Steve Ballmer signs a student’s Macbook during his visit to Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee on January 20, 2010:
Direct link to video via YouTube here.
MacDailyNews Note: To us, it looks like Balmy wrote, “Need a new one? Steve Ballmer.”
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
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He sure thinks he’s clever.
Ballmer may not be a good manager, and I’m sure he’s annoying as hell to be with for very long, but at least he’s happy and good natured.
Although I guess making billions for doing nothing probably tends to give one a positive outlook on life.
Now thats what what a MS designer label looks like!
Why would anyone let this guy deface the precious
The highlight of his entire career. He finally put his mark on an ascending product.
Imagine if someone asked Steve Jobs to sign a Dell laptop. I’m picturing a very quick cold stare. On a good day, maybe a wry sliver of a smile. In either case, no way he signs it.
Ballmer is well known to be ready to sign anything without thinking twice!… 😀
We all of course did note that he purposely wrote over the Apple Logo.
Nice job. Put Ballmer on the spot in video. The kid has a one of a kind collector’s item.
“Why would anyone let this guy deface the precious”
Simple, it was that last gen MBP. That one wasn’t so precious.
I’m not a fan of Ballmer, but he took the joke pretty well. Good for him.
His MacBook just decreased in resale value to $10!
Give him props for handling an awkward situation with a bit of levity.
Nice natured in front of the cameras is one thing, that kid probably woke up with a horse’s head the morning after, though I understand some students are quite into that sorta thing.
I laughed a little, then I barfed.
First time I’ve ever saw him do something cool…. with a good laugh to go with it!
Ballmer just went up a bit in my estimation.
Not sure I’d want my laptop spoiled.. but maybe if the other Steve offered..?!
Would have been better if he just farted on it instead. At least the stench from the vapors would eventually wear off…. well eventually.
I like Balmers comment above the signature.
Need a new one?
The answer would definitely be: Yes, but one that can run Mac OS X maybe the new MacBook Pro i5.
I’d agree that Ballmer handled the situation well and came off as a reasonable guy with a sense of humour.
The kid is the smart one. Imagine how much the mac book will be worth as collectors item when msft finally goes down.
@m159
Best comment. Ever. LMAO!
@Jamie
Your satirical wit wasn’t lost on me.
I believe he could get sixty-times what he paid for it originally, based solely on the juxtaposition of the Apple logo and Ballmer’s name.
That was a stroke of genius on the student’s part.
Steve Ballmer’s true mission is being discovered. He is secretly working for Apple and Steve Jobs. His mission is to destoy Microsoft by bad policy and ranting and raving. How’s he doing?
Well just let me ask you one question. What would you rather own, 10,000 share of Apple or 10,00 share of Microsoft?
Keep up the good work Steve Ballmer.
Ooops did I scratch your precious laptop? I thought it was scratch resistant. Guess not!
http://www.bing.com When it comes to decisions that matter, Bing & Decide
You guys kiddin’ me. That laptop can now fetch even MORE on eBay now. How many Mac fans can claim to have “Steve Ballmer’s” signature on their laptop, with video for proof? I’d pay more for it! Great artifact of the computing age…
I can’t stand the ass, but at least he shows good spirit. Right now in this country, we suffer from “for everyone that has to win, someone has to lose” and that’s just not healthy any more. MS is an integral part of many Mac users experience and still a vital part of the game, even if that part is just to stay as blind and bloated as it is. Do you think Apple would be doing what they do if the rest of the industry wasn’t so bad at doing it first?
Ballmer and all his ilk push guys like Jobs to do better. Don’t think for a second that Apple wouldn’t be resting on it laurels if competition wasn’t always threatening around the corner.
I would prefer that macbook pro was signed by steve jobs instead!
@Applepi
That’s just it, say what u want about Ballmer (again, I’m NO FAN) but Jobs would never sign it, unless you were dying or some sort of charity case. Jobs (LOVE ‘EM) is still a jerk.
I’d like to comment about what kind of people Ballmer and Jobs are, but I don’t know them personally the way many do here.
Ugh. Wonder how hard it would be to clean the ink off. I hope it wasn’t a permanent marker.
@Craig,
Agreed. Steve Jobs is a marketing/creative genius.
However, it would be a lot more fun to go for a beer with Ballmer.
@Craig
Jobs would sign it if he was ever out in public.
I hope he does not do a Howard Hughes on us.
As for Oballmer, how stupid can you be.
Please keep him on until Apple reaches 90% market share.
That MacBook will cost much in future, as the history of Failure of Microsoft – Steve Ballmer.
Does that mean it can get Viruses now???
Before we all rush to congratulate Ballmer for handling this situation with grace and humor (which is certainly commendable), let’s not forget how recently it was that he “jokingly” grabbed an employee’s iPhone and pretended to stomp on it.
Methinks the PR folks at Microsoft had a little chat with him after that, resulting in the far more graceful handling of this incident. Sadly, when it comes to higher-up executives of large companies, very little they do is unscripted or uncoached. (Though, considering Ballmer’s past antics, I can see why people would assume otherwise…)
Ballmer sucks, but for the first time, he handled himself well.
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That was funny – but sheesh, I’d never do that to my MBP!
Maybe the guy took it from a office-mate?
VANDALISM!
To get even, I’m gonna go steal his gas cap, bend his windshield wiper blades and pour sand down his carburetor!
Just like the good old days! (heh heh heh)
He’s laughing all the way to the poor house. I would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER let him deface my Mac like that. That kid is an idiot!
@Craig
He’s a jerk? You know this first hand? The guy runs a company with a style that gets results, and suddenly that makes him a jerk?
Agreed. Steve Jobs is a marketing/creative genius.
However, it would be a lot more fun to go for a beer with Ballmer.
Mac+, that kind of thinking is how the country ended up with Dubya in the WH. How did that work out?
Now, he needs to mail the macbook to steve jobs and ask him to sign it because “it has a virus and i need something to counteract the bad karma”
No, but thanks for asking. This an Apple product. It will last a very long time. In fact, this MacBook Pro is not even the most current version, and it’s still going strong. You are probably used to asking Windows and PC users that question, so I’ll forgive you.
The first thing I’d do is back up the drive, do a clean install, put it back in the original box and put the box in the bank and when the time was right, I’d auction off the key. When the wire transfer hit, I’d transfer the account to the rightful owner.
Apple or Ballmer could easily buy it for a few million.
One would display it, the other would never let it see the light of day again.
I think he actually handled that situation nicely. At least he did not throw it on the ground and stomp on it (or even pretend to do it)…
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steve jobs signature > steve ballmers signature
“Need a new CEO? Steve Ballmer.”
I have a nagging feeling that this is an attempt at viral marketing, just like the failed microsoft store dance video that was distributed by a marketing company pretending to be a bystander.
Let’s keep in mind that with the new Intel processors MicroSoft should have no problem with Apple computer sales. Boot camps inspires people to perhaps purchase two copies of MicroSoft Office and MicroSoft Windows as well.
I am just waiting for this to show up for bid on eBay.
@neomonkey
or we could say about that Obama-look how the police officer and professor friend worked their “differences” at White House over beer