“A sprawling Spanish Mediterranean resort was the setting for the elite of the technology and media industries last week, where executives gathered amid swaying palms, gurgling pools and lush floral carpets of purple bougainvillea and pink lantana on the grounds at the Four Seasons resort [in Carlsbad, CA],” Therese Poletti reports for MarketWatch.
“Front and center on the minds of many attendees at the All Things Digital conference was the state of the U.S. economy, the still-growing number of Web 2.0 start-up companies, and Microsoft Corp.’s failed attempt to buy Yahoo Inc.,” Poletti reports. “‘I’m mystified,’ said News Corp. chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch, in an evening interview with co-hosts Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. ‘I cannot understand the whole thing.'”
Poletti reports, “One clear picture in the future is that Microsoft appears to be in the midst of the ‘innovators dilemma’ and is lacking in vision, as well as innovation. Its sneak peak at the conference of Windows 7, its next version of its cash cow operating system, was another copycat attempt of Apple Inc. and its touch-screen technology in the iPhone.”
Full article here.
Microsoft would first have to be an innovator in order to face an “innovator’s dilemma.” Microsoft’s just in a plain old dilemma: How to rip-off Apple again when, this time, there’s no unprepared sugared water salesbozo around to sign away the company jewels?
another priceless microsoft moment
Salesbozo. LOL.
Was Sculley that bad? :p
MaLvado,
Other than nearly killing Apple by stupidly giving away the Mac’s GUI to Microsoft, no, Sculley wasn’t that bad.
“…this time, there’s no unprepared sugared water salesbozo around to sign away the company jewels?”
I don’t get this.
Ahh yes, Sculley.
Sculley nearly destroyed Apple by trying to sell overpriced boxes to corporations. He grew Apple’s profits and made them a bigger company, but had no plan when that market suddenly hit a dead end during the PC price wars. His two successors just continued to move along the same path.
Eleven years of Steve Jobs just proves that Apple’s roots are that of a consumer company, and I applaud them for not taking the cheapo way out and selling out to the enterprise and that race-to-the-bottom market.
@Thomas
You will have to read a little about the company history. Google John Sculley. Then you will get it.
Innovator’s Dilemma. That’s a good one.
When Apple had such a tiny marketshare and was essentially flying under everyone’s radar, except for the enlightened few, it was EASY for Microsoft to copy nearly everything that came out of the Mac OS.
Under the shining light of the iPod, then iPhone and the increasing awareness of the wonders of Mac OS X, more and more people are actually, FINALLY aware of what Apple has to offer. So, when Microsoft releases yet another batch of painfully blatant copies of Apple products’ features, it’s obvious to a large segment of the techno-savvy community.
The reaction to Vista’s Exposé rip off a few years ago was lukewarm.
The reaction to the Windows 7 Dock and such was deafening. Gates and Ballmer seemed stunned that the press actually noticed what they were up to.
How does Microsoft manage to shamelessly copy Apple, pawn those ideas off as their own “vision” and “innovation”, yet still manage to have no one notice? THAT’S the real quandary Microsoft faces today and in the future.
Microsoft’s FUD Machine™ has run out of steam.
“Microsoft CEO Ballmer grilled at Four Seasons resort”
But once they trimmed away the gobs of fat, gristle and fecal matter, there was nothing left to serve to the guests.
I blame the guy that hired that unprepared sugared water salesbozo.
Who was that idiot?
Steve who?
Oh, that Steve.
Thanks Ampar! I think I just threw up a little…
Welcome.
“Microsoft CEO Ballmer grilled at Four Seasons resort”
I hope there were no Jewish people or Muslimin at the resort; those people are easily offended when offered pork.
Thomas
John Sculley, who was recruited by and then displaced Steve Jobs as CEO of Apple was originally VP of sales at Pepsi.
In the face of Sculley’s initial reticence to acquiesce to Steve’s siren call to join Apple, Jobs apparently used a line that went something like “Do you want to sell sugared water for the rest of your life or do you want to come and do something that really matters?”
“Microsoft CEO Ballmer grilled at Four Seasons resort”
The number of lunch orders for grilled cheese sandwiches fell off noticeably the following day.
Back to the topic…
Ballmer on a grill?
That sounds like one smokey barbecue to me?
Also, how much mesquite would you need?
“Also, how much mesquite would you need?”
Most of central Texas has been cleared.
I also read that they wanted to jam an Apple into his mouth before grilling.
Grilled Ballmer for lunch!? uh… I think Windows Vista was not selling well, that is why Microsoft decided to sell Grilled Ballmer!
Why is Four Season selling fast food now? Shaky economy, lower standards?
“Grilled Ballmer for lunch!?”
There were enough tongue sandwiches to feed everyone in Carlsbad and nearby Camp Pendleton.
“Microsoft would first have to be an innovator in order to face an “innovator’s dilemma.” Microsoft’s just in a plain old dilemma: How to rip-off Apple again when, this time, there’s no unprepared sugared water salesbozo around to sign away the company jewels?”
You nailed it right there. That idiot signed off on Apples jewels and bent over and told MS in his Oliver Twist voice “please sir may I have some more”.
He’s as much part of this monopoly as MS sneaky business practices.
the article you link to says nothing at all about Windows 7 and innovation.
“But once they trimmed away the gobs of fat, gristle and fecal matter, there was nothing left to serve to the guests.”
@Ampar, in fact all that was left was a gerbil but I won’t say where they found it
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” />
To Glorfindeal:
FTFA:
“So while investors look at reaping rewards in their stock, sometimes on a short-term basis, CEOs are looking at the big picture. And one clear picture in the future is that Microsoft appears to be in the midst of the “innovators dilemma” and is lacking in vision, as well as innovation. Its sneak peak at the conference of Windows 7, its next version of its cash cow operating system, was another copycat attempt of Apple Inc. (AAPL: 187.16, +1.06, +0.6%) and its touch-screen technology in the iPhone.”
Microsoft will need to apply all the intellectual resources it has to circumvent the more recently heavily patented intellectual property in Macs/iPods/iPhone.
Here’s an idea. Why not apply all that intellectual energy to genuine innovation, rather than being a smart copycat?
I understand that this would mean a major cultural change for Microsoft:)
@ Ampar – ‘grilled Ballmer’ – thats seriously funny stuff!
You dont like Ballmer, do you? Anything we should know?
Everybody loves Jobs…
Everybody hates Sculley…
Nice names for sitcoms, hehe!!
In fact, history has been harsh on John Sculley. While he did make huge mistakes and lacks the charisma of Steve Jobs, let’s not forget the Newton was Sculley’s pet project. The guy is not a complete zero.
@ MikeR and limey
I get the “pop unders” too in Safari and Pop-up blocker is on. It’s annoying. MDN needs too fix this.
As for the article here. I think WIndows 7 is already and will be a big joke. Yet again M$ shows no original innovation from there products to which I’m not surprised. Also, it Yahoo should merge or be acquired by anyone it’s Google. A Google/Yahoo merger of some sort would be killer to M$. I personally think that’s what Yahoo should do. Yahoo may not be as great or popular as it once was but if M$ acquired it they would kill it.
@ Big Mac! You could try Safari Adblock (donationware) (http://safariadblock.sourceforge.net/). It works well for me.
Why are post being deleted in here? MDN You really that afraid of some Window user?
As stated earlier, just another rehash of last weeks post.
An interesting observation, 3 of the top 5 post active blogs here are about windows. Now Freud would conjecture that this would border on commerce envy.
Aiight MDN … stop bashing MS … its just takes away your credibility and makes you sound like the FOX news of MacNews…
MS was invovative enough to bring the world XP and Office. Billions of people use Office reliably everyday as well as XP (viruses and all). So MS has innovated in the past.
I for one do care what MS is comming out with, I just wish Apple was a more open company and would partner with the big boys like IBM and HP to increase the Mac experience to 40~50% of the market. Imagine the invovation that would grow out of both companies if the competition was that stiff!
Horray for American Innovation!
“You dont like Ballmer, do you?
What’s there to like?
I want MS to bring out that voice-activated OS that Gates talked constantly about. He said 90% of us would be using that by now. What happened?
To Crash:
Freud might well have conjectured something or other. You may not know it, but Freud has been proven wrong in every single one of his major pronouncements, and in most of his minor pronouncements too. Freud was a low-class cult originator and a fraud. His cult has been the cause of immense, unnecessary suffering. Even as a joke, Freud should not be invoked in anything.
@Nigel
And here we go again with the insecurities… The comment was given to this sorry excuse for a news site, kinda of fitting for the man himself.
Nothing personal there, just move on to your next story.
“The comment was given to this sorry excuse for a news site . . .”
And yet, you keep coming back. Analyze that!
“I want MS to bring out that voice-activated OS that Gates talked constantly about. He said 90% of us would be using that by now. What happened?”
It’s in the warehouse from the Indiana Jones movie along with the smart refrigerator (http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-527948.html) and the “Abacus” Smart Watch. Maybe the annual subscription services are to blame for the SPOTty reception.
“Aiight MDN … stop bashing MS”
Please don’t stop. O.K., maybe when they inevitably collapse or get chopped to pieces.
@Ampar
Oh I love coming here just for your witty banter.
the world is catch on to what M$$$$$$ is all about and the world doesn’t like what they see!
As a special bonus, the first 5,000 Windows Se7en purchases will come with a blonde human head in the box.
“There were enough tongue sandwiches to feed everyone in Carlsbad and nearby Camp Pendleton.”
Dude, don’t forget about us here in Oceanside “sandwiched” between the two. Had I known about this gathering nearby, I would have gone over and “apple’d” good ‘ol Ballmy. I would have done way better than that guy with the eggs in Denmark. :-p
Comment from: Ampar
As a special bonus, the first 5,000 Windows Se7en purchases will come with a blonde human head in the box.
Well this is better than a mac any day!!!! Thanks for letting us know.
We can never forget Oceanside, MacDave. Home to the California Surf Museum and the location for the filming of “Top Gun”!
I thought I heard that one of the many new M$
‘innovations” for W7 was speech recognition? That was available on Macs wwwaaaayyyyy back in system 7.1.2! Is W7 copy machines using their “Time Machine” to rethink other forgotten Mac standard features?
I will say that it’s a pretty cool bonus feature but hopefully it will be updated soon in OS X. Great Home Automation possibilities among many other useful & handy purposes. 😀
I don’t get much of a buzz anymore about Microsoft’s latest promises, lies or stuff-ups. It’s just the same old same old. Most Window’s users know “their” company would pick a losing lottery ticket if they were the only ticket holder. Most Windows’ users know that Microsoft couldn’t innovate if their life depended on it. And most Windows’ users know the company shamelessly copies all things Mac. Or should I say all Mac things. So yeah, they’re on the nose and I don’t enjoy the never-ending tales of Windows’ f*#(ups because it just seems so repetitive.
Voice recognition has been there since XP that I know of.
Cell phones have had this since the late 90’s I believe. So no another innovaton this is not by Apple. Just an incorperation of a good service for the consumer.
Crash-
XP was also a direct ripoff of the Mac OS.
Gates was working with Apple when he “invented” Windows.
Crash-
M$ has tried to copy Apple from the beginning, and they continue to try today.
The vast majority of their “innovation” has always come from Cupertino.
@MacATTY:
“MS was invovative enough to bring the world XP and Office. Billions of people use Office reliably everyday as well as XP (viruses and all). So MS has innovated in the past.”
I don’t think ‘innovate’ means what you seem to think it means.