“Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said on Thursday analysts’ forecasts for revenue from Windows Vista in fiscal 2008 were ‘overly aggressive,’ sending shares down 1 percent,” Reuters reports.
Reuters reports, “The world’s biggest software maker cautioned analysts that Vista sales will remain closely aligned to new computer sales. Ballmer said Vista would create a ‘small surge’ in PC sales in fiscal 2008, but would not spur a big increase over normal growth rates. ‘It looks like people are a little bit over optimistic, at least more optimistic than we are,’ Ballmer said in a presentation to analysts.”
“Microsoft shares fell 1.1 percent in extended trading to $29.14 from a Nasdaq close of $29.46,” Reuters reports.
Full article here.
“‘I’m really excited about how enthusiastic people are about Vista, but I think some of the revenue forecasts for Vista in 2008 are overly aggressive,’ Ballmer said in a meeting for financial analysts. ‘(Vista) is primarily a chance to sustain what (Windows) revenue we have — not every release is a revenue growing opportunity,'” The Associated Press reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Here’s just a small sample of how “enthusiastic” people are about Vista:
Windows Vista’s DRM is bad news – February 14, 2007
Mac OS X Tiger vs. Windows Vista: Mac’s migration a breeze, Vista’s migration a headache – February 12, 2007
Forbes: ‘Windows Vista utterly unimaginative, internally discordant and woefully out of tune’ – February 09, 2007
Computerworld: Windows expert dumps Windows, switches to Apple’s Mac OS X – February 08, 2007
Windows sufferer spends six hours trying to ‘upgrade’ to Vista, says: ‘I should’ve bought a Mac’ – February 07, 2007
Windows Vista woes push BBC News editor to regret never having ‘defected’ to Apple Mac – February 06, 2007
Digit: Don’t buy Vista; Microsoft may be driving millions to stick with XP or move to Apple Mac – February 05, 2007
TIME Magazine: Microsoft’s Windows Vista ‘an embarassment to the good name of American innovation’ – February 02, 2007
Microsoft’s Windows Vista: Five years for a chrome-plated turd – January 30, 2007
Digit: ‘Microsoft’s Windows Vista may be the best reason yet to buy an Apple Mac’ – January 29, 2007
Pioneer Press: Windows Vista shows ‘Apple is an innovation engine; Microsoft, not so much’ – January 29, 2007
Windows Vista disappoints, so get a Mac – January 29, 2007
Analyst: Microsoft’s Windows Vista could be an opportunity for Apple – January 26, 2007
CNET Reviews Windows Vista: Is that all? Clunky and not very intuitive vs. Mac OS X; warmed-over XP – January 24, 2007
Mossberg: Microsoft’s Windows Vista offers lesser imitations of Apple’s Mac OS X features – January 18, 2007
Windows Vista disappointment drives longtime ‘Microsoft apologist’ to Apple’s Mac OS X – January 17, 2007
InformationWeek Review: Apple’s Mac OS X shines in comparison with Microsoft’s Windows Vista – January 06, 2007
NY Times’ Pogue reviews Microsoft’s Windows Vista: ‘Looks, Locks, Lacks’ – December 14, 2006
15-year Windows vet tries Apple Mac: ‘My God! This is amazing!’ – December 04, 2006
Dave Winer: ‘Microsoft isn’t an innovator, and never was – they are always playing catch-up’ – December 01, 2006
Harvard Medical School CIO picks Mac OS X over Linux and Windows – November 30, 2006
Top Windows developer dumps Microsoft’s ‘pile of crap’ for Apple’s Mac OS X – September 12, 2006
$399 for Windows Vista Ultimate?! (Hint: Get a Mac) – August 29, 2006
Apple’s Mac OS X Leopard is 64-bit done right, unlike Microsoft’s Windows Vista kludge – August 14, 2006
Microsoft Windows Vista: If you can’t innovate… try to impersonate Apple’s Mac OS X – August 10, 2006
Analyst: Apple’s new Mac OS X Leopard sets new bar, leaves Microsoft’s Vista in the dust – August 08, 2006
Microsoft botches another copy job: Windows Vista Flip3D vs. Apple Mac OS X Exposé – June 26, 2006
Windows Vista rips-off Mac OS X at great hardware cost (and Apple gains in the end) – June 13, 2006
Computerworld: Microsoft Windows Vista a distant second-best to Apple Mac OS X – June 02, 2006
Ballmer calls Apple ‘cute, little tiny niche guy’ – February 15, 2007
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
What we have here is the beginning of the end folks.
‘(Vista) is primarily a chance to sustain what (Windows) revenue we have — not every release is a revenue growing opportunity,'”
Did he really say that?! Wow.
Bad day for Ballmer…
I’m excited about Vista. I’m excited to see how it’s moving people over to the Mac.
brilliant.. the ‘people’ who are optimistic are called ‘investors’… the ‘people’ who aren’t are called ‘customers’
A friend of mine just got a new Dell today with Vista on it. Unfortunately, Dell still gets kickbacks for loading it up with Google software, so all that stuff has to but uninstalled before you can see the Windows Sidebar and stuff..
I CANNOT believe it doesn’t even have a tutorial,etc still thing.. What a wasted opportunity.
And Vista tries to put Widgets,etc in the Media Player (check scores etc).. which is.. clunky.. *sigh
WOW! just WOW!
This whole VISTA thing os totally underwhelming. So underwhelming that I’m totally blown away. WOW!
How much closer to “Closed Until Business Picks Up” than this admission.
I wouldn’t want to face the shareholders in his shoes.
I played with Vista Beta 1 and 2. Take my word for it, pass on this dog. If you have to by a new computer, get a Mac.
WOW!
This is the first reasonable, level-headed thing I have ever known Ballmer to say.
Squirt
One Chair Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest!
not every release is a revenue growing opportunity
W T F ?!?!
Ballmer, your company worked on this thing for five years.
It was supposed to be a crucial landmark upgrade of one of your key products.
And now that it’s becoming clear MS has utterly blew it, the best you can do is admit failure with “not every release is a revenue growing opportunity”?!?
Anywhere else it’d be called a DUD.
Use your own terms, Ballmy. We’ll use ours.
“Vista sales will remain closely aligned to new computer sales”
Apparently MS recognizes that few are buying it as an “upgrade,” just the PC mfrs who *have to* install it on new systems (MS’s captive market that accounts for, what, 80% of their OS revenue?). I wonder if in a few months, as PC sales stagnate, that Dell & HP and the others will convince MS to let them offer XP as an option? In the enterprise we’ve the option of Ghosting or ZENing our new machines with XP, but the poor users paying with personal money for a new system get to play guinea pig and fight the lack of drivers, updated software, bizarre UI changes, draconian DRM, etc., etc., etc.
How many days ’til Leopard?
As much as I hate MS, those who say that lackluster Vista sales means the end of MS are hoping for too much. MS is so ingrained in people’s computer lives that it will always play a significant part in computing. No doubt Apple marketshare will grow, but the end of MS? Wishful thinking.
MS is so ingrained in people’s computer lives that it will always play a significant part in computing.
Ford and GM were once deeply ingrained in people’s transportation choices too.
Vista certainly won’t kill MS. But it’s a big dud when MS really needed a big hit, and it’s going to weigh on MS until they address it.
This is an incredible statement. It won’t go unnoticed… The board of directors should and will fire this dumb bastard.
How on earth could a CEO make such a statement about a core product five years in development? He is declaring that Vista is so uncompelling that no one will upgrade. The only sales will be to those who must to purchase new hardware. Absolutely incredible!
Gates should just close up Microsloth and give the shareholders back their money.
Duck!
What was it ? 7 years of development – to produce something that only sustains the company ? Big WOW ! at least they (Ballmer and buddies) are realizing that people realize there is no real innovation in Vista. Wonder how long it will take them to produce something that actually makes revenue for the company…..
If I was stupid enough to still have stock in Microsoft, I would vote for them liquidating the company and giving shareholders the $0.02 on the dollar that it is currently worth.
> ‘It looks like people are a little bit over optimistic, at least more optimistic than we are…
> ‘(Vista) is primarily a chance to sustain what (Windows) revenue we have — not every release is a revenue growing opportunity…
Does that sound like a CEO that is confident in his company’s future? If the first OS release in five+ years is not a “revenue growing opportunity,” will it be another five years before there is one?
Windows Vista is a “revenue growing opportunity” for Apple, more than it is for Microsoft.
Microsoft. Cancel or Allow?
You know…Frankenberry there is the only CEO I know of that regularly purposely makes statements that send his stock down. His opening statement as CEO…Uh m$ stocks are over valued. I am surprised their board puts up with this.
Just my $0.02
Translation: Don’t load up on our shares, they’re going do
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Warning: Forward looking statements made outside Cupertino may be just that.
If XP is a turd, would that make Vista a chrome plated turd?
how are those autographed limited edition Vista packages selling?
………….at the Ballmers evening dinner table.
“Oh, mommy, mommy, what’s wrong with Daddy? Is he ever coming home?”
“Honey, he’s sitting right next to you.”
“Where’s his soul, Mommy?”
“….Mommy?”
“…………..don’t look directly into his eyes…………when I say run I want you to run straight to the car, ok, baby?”
My father in law just bought a new computer with Vista. He hates it. And he said, “I have to re-learn everything anyway. I should have bought a Mac.”
!!
Hopefully, for people that buy new PCs, they will be able to dump Vista and put XP on them. IOW cut their losses/
Queue sound effect of the schoolyard bully on the Simpsons: HAAAAA haaaa
…turds.
… and just wait until Leopard roars out of the jungle! Vista sucks right now (as we all know), and the “modern” media have nothing to compare it to (in their addled minds).** When 10.5 hits the airwaves and the shelves, MonkeySoft’s share price will drop into the mid $20 range, just watch.
If you market watchers have EVER shorted a stock, the time to do so is now with MSFT.
GUARANTEED!
** Of course, Tiger already kicks Vista’s ass, but very few in the “elite” media choose to mention it.
Wow, Less is More, that is really cool!!!
Watch, Microsucks will force out the next release – the “Vista Killer” – in 3 years after much corner cutting and compromising to an even cooler reception.
Excellent!
Greg L.,
That would be Nelson.
Haaa-haah!
Zune Tang, I don’t blame you for hiding. Your very own Royalness has less faith in his product than you. It’s going to be pretty hard convincing people about how great your MS product is, especially since King Balmer has squirted himself again and left his mess for you to clean up.
My father-in-law went down to Circuit City yesterday to buy two copies of MS’s Windows XP. Well… the people at CC said that all the copies of MS’s XP were purchased back by Microsoft. He was told they could sell him Vista but not XP anymore. I wonder if this is going on in other places?
This could be a way for MS to force people who have been waiting to buy the new updated hardware, and forced into the Vista world.
wmd
For the love of Khan, why would anybody in his right mind BUY a copy of Windows XP (especially if it’s not available), when all he has to do is Bittorrent one off the web?
RULE OF INTERNET COMMERCE: If’n you won’t sell me a legitimate copy of something I want, I’ll obtain it by “other” means.
Saw a Vista ad on TV. Some kid looks through a window at a blizzard. “Wow!” he says. Two other “Wow” scenes. Then Vista splashes across the screen. “Wow!”
No kidding. A blizzard. Vista.
“Wow.”
Where’s the WOW now ?
Wouldn’t this be a great time for Apple to release OS X for installation on non-Apple hardware? Isn’t this a great opportunity to gain some significant market share?
5 years and 6 billion dollars buys you a ‘small surge’ in PC sales in fiscal 2008. Well done Microsoft.
Hey wmd,
How do you get around the need for an activation key? And what about WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) requirement for security downloads?
One big problem with Vista is…. IT’S TOO EXPENSIVE!
It’s a freak’n OS for Bills sake. 3 or 4 hundred dollars for it? That is outrageous.
If Apple can stay the course, they’ll win by finally being the LOW PRICED ALTERNATIVE.
WOW u guys are inspired, or am i still drunk ?
p.s some people still don’t get zune tang 😀
If people were so excited about Vista then why is nobody buying it? Because it isn’t worth $400 that’s why. It isn’t worth $4 in my opinion. Buy a Mac and get Leopard and then see some real excitement!
Does anyone subscribe to Baron’s so we can read this whole article?
http://users1.barrons.com/lmda/do/checkLogin?mg=evo-barrons&url=http://online.barrons.com/article/SB117046721421997023.html
What is a ‘small surge’? Isn’t this an oxy-moron?
@ Trvth
Saw the same series of ads. One has an old, OLD man blowing out about a thousand candles on his presumed birthday cake…waiter says “WOW”. In my mind, M$FT is the decrepit old man…the waiter represents the rest of the world, amazed that the company is still alive after all the litigation and billions of r&d on such “cutting edge” products as Vista and the Zune.
MDN MW – “eye” as in “Keep your eye on M$FT’s plummeting sales and stock price”…
“(Vista) is primarily a chance to sustain what (Windows) revenue we have — not every release is a revenue growing opportunity.”
What a load of crock! 5 years in the making and if Vista is not suppose to be a growth opportunity for M$, then nothing is. Microsoft sure is in a lot of trouble if they are claiming Vista is not a revenue growing opportunity.
Peace.
not WOW but WOOF, WOOF
VISTA and ZUNE are a pair of dogs.
There are so many M$ shares out there the institutions can’t afford to let them revalue at their true worth.
“(Vista) is primarily a chance to sustain what (Windows) revenue we have”
Well, there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth. He might as well have just said:
“We are on the defensive (if not from Linux and Apple, then from our own market saturation). Vista is a shore-it-up release, not a revolutionary advance like we keep claiming in the marketing”
jcw3rd,
Not sure what you’re driving after?
He has two Intel Macs that he wants to run XP on. So he needs an activation key, thus the reason for buying two copies.
WGA does not give me/him a peace of mind or confidence that MS wants use to believe.
We just want legal copies, even if we have to pain the devil.
WMD