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Microsoft: "You lead, we'll follow!"

May 28, 08 - 07:23 am Comment from: macoverdose_dot_com

I love that walt presses the apple issue right on ballmer and gates...

Wow, after looking at the demo, I just feel sad for these guys. Their old winning strategy of just coming up with a cheap copy of the Mac is so doomed and yet they cling to it like a railing on the Titanic.

May 28, 08 - 07:24 am Comment from: MacNScott

Didn't Apple patent the hell out of multi-touch? Did MS have to pay Apple for this?

Can't they have ONE original idea of their own!

Geez...

Why is it that the "more is better" approach dominates American culture? The whole 270 million vs. 10 million things is just stupid. 270 million computers is not "better" it's just "more".

Steve Ballmer is a friggin idiot.

And I just recently watched that video clip where he was sweating like a pig on stage, ranting and raving about developers...

Why does he get paid as much as he does? If he's the face of Microsoft's future, nobody should worry in the slightest. One word for ya..."meds"

As in, he's on 'em and he needed 'em that day.

May 28, 08 - 07:27 am Comment from: IKON

Nobody wants to touch her/his PC.

May 28, 08 - 07:28 am Comment from: IKON

@ countdown has started: keep a close watch at Apple's stock today

May 28, 08 - 07:35 am Comment from: JAYGEE

Apple will need to sell a fully multitouch Mac before Microsoft/OEM's release Windows 7 multitouch machines.

I hope that rumor about the Touch Mac is true!

May 28, 08 - 07:37 am Comment from: Cubert

That whole video reeks of desperation.

May 28, 08 - 07:39 am Comment from: Cubert

Sorry, that interview reeks of desperation.

Typo. Or, really, a "write-o".

May 28, 08 - 07:42 am Comment from: Cubert

Hey folks! Hummer is back. I'm not going to make my joke about him needing a hummer as I did yesterday because that post got deleted.

D'oooohhh!

May 28, 08 - 07:50 am Comment from: Zune Tang®

Bill and Steve did a rather admirable job defending their innovations and success in the face of Mossberg and Swisher's vicious attacks—most likely planted by you-know-who in Cupertino. You MAC losers have to be disappointed they didn't take the bait when patently false and inflated statements about Apple's me-too business were injected into the conversation. C'mon, even you MAC sheep had to find the Apple bias sickening.

Great job, guys! Way to take the high road, but we always knew Microsoft was about class. And one more thing, Microsoft sells way more gear than Apple, and that's what really matters. Ballmer gets it. I don't know why you MAC-tards don't get it.

Your potential. Our passion.™

Dear Hummer, that's why Lexus, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche make so much money while not selling as many cars as Ford or Chevy, Discerning buyers buy what they want not what lemmings can afford. This comparison is even more relevant now as all the US is upset over its dominant but falling market share. Microsoft sells it's OS for Geos. Apples sells its OS on the Lexus, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche of computers. Even Chevy drivers would buy a higher end car if they could afford it. Come to think of it Apples BMW computer is no more expensive than most Geos running Microslop. Maybe one's taste is in their mouth.

May 28, 08 - 07:52 am Comment from: HMCIV

When was the last time Jobs had to answer a question by saying "_______ is not a failure."?

Oh I remember. It was when he was talking about the Apple TV. He admitted Apple didn't get right on 1.0. Then he gave us movie rentals and upgraded mine for free!

Multi-Touch is great in theory. The difference is that Apple have designed and built devices specifically designed for it, devices that are on sale now. Apple have designed a UI for their OS that is designed for Touch, something with a traditional desktop environment (Mac OS X) is not.

Just shoe-horning the ability to finger paint, make ripples on the screen and play around with pictures is a gimmick. A cool gimmick, but not something that works as part of an OS that people will be using for large periods of the day, every day for both work and pleasure.

In contrast, as well as the iPhone and iPod Touch, Apple are also selling computers right now that have various multi-touch elements included. Limited ones, ones that don't offer any new functionality, but ones that are seamless, ones that work as well as if not better than traditional methods. They're not screen based but they work.

Look at the difficulties of adding resolution independence to OS X. Screen based Multi-Touch is a huge shift in the way computers are interacted with, everything needs to be rethought. I'm pretty confident we won't see it system-wide in Mac OS 10.6. I am confident that we'll increasingly see it in Apple devices though. The iPhone and iPod will continue using it and the SDK will create a new world of Multi-touch purposed applications, ones that don't rely on the traditional methods of interaction. In time the iPhone will probably scale up to encompass a tablet or small laptop and begin to replace the traditional Desktop environment and the traditional Desktop environment will add multi-touch where it fits well - Coverflow being a prime example - but it won't be done in the way MS are hoping it will with Windows 7. How is their touch going to work with a word processor? How will it be any better than what we already have?

May 28, 08 - 07:56 am Comment from: HMCIV

And you GOTTA give Ballmer credit for hiding an iPhone behind a giant screen. Or was the demo just an incredibly well choreographed dance with an .avi movie file, like music stars lip-syncing the Superbowl Halftime.

May 28, 08 - 07:58 am Comment from: Zune Tang®

@ Hummer

Nice. The only thing I disagree with is the "going down the toilet" part. Apple went down the toilet years ago.

Your potential. Our passion.™

Running multi-touch on Windows will require NOTHING else be running...

Joke.

Seemed to me the whole interview was a 'we will do it better in future' exercise.. why should anyone give them the chance too?

May 28, 08 - 08:00 am Comment from: Asmodeus

Sweet! Another version of Windows to fix and line my pockets with cash! Keep releasing quality, MS!!

May 28, 08 - 08:07 am Comment from: Woody

Multi-touch. On a desktop PC. So, all users will have to upgrade their monitors to new multi-touch capable ones? Whatever.

Oh yeah, "Remember the Gorilla Arm!"

Go Apple!!! If it makes you feel better a couple of faked windows screen shots will convince you of mac superiority.

Wake up people!!!!!! You don't need a degree in rocket science to serf the internet with Linuix. Get out a little for gods sake.

May 28, 08 - 08:11 am Comment from: ElderNorm

@Hummer,
Hmmmm, I believe you really want the http://www.Zune.net site. Its just around the corner. >>>

" but Microsoft knows how to market the hell out of their products to their targeted consumers." Market??? Sell???? They have no choice and what microsoft does well is stump out anyone who is a new comer that would give Microsoft competition. "We stump, you get stuck." That is not marketing, its just power run amuck.

Every new Mac user is one less PC user. Just a thought.

en

May 28, 08 - 08:18 am Comment from: Ampar

FTFA:
Gates: “Guys like us avoid monopolies. We like to compete.”

Liar.

I'm surprised you can hear Gates or Balllmer speak when they're sitting down.

Hummer, The iPhone recently won a black pencil from the D&AD;awards in London. Only truly innovative game-changing objects win a black pencil. Obviously you know better than an international board of judges. Go to http://www.dandad.org and learn.

May 28, 08 - 08:21 am Comment from: Mr. Peabody

@wondering joe (from work) says, "Microsoft: 'You lead, we'll follow!'"

Actually it's more like, Microsoft: "You blink, and we take over every facet of your personal and corporate lives to the point that, if you try and break the tracker beam you're entire life will be turned upside down, and it'll cost you a whole lot of money to get up turned upright again."

@Zune Tang,
Zunny, baby, let's do lunch sometime darling!

The proof is made: you can be billionaire and still remain a foolish looser!

Monney makes you rich but not wise!

That's "serf" as in surf. While we're at it, "god" is spelled with a big G. Go back to Linux, you do not belong here.

@M.X.N.T.4.1

I can see a 17" touch screen tablet, accompanied with an optional stand to turn the tablet into an iMac like device, with bluetooth keyboard. Touch on-screen keyboard when used as a tablet.

May 28, 08 - 08:32 am Comment from: Zune Tang®

@ Linux user

I'll get out just as soon as I can find the right dependencies to run MP3's in Totem media player properly after I recompile it. Should take a couple of hours, but I'll have you know I've been struggling with it for days.

Anybody know how to get the sound card working on a 6 year old ThinkPad running Fedora? I also need help with editing samba.conf file. I can't see my shared volume over the network.

Linux rules!

Your potential. Our passion.™

May 28, 08 - 08:34 am Comment from: jtc

@MacNScott

M$ does come up with their own ideas.... they see what everyone else does... and then they instantly have ideas on taking that technology and putting it into their OS and saying ti's better...

Innovative features in over 2 years from now that are currently available to purchase today from other vendors. IMPRESSIVE!!!!

May 28, 08 - 08:37 am Comment from: Macromancer

"Why is it that the "more is better" approach dominates American culture?"

Have you ever talked to people here in the US? Ignorance, in a word.

May 28, 08 - 08:37 am Comment from: shen

wow, they even copied the map search for starbucks.

why not just CGI bills head on Steves keynote from the last year and release that twice a year. god what a pathetic company......

May 28, 08 - 08:40 am Comment from: jtc

@bimmerguy

actually an apple computer is like a lexus but at the cost of a scion TC. (the sporty car one not that ugly ass box with wheels)

May 28, 08 - 08:40 am Comment from: Ampar

"Hmmmm, I believe you really want the http://www.Zune.net site. Its just around the corner."

Actually, he's better off with the rocket scientists at iwantapinkzune.com. And look! Hummer went poof! Good riddance to the little drool monkey.

May 28, 08 - 08:43 am Comment from: Ampar

"and then they instantly have ideas on taking that technology and putting it into their OS and saying ti's better..."


You forgot the most important part of all. The last step is claiming it was their innovation.

May 28, 08 - 08:44 am Comment from: Tommy Boy

Did anyone notice the picture of Ballmer's son in the Windows 7 demo?

http://scoot.net/gallery/bbs/BallmersSon.jpg

And MDN you typo'd your own take: "Apple created the personal computer as we know it today. Microsoft copied/stole it's OS." Microsoft couldn't have stolen the personal computer because, as you pointed out, it doesn't make any.

May 28, 08 - 08:47 am Comment from: twilightmoon

Linux user: "Wake up people!!!!!! You don't need a degree in rocket science to serf the internet with Linuix. Get out a little for gods sake."

Apparently Linux doesn't include modern computer features like spell check.

Nor do you need to understand the difference between surf and serf, or God's and gods.

Kinda sad, really.

May 28, 08 - 08:51 am Comment from: Ampar

"You don't need a degree in rocket science to serf the internet with Linuix"

Not to feud with you, but I'd rather lord the 'net with nobility than serf it. Yeah, pawns like us could argue all knight and deus, so it's a moat point.

Micro$oft and fingerpainting...should anything be said more??

May 28, 08 - 08:53 am Comment from: twilightmoon

MikeR: "That's "serf" as in surf. While we're at it, "god" is spelled with a big G. Go back to Linux, you do not belong here."

Apparently I was too slow.

Still the big question that I wish Walt would ask Steve Jobs...why does Apple refuse to show their OS on TV commercials? This would be a good time to do it.

May 28, 08 - 09:05 am Comment from: Predrag

I have to say, I am a bit concerned. We all know Walt Mossberg is a respected journalist, but he is also known to be on the Apple's side often. We don't want too many guys like him to keep prodding Ballmer. He has been certified mentally unstable; we can't possibly predict what kind of reaction he could have if he is pushed too much. In his colossal arrogance and sense of infallibility and impunity, he could be pushed into doing something truly horrendous, like doing physical harm to Steve Jobs (I'm sure he has contacts who know people who know people...), just to stop this incessant harassment regarding the superiority of Apple's OS to his Windows baby.

Ballmer has a strong evil side to him. He is fully capable of orchestrating something sinister. We don't really want to push him all the way. Let's just allow him to continue to believe he is the best thing since sliced bread, slowly carving out slice after slice of the big pie.

May 28, 08 - 09:08 am Comment from: twilightmoon

Blue Dream: "Micro$oft and fingerpainting...should anything be said more??"

More interesting would be its applications for new forms of porn.

Zune Tang, Gates and Ballmer drag the concept of free speech to new lows. I'm constantly amazed at how their rehearsed talking points all sound alike -- and very similar to a Bush administration press conference.

Unfortunately, many people don't always see through sleight-of-hand excuses that are long on double talk and short on facts. That's why we recently ended up with an embarrassing dufus for president and a poor computer operating system dominating the planet. In the end, neither was really chosen by the people -- both were thrust upon us by power brokers behind-the-scenes.

May 28, 08 - 09:20 am Comment from: Ampar

"We don't want too many guys like him to keep prodding Ballmer."

Like poking a bear with a stick, Ballmer snaps and leaps onto Walt tearing flesh with his fangs while blood drips from his round, grinning face. Gates croaks, "Oh no, not again." A black cloaked Ninja security force drops from the ceiling with nets and powerful horse tranquilizers. Ballmer is subdued and lured into his reinforced steel carrying cage with chocolate pudding cups laced with his anti-psychotic medication. Walt is carried away on a stretcher muttering, "See you next year. Thanks for coming."

May 28, 08 - 09:27 am Comment from: twilightmoon

HD Boy: "I'm constantly amazed at how their rehearsed talking points all sound alike -- and very similar to a Bush administration press conference."

...and I'm tired of people trying to link Apple and Microsoft to politics.

The Key word for both Gates and Ballmer is delusional. I love the fact that they dodged key questions which they should have answered. Walt definitely hit them where it hurts and they proved that by not answering his questions. Then going into a delusional rant afterwords.

May 28, 08 - 09:43 am Comment from: feral

@ampar
for some reason i see a ralph stedman illustration...
LOL

May 28, 08 - 09:45 am Comment from: Ampar

From C|Net:
"Windows 7 demo at D6: Really? That's it?"
"I was really hoping for Ballmer and Gates to address the changing nature of computing, and not fight Apple for the design award; I really don't think the Microsoft UI juggernaut committee is going to be able to outflank the Apple design team's Zodiac runabout."

May 28, 08 - 09:59 am Comment from: HMCIV

Apparently Linux doesn't include modern computer features like spell check.

Nor do you need to understand the difference between surf and serf, or God's and gods.


@ MikeR and twilightmoon: Actually I think Linux user is Greek. So he could well have multiple Gods... Zeus, Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian...