“Spearheading long-term research and development (R&D) to address disruptions caused by the changing software landscape, is Microsoft’s mantra in staying ahead, says company CEO Steve Ballmer,” Aaron Tan reports for ZDNet Asia.
MacDailyNews Take: Ahead in what? Sales, sure – in some cases, but in quality and innovation, no. Operating systems? Mac OS X is far ahead. Digital Media Devices? iPod is far ahead. Online media management and downloads? iTunes and iTunes Store are far ahead. Search? Google is far ahead. Game consoles? Wii is far ahead. There are more examples, but the bottom line is that Ballmer, as usual, is full of it.
Tan continues, “A key factor in embracing disruptions such as Internet applications, while staying ahead in the technology industry, is to engage in long-term research and development (R&D), he pointed out. Microsoft spends US$6 billion on R&D each year.”
MacDailyNews Take: Do Microsoft customers ever ask themselves why, if Microsoft spends US$6 billion on R&D, the best they seem to get is mediocrity? Just look at Windows Vista or the Zune. Microsoft shareholders sure ought to be asking what that annual US$6 billion is accomplishing.
Tan continues, “‘If you want to be an innovator, you have to take the long-term approach,’ [Ballmer] said. ‘There is a view that innovation happens overnight and that’s simply not the case. It took us eight to 10 years to get Windows popular…”
MacDailyNews Take: Ballmer really needs to look up the definition of “innovation.” Windows’ “popularity” simply does not equal “innovation.” Trying to make an upside-down and backwards copy of Mac OS X five years too late is not “innovation.”
Tan continues, “Ballmer said over the last 20 years, no other company has hired more top-notch computer talent than Microsoft. ‘And I don’t think anybody’s worked harder than us on that, which is also the result of hard work and commitment more than anything else,’ he added.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: It’s painfully obvious to anyone who’s used Microsoft products that hiring “top-notch computer talent” doesn’t mean you’re properly utilizing them.
It’s really depressing that our society is set up in such a fashion that this guy could get to the position he’s in.
Research what Apple is doing and Develop obstacles as much as you can. They did not include Coby as much as you can while you are spreading FUD about everybody else.
F*ck! So many typos when I tried to be first
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D*mn You! M.X.N.T.4.1
Copycat and vendor lockin you mean, Balmer ?
I think that $6 billion he mentioned refers to Apple’s R&D budget, MS’s source of innovation.
That $6 billion includes Apple’s $2 billion.
I cannot wait to see the R&D Apple has put into Leopard. Then we will see how far behind Microsloth is. WWDC is just several weeks away.
ROFL
microsoft and innovation. Paaaleaaseee!!!!!
I’ll give Ballmer this: nobody is better at making vague and immeasurable statements.
(em)Ballmer, there’s an old saying that goes, “You can put a cat in the oven, but that don’t make it a biscuit.”
Simply saying that you’re innovative doesn’t make it so.
I’m guessing that most of that 6 billion in R&D is going toward inventing new products that are strictly for in-house use, like, oh, I dunno, indestructible chairs?
R&D = reproduce and distribute (poorly on that)
http://www.navytim.com
You know what I really hate? When Gates, and Ballmer keep on repeatedly stating to the media that they are “innovating”…it should be considered as a friggin sin for Microsoft to use that word. All that comes out of Ballmer’s mouth is lies, more lies, and some more lies after that…while Gates on the other hand, does this better, because of his known status.
Honestly, some hollywood studio should remake the movie Pirates of the Silicon Valley and I swear it would open up the eyes of millions of individuals out there who dont know the real truth about Microsoft, now that they all well know and feel the iPod halo effect…which wasen’t originally there in 1999 (when the movie was released). I’m sure this movie would be a mega-blockbuster hit as well.
Game consoles? Wii is far ahead.
The Wii is miles ahead of the 360. It has great games like the GameCube version of Zelda and…. hmmmmm that tennis game where you don’t run about… oh and probably a Pokemon title eventually.
What Microsoft means by R&D is:
Research : other competitors products clear example Tiger
& Then
Develop them as if it were their own.
They innovate in areas of copy and pasting, and they may be 10years ahead in the technique of copy and pasting…
I think they’re drunk when they come up with this stuff.
mw: hair
…
no comment needed…
Research of kinds may be, but who does it benefit: A lot of that research money goes not in to research making better products but numerous other fields. For example:
Microsoft develops ‘big brother’ software http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=39787
@MXNT41 – Ditto on what you said.
This guy really is a big freakin joke.
I’m still not interested.
Maybe the fact that it took 10 years to get Windows popular speaks to the issue of quality.
As Steve J said… if it was just a matter of money, Microsoft would be able to make great products.
And after that comment I’m not surprised Ballmer’s spurting about innovation – as if it’s enough to talk and spin your way into being innovative..!
Too little too late Microsoft. You blew it.
Stays ahead of who and with what product?
We’ve seen what wonders that throwing billions of dollars into R&D did for Shista
1. How do you tell if Ballmer is lying? Watch his lips, if they move, he’s lying.
Seriously, Ballmer has a serious problem with factual accuracy, as do all Microsoft people authorized to talk to the press.
2. Microsoft “R&D”, no disrespect to the people working there, is a busywork department, generally – their work doesn’t make it into products.
I refuse to call reverse engineering R&D
(yes, I know, I’m being picky. Yes I know all companies do some reverse engineering. But I don’t think any major company does a much as Microsoft, and no major company shamelessly lies about it like Microsoft does).
Microsoft “innovation” is primarily done at other, outside of Microsoft locations, especially Cupertino. Unfortunately, the legal framework for payment of this innovation isn’t working very well – Microsoft doesn’t pay for it, but that is another story.
“‘There is a view that innovation happens overnight “
Sounds like a major cop-out to me.
Translation: don’t expect anything innovative to come from MS as long as I’m CEO.
He said it in plain Englidsh. The purpose of R&D at Micro$oft is to avoid disruptions cause by changes in the software landscape. No vision of pushing human potential, empowerment of the user, or doing things better than they have been. Their focus is on maintaining their monopoly position by reacting to external changes. If someone else innovates, they react and cover the position.
The reason anti-trust laws were created was to prevent companies from using their overwhelming market position to prevent competition. Competition can be good for consumers on the price level. It can also be good for them at the innovation level. How much better for Micro$oft if there was not all this innovation, change in the software landscape, to “address.” It would save $6 Billion a year in R&D and far more than that in the costs of acquiring companies with innovative products.
In Micro$oft we have a classic case of the abuse of monopoly power. When was the last time the Federal Government exercised some real leadership in the anti-trust area? The break up of ATT? They put some pressure on IBM in the 1970’s I think. I do not know much about what they were able to accomplish. I seem to remember IBM was preventing clients from buying anyone else’s hardware to use on an IBM main frame.
What does microsoft do in the face of the threat of defections to open source software? Threaten litigation for patent infringement with the implication that anyone who uses open source operating systems or applications could be defending themselves against an army of lawyers with billions more to spend.
Copyright infringement? The level of hypocrisy is staggering.
It is time something was done about Micro$oft.