02-08-2011, 07:23 AM

Microsoft CEO taps engineers as execs to take on Apple
Microsoft CEO taps engineers as execs to take on Apple, more | Electronista

02-08-2011, 12:32 PM

I liked this post about MSFT from a commentor,

They don't invent. They don't create.
They copy. They duplicate. They rename.
They think differently - 10 months later.

I wonder why Microsoft doesn't actually make their own products? They talk some much bs about how awesome stuff that runs Windows are, and bad mouth Apple, but don't have anything to show, with exception to the failing W7P, and xbox360.

I can't...I have no idea, how such a stupid CEO, as S.B., can sit in his seat for 10 years!

I actually think a Microsoft computer would be a good idea...if they can make them reliable.

02-08-2011, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by idrinorbarsaku

I liked this post about MSFT from a commentor,


I wonder why Microsoft doesn't actually make their own products? They talk some much bs about how awesome stuff that runs Windows are, and bad mouth Apple, but don't have anything to show, with exception to the failing W7P, and xbox360.

Sure they do. Microsoft Office is an excellent and mostly original product. As much as people like to call Windows an 'upside down and backwards Mac OS', there is a lot of original ideas there - I particularly like some of the things they do with 7, like automatically sizing Windows based on gesture. That's a very handy innovation.

Microsoft is not, and has never claimed to be, a hardware company. It's not in their DNA, and most of their attempts at vertical solutions have widely failed (Zune, WP7, WebTV), with XBOX being the lone exception (well, it actually is somewhat of a failure considering it's not particularly profitable).

But from a software standpoint, particularly in the enterprise, their stuff *is* innovative and generally works pretty well, providing that you have a good IT staff to keep it humming along, unmarred by malware.

I can't...I have no idea, how such a stupid CEO, as S.B., can sit in his seat for 10 years!

Ballmer must be doing something right, Microsoft has turned a consistent and healthy profit even through some of the worst economic times of our generation. Could he be more innovative, more eloquent or more visionary? Sure. But he hasn't run the company into the ground either. Maybe poor strategic decisions will ultimately be his undoing, I don't know. But Microsoft still owns their core markets.

I actually think a Microsoft computer would be a good idea...if they can make them reliable.

Why? The closest thing to a computer they make is an XBOX, and judging by the RROD and other issues they have with hardware in general (freezing Zunes, anyone?), I'm not sure that would be such a good avenue for them.

In my opinion, they need to get their fingers out of every conceivable IT market and focus on their core competencies. For one - I could see Microsoft Office for iOS being a very profitable venture for them.

02-08-2011, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by cwa107

In my opinion, they need to get their fingers out of every conceivable IT market and focus on their core competencies. For one - I could see Microsoft Office for iOS being a very profitable venture for them.

Agreed. If they would stop trying to be "all things to all people" they'd probably have a better image and make better products. IMO the same goes for Google too.

02-08-2011, 06:37 PM

Of course I know they make Office, but I was actually referring to the hardware side. They were supposed to release their own phone with their new OS, but it didn't make it out. I think they nailed the new Xbox360K, and I believe it would be nice if they could put that much effort into a computer. There's a reason why I mentioned "if they can make them reliable." Wasn't there a rumor here about Office apps coming to iOS? I could have sworn I read it here. I can't imagine it would be cheap though, unless they removed most of the features.

As for SB, I have a hard time finding good things that he is associated with, that wouldn't have happened unless he was there. Their stocks have been at about the same place as they were 10 years ago, but I guess you could also say that they haven't done *worse*.

The same thing that baggss mentioned is what I also think might happen with Apple.

02-08-2011, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by idrinorbarsaku

The same thing that baggss mentioned is what I also think might happen with Apple.

Apple is in a bit of a different boat than MS and Google. At least making their own hardware, and making it well, allows them to tailor thier integration into new markets with both ends of the stick. With the convergance of iOS and OSX (iOS is an offshoot of OSX as it is) in the mainstream makes Apples case stronger than either MS or Googles.

02-08-2011, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by baggss

Apple is in a bit of a different boat than MS and Google. At least making their own hardware, and making it well, allows them to tailor thier integration into new markets with both ends of the stick. With the convergance of iOS and OSX (iOS is an offshoot of OSX as it is) in the mainstream makes Apples case stronger than either MS or Googles.

Apple does not make their own hardware....FoxConn does. The internal hardware is not any different than any other PC.

MS could very easily have a high quality MS branded PC built by the same people that build all apple products.

02-08-2011, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by james515

Apple does not make their own hardware....FoxConn does. The internal hardware is not any different than any other PC.

MS could very easily have a high quality MS branded PC built by the same people that build all apple products.

Sure they do. They outsource the manufacturing to Foxconn, amongst others. This argument is just silly, it would be like saying that Sony doesn't make their own TVs because they outsource the manufacturing to Chinese conglomerates that can build it cheaper.

Yes, the chipsets are the very same that are used in similarly spec'ed PCs. But they are designed and laid out by Apple's engineers, and of course tied together with custom EFI.

02-08-2011, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by james515

Apple does not make their own hardware....FoxConn does. The internal hardware is not any different than any other PC.

MS could very easily have a high quality MS branded PC built by the same people that build all apple products.

Split hairs much? They design their own hardware and it's built to their specs with their QC. Pointing out that a 3rd part actually makes the hardware doesn't make any difference for the purposes this discussion and I'm not sure why you felt compelled to bring it up even.

Yes, MS COULD but they DON'T and that is the point. Apple does the design and engineering and contracts someone else to build ALL. It's Apple branded and serviced by certified Apple technicians under the Apple name. So wether Apple employees actually assemble the hardware is not the issue here.

02-10-2011, 11:51 AM

computers are changing, they are no longer just the "office machine for writing a detailed report" but rather a much more expanded system.

02-10-2011, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by ZachUSAman

computers are changing, they are no longer just the "office machine for writing a detailed report" but rather a much more expanded system.

That happened at least 10 years ago...

02-12-2011, 08:44 AM

Excel == Visicalc
Word == Wordperfect
Viso purchased in the 90's
Power Point - you may be correct there.

Yep - MS Office - totally original

02-16-2011, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by baggss

That happened at least 10 years ago...

At least 10 years ago, computers sat on a desk, and a dual core processor was something not found in a cellphone.

02-16-2011, 02:43 PM

It makes me wonder…are desktops/notebooks going the way of the dodo bird? I doubt it highly though…seeing as desktops are still considered media hubs (sync-wise) among other things (such as a place for databases, document work etc etc).


Can the tablet really replace the desktop/notebook?

02-16-2011, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by ZachUSAman

At least 10 years ago, computers sat on a desk, and a dual core processor was something not found in a cellphone.

That doesn't make my comment any less true.