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.