Microsoft’s press release verbatim:
Microsoft Executives to Make Significant Company Announcement
Details of the announcement will be provided during a press teleconference.
REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 21, 2008
Who:
• Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp.;
• Ray Ozzie, chief software architect;
• Bob Muglia, senior vice president of the Server and Tools Business; and
• Brad Smith, senior vice president and general counsel for Legal and Corporate Affairs.
Note: This announcement is not about Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Yahoo! Inc. It will not be discussed during this call.
When:
• 8:30 a.m. PST (17:30 CET) to 9:15 a.m. PST (18:15 CET), Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008
Full press release here.
MacDailyNews Take: Medium Ass Table? Public apology to Apple and the world for copying various Mac OSes so poorly for all these years? Whatever it is, pray that Ballmer remains CEO!
MacDailyNews Note: Mark Cotton reports for Thomson Financial News that “Microsoft will most likely announce it has agreed to a settlement with the European Union over complaints that it has restricted interoperability between personal computers running its operating system and central computers running non-Microsoft server software, according to Cowen & Co analysts. The broker said it bases its view on the fact that Bob Muglia, who is responsible for SVP, server and tools, will be present at the press conference.”
“‘Some meaningful monetary settlement is already embedded in the consensus view as the news on this front has been bad for the last 12 months,’ the broker said, pointing to a lost second to final appeal by Microsoft last summer,” Cotton reports.
Full article here.
[UPDATE: 11:42am EST: Microsoft’s big news: promises to expand interoperability, increase openness of key products – February 21, 2008]
Ballmer has developed and wants to show off new steps to his monkey dance.
I bet they will split the company in two. One OS focused, one productivity software focused. That way, when Windows spins totally out of control, they can kill off the OS company and the other company isn’t tarnished.
Microsoft will create a hardware company called: Microhard
With the attorney present I vote for the Euro settlement speculation
Microsoft will have a hardware division called: Microhard. Very hard to believe, indeed…
@MCCFR
If MS ever does go with some flavor of Unix for their future OS, you can bet all your Apple stock that it will never ever EVER become a certified Unix.
The significant announcement:
“Bill Gates will share his fortune with you if you forward this press release!”
If it isn’t something along the lines of exiting the consumer business and spinning off xBox/Zune as a totally separate corporate entity, I don’t care.
a press teleconference.
Hear, hear, we are using the new MS. B(ell)Z(une)P(hone) and you can call us for a Q and ….. hello…..hello….hello!!??? ….. (Ball)…… I KILL THAT FU***** BELL
it’s probably the new xbox
This is the news… from CNBC:
“Microsoft will publish and make available the protocols for several of its more popular software products in an attempt to work more closely with open and non-Microsoft software developers.”
Ballmer has just finished a three year, intensive toilet training course. There will be a live streaming feed today as he demonstrates his newly acquired talents. His secret? Breathe in. Grunt, “INNOVATION”. Release.
The news is:
New deck chairs are on order for the Titanic.
MS will open up parts of its software blueprint to outside developers….
Consoles are usually on about a 5 year cycle. XBox 360 isn’t 5 years old yet. Therefore, I wouldn’t expect to see a more powerful one for a few more years. An XBox Lite or one with HDDVD standard, perhaps, but not the XBox 720.
Rosie O’Donnell will be made the official spokesperson for Microsoft Surface since they have two important traits in common. A big ass and neither one works.
I don’t know what they’ll announce, but I WANT ONE NOW. Oh, wait. Wrong cast of characters.
If its about the settlement, then MS got away again. That is not punishment and they are allowed to continue their monopoly. If true, thats just stupid.
“Medium Ass Table.”
ROTFLMFAO! You guys owe me a new keyboard – I just sprayed my Brawndo all over it!
who did they buy, and how are they repackaging it as “Microsoft Innovation”?
MDN: “figure,” as in “i figure that’s what the announcement will sum up to.”
MS is going into the hardware server and micro business to compete with Sun, HP, IBM and Dell since this is where the money is and will make their transition to IBM circa 1960 complete.
Steve Ballmer is changing his name to Stephen P. Duties, and replacing his wardrobe with dungarees and black mock-turtlenecks. The announcement is just a reason to wear it in public.
They found Jimmy Hoffa and he was buried in Steve Ballmer’s ass crack.
Just my $0.02
They announced Gears of War 2 for the X360 today. *yawn*
They are going to pull Vista.
Read this Microsoft blog of the recent update disasters…