.
VISTA will be delayed until OS X 10.5 appears.
It strange. I read elsewhere that someone thought that the WDC was postponed because Apple was behind schedule on its development. I think it was postponed to keep ideas from Apple appearing in Vista. I think that OS X 10.5 will be launched at the WDC. Not only that, I think they will make OS X 10.5 available to licence for other hardware makers. And it will run Windows Apps natively.
MW ‘while’ Gates fiddled will Rome (Windows) burned.
Didn’t the Pixies come out with a song for MonkeyBoy and Micro$oft?
“Wave of Mutilation”
And
“Monkey(Boy) Gone to Heaven”
New wave of innovation means Ballme-r has found a new way to throw chairs.
I love stuff and buttons and what not. I’m excited to see what is going to be released. Don’t get me wrong, I own an Apple computer and an Ipod and have just about every gadget apple makes that I can get my hands on (except a HiFi, but that can wait). For gadget lovers like me these new products should be fun, Even if they do come from Microsoft. As long as MS knows that nothing they release is ever going to be a hit again, I have no problem getting every new toy I can to play with.
For example… Ultra Mobile PCs are cool. THey are really quite pointless though, since they are too big to be taken anywhere that a laptop couldn’t be taken, but small enough to be slow and have a crappy resolution. I still want one though.
The only amazing wave of innovation coming in 2006 will be from Apple computer.
http://getkickedoffaplanewearingthis.blogspot.com/
Doesn’t he mean a wave of termination?
“Microsoft CEO Ballmer promises ‘amazing wave of innovation’ in 2006”
Towels! It’s gotta be the return of towels!
Whoo hoo!!! Yeaaaaaaaahhhh!!!! I-LOVE-THIS-COMPANY!!!
What’s up with people trying to advertise their completely unrelated sh!t in their posts!!??
Wave of nausea, maybe.
Ballmer is an Asshat.
Eggs for all!
Amazying wave of copying the hell out of OS X
Vista: wave of the future
Apple: download some tunes
‘Wave of innovation’?
Is Bullmer borrowing catch-phrases from rock bands now?
That sounds like The Pixies song “Wave of Mutilation’
Maybe the next song title he borrows from The Pixies will be their song “Where is My Mind?”
Ballmer=Idiot!!! He got luck to room with Bill. It is not what you know, it is whom you know. In Ballmer’s case, it is 1000% TRUE!!
Hey Stevie, lots of users are gonna give you the wave of innovation . . . it’s got one finger!!
You know, IBM doesn’t stand behind Linux. They promote Linux, but if there’s a bug in Linux, IBM is not the responsible party to fix that. It’s whoever in the community. And you know, let’s say that person has a death in the family.
Sounds like a threat.
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I’d be happy if he promised deodorant.
Microsot innovates nothing. Ballmer and Gates speak in superlative statements. Always talking of “their partners”. And then they deliver nothing or take advantage of “their partmers”.
I really think Microsoft is going to take a huge fall in the next two years.
Apple if done right will gain share to hurt MS. And open source will become more mainstream on teh PC platform. And Vista will definitely be the MS downfall. Vista is truly going to be a huge blunder of an OS.
And Ballmer is so in oaver his head as the CEO of MS. Why Gates has confidence in him, makes one wonder of Gates talents. I predict Ballmer is gone with months of Vista release and the disasters that follow as Vista runs peoples computers.
BTY, did anyone get any inspiration or insight on technology after reading the bald ugly vulture babbling? I didn’t. Waste of time!!!
He looks like the Reaper from Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. Can someone Photoshop the pic to make his skin white? lol
Wave of innovation right from the front steps of Infinate Loop he means
All I want is for Apple to get 20% market share and I will be happy.
No apple news anymore…just Microsoft crap here.
Why is everyone so obsessed and paranoid about Microsoft?
Start lighting a fire under Steve Jobs to get some stuff out. Ooops, sorry he is too busy transitioning to his new job at Disney.
Rasterbator: “All I want is for Apple to get 20% market share and I will be happy.”
Why? How will this make you happy?
I think Ballmer could run France okay. He sure reminds me of Jerry Lewis, and France LOVES Jerry Lewis. I think that would be win-win for both Ballmer and France.
Steve Ballmer is the software industry’s Tony Soprano, running Microsoft’s protection racket.
I don’t know whether this is funny or sad. Seriously. I mean, my first impulse was to thank MDN for making me laugh, then I read the excerpts.
Ballmer is one sad, deluded fsck. He actually believes he’s a brilliant leader. He’s not lying when he says there will be a “wave of innovation” — he just has no idea what he’s talking about. I am certain that in his mind, Vista is going to be just awesome. After all, he’s seen the tech demos and they looked totally rad!
This is what Jobs was talking about when he said companies start their downhill plunge the moment they put a sales guy in charge of the company. Ballmer doesn’t know how to invent anything. He doesn’t know what’s good. All he knows how to do is sell.
Play that funky monkey music right boy. Stocks soar for Apple every time the monkey boy leaves his cage. Hail to Monkey Boy!!!!
You all have such short memories!
You’re all wrong in stating or implying that Microsoft only copies and never innovates. Microsoft did innovate something.
Did you all forget the “BOB” interface?
No company, other than Microsoft, would have ever come up with that and actually shipped it!
Maybe they are planning several innovations in 2006 that are the equivalent of BOB. (But Melinda, then program manager over BOB IIRC, no longer works for Microsoft she went on to marry the boss. So… maybe even such innovative things as BOB won’t materialize.)
Innovation ? I remember having to use Windows Office for the first time and seeing a talking paper clip trying to help me. OMG!!!! WTF?!?
Silly Ballmer, Tricks are for kids !
Someone send them a dictionary with a bookmark set to the page where it defines what innovation is.
The difference between Apple and a company like MS is that MS uses the word innovation as some marketing speak BS. Apple lives it as a philosophy.
He needs to pull his pants up.
A ‘wave’ of innovation? More like a mud puddle I’d say.
The guy is all those negative things, but he is all those negative things with 11 billion dollars in the bank. I doubt anything said here is gonna keep him up at night.
Well, one more post before I head for the door today as fast as I can.
“Uh, I had not done that demo before. But, you know, could I have? Yeah. With the little notes he had up there, I could have done that demo.”
– Steve Ballmer
If you’ve read my other posts the last few days, you now know what I am talking about. Not firsthand, as we do here, but at least you can get a strong sense of it. In other words …
Can you believe the interview? Doesn’t it just strain the mind to fathom that this person is running one of the largest companies in human existence? With answers such as these?
I’m telling you, the mood back here after the demonstrations last week in New York was just, suicidal. I know that sounds like hyperbole, but it is fairly on target. ‘Suicidal’, as in the company-wide sense. And perhaps on an individual level for some of the people working here, too, I suppose.
My Department head attended the presentation, and to hear him sum up the ‘vibe’ from the tech press and others attending the thing, it was truly, truly depressing. A gigantic ‘THIS is what you’re trying to knock our socks off with’ reaction was the general consensus.
I don’t know if the other poster above is genuinely inside here, but I know that I am. It is honestly a tiring, draining, exhausting, depressing, seemingly-futile endeavor to come to work here. NO ONE seems to know what to do, and as I wrote prior, nobody has a vision.
Steve Jobs may be given to occasional exaggeration and may have indeed earned the entire ‘reality distortion field’ reputation, but about one thing he is ABSOLUTELY DEAD ON CORRECT: NEVER let a salesman run a technology company.
I can’t wait to get off this sinking ship.
Ballmer’s behavior reminds me of the sword play between Arthur and the Black Knight in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”– with the Black Knight being Ballmer. Come on Steve — Jobs that is. Carve this arrogant jerk down to size.
Ha, ha, hee, hee, ho, ho. Wow, wonderful parody, MDN. C’mon, this is an excerpt from the Onion, right? Boy, you really had me fooled, you guys. This isn’t really real, huh? Yeah, you got me this time.
(Pause. Glances at calendar. Sudden flash of realization mixed with stunned bewilderment. Palm slaps forehead.)
Oh, my gawd!!!
Someone, anyone, please explain why this gibbon is running Micro$oft. Does he have any common sense? I thought MDN had made those comments up, but no he actually said them.
Paul Thurridiot was right, Vista will be a train wreck.
Or maybe a multiple train pile-up at a busy central station, if Steve and Jim stay at the wheel.
If there is the smallest probability that OS X 10.5 will alo run natively on a PC the last nail in the Microsoft coffin will be hammered in.
So long as it means more hideously funny videos of everyone’s favourite prancing CEO I don’t care what “innovation” the Redmond idiot has to offer……..unless it’s Mac Office 2006/7 in which case he can continue to prance about whilst Mac users rejoice.
http://www.nikfletcher.com
I finally understand the meaning of the individuals in the Vista advertisements gazing so intently into the horizon. These po’ folks be lost.
Gotta run. Duke v LSU.
“As Intel plots its rebound, longtime partner Microsoft also hopes to get its groove back by unleashing what Chief Executive Steve Ballmer calls ‘an amazing wave of innovation,’ rolling out at least a dozen new products this year”
What an arrogant ass-clown. What makes him think Apple would be willing to sell the company to Microsoft?
It’s just not the comparison of MS to Apple. It’s MS to all software and even hardware to a degree regarding how MS hasn’t the ability to innovate.
I think the reemergence of Apple has allowed ALL people and tech writers to really understand how MS “sold”the image of an innovative company. And now they are seeing the man behind the curtain. Nothing there. And Ballmer shouts as loud as he can at events truly to generate “excitement” about products that are not exciting or innovative. And it’s products that have taken YEARS to bring to market.
All people are waking up to that fact.
Nobody seems to have caught this:
Ballmer:”What are the exciting hardware and software innovations from IBM over the last few years?”
Uh, excuse me, but who made the processors in your XBox 360’s???
Wow. And this guy is worth BILLIONS>
“An amazing wave of innovation” in English means: “It would be absolutely amazing if we see any innovation from M$.”
“unleashing what Chief Executive Steve Ballmer calls “an amazing wave of innovation,” rolling out at least a dozen new products this year,”
Yes but the article doesn’t say which company is going to unleash those products!
(-; (-; (-;
“A fish rots from the bald head down.”
MDN, you really have been on a roll this week.
Good stuff.
Folks, we’re watching history unfold right before our eyes. A major corporation, maybe the biggest success story of all time, is actually crumbling right before our eyes. Sadly, this may not stop until it actually starts to hurt other corporations who rely on Microsoft technology. Keep an eye out on forward thinking companies, who have already dropped Microsoft technology, or who will drop their technology. They will be the winners in the next decade. The other companies, who continue to stand behind Microsoft technology, will fail to innovate as they have to deal with dying technology from Microsoft.
Longhorn was supposed to ship in 2001. Five years later it is so loaded with complexity, so interconnected in miriads of ways between its many parts and the outside, that it is undebuggable, unsecurable, and practically unusable – about what you’d expect from a company that is unmanageable.
Best start from scratch: target 2010?
Windows Live is a big mistake. Being Live means being a constant target, being connected all the time; requiring, in fact, an open internet connection for many things to even work. Philosophically, it denies a user certain choices or rights. Bandwidth is not free – and neither is electricity. Users should be free to deny any app from connecting to the internet if or when they choose to.
Be kind to the world: Going to bed? Hit your modem’s OFF button.
Leopard will not ship at WDC people.
Developers need time to DEVELOP with it.
“But if you have one or two users who can do everything their work enhances the productivity of everybody.”
Sounds like Socialism. Lump everything on the few whil the rest do nothing and everyone reaps the benefits.
The Bigger they are the Harder they Fall. It is looking
like the emperor(s) from Redmond have no clothes.
First!
After all these years, they’ve finally decided to innovate!
Catchin’ that big wave. Hangin’ ten on that tsunami of in-o-va-shun!
…wait a minute, how do I work this surf board?
He has no clue does he ? At all ? So sad…
http://geirwerner.squarespace.com/dev-singhs-diary/
Macman ; you REALLY don´t know much about socialism do you ? Don´t level with Ballmer, okay ? Stupid is he who stupid says…
Apple will delay 10.5 so that M$ can´t copy it.
Between them Gates, Allen and Ballmer own about a quarter of Microsoft. Unless one of the other two breaks ranks, Ballmer is staying where he is.
This is the best thing that can happen with regards to the continuing Mac revival. If you want to be clever, post supportively of Ballmer on those blog sites. Tell the world what a good job you think he is doing.
Does the “dozen or so new products” count the 8 versions of Vista separately, or as one?
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the only wave out of redmond is a tsunami of ballmer sweat.
Message to Steve Ballmer:
IT’S ALREADY NEARLY APRIL AND YOU HAVE’NT ANNOUNCED ANYTHING SO FAR.
Stop talking crap and admit it – YOU ARE SCREWED AS A COMPANY.
Windows is for “one or two” techno geeks. The Mac is “the computer for the rest of us”.
yeah well one of them wont be office 2007…………….
what a dope.