Behind Ballmer's latest bloviating
It was not what a prospective buyer normally says--unless of course you're aiming to drive down the sales price.
"I think these things (social networks) are going to have some legs, and yet there's a faddishness, a faddish nature about anything that basically appeals to younger people," Steve Ballmer told The Times of London.
If we take Ballmer at his word, I'd say that qualifies as a public dousing of last month's speculation about Microsoft considering a 5 percent stake in Facebook.
Then again, maybe not.
In the same interview, Ballmer allowed that there was value in the "network effects" that comes with a Web site's accumulation of over 40 million users
But then it was Ballmer being Ballmer. The big fella just couldn't resist taking that dig.
"There can't be any more deep technology in Facebook than what dozens of people could write in a couple of years. That's for sure," he said.
For the sake of argument, let's assume Ballmer's right. What then prevents Microsoft from deploying its vaunted development prowess and "out-Facebooking" Facebook?
It's not as if Microsoft lacks for good engineers. If it were a technology question, Microsoft long ago would have trained its Death Ray on Facebook, Google, North Korea--who could match up? He can diss Facebook all he wants but Microsoft's CEO faces a bigger challenge as he surveys a rapidly changing software landscape.
Maybe one of the Wall Street sharpies who follow the company one day will have the guts to call it like it is: Microsoft just can't get out of its own way. Anyone can see that management is struggling to manage a mega-company that's grown too large for its own good.
It's no exaggeration to say that it's been quite awhile since Microsoft was even close to fighting trim. Do you recall the last time Microsoft delivered a "wow" software product? (A colleague says "Hearts" back when Windows 3.1 came off the assembly line.)
If you had to think about the answer for a long minute, I rest my case.
Charles Cooper has covered technology and business for more than 25 years. Before joining CNET News, he worked at the Associated Press, Computer & Software News, Computer Shopper, PC Week, and ZDNet. E-mail Charlie. 
Facebook net income for FY2007: ???
thing with some shiny new buttons. .NET might be wow if it
played well with other platforms or adhered strictly to web
standards. At the very least they should wow us with an
operating system that took five years to develop but instead
manufacturers everywhere received so many incompatibility
complaints that they scaled back their Vista shipments and put
XP back on the line. It's not like they didn't have time to get the
hardware companies on board, ensuring a successful launch. I
agree completely with the statement that Microsoft needs to
step back and take a look at themselves - they are no longer the
intimidating/pioneering giant they used to be.
As an aside, every time that I read about Ballmer, I make the same face as if I have just eaten a lemon. MS could do better, simply by paying him to keep quiet and not do any interviews. As decade+ "IT Guy" supporting engineers and software developers - I cringe and I am embarrassed for those poor people every time I see those smuggled MS vids of Ballmer at one of those rah rah rallies. http://youtube.com/watch?v=RaCbvBwVaJU
"Who said sit down?"
"I love this company"
hmmm ...
MS parlayed a decent operating system, a good office suite, and an excellent marketing department into a very successful company. But their abilities appear to end there.
Halo3 may be cool but the XBox project, along with search, smart phones, and just about everything else doesn't make any money for the company. If I remember correctly, XBox alone has lost about $6 Billion for the shareholders.
Mr. B's "bloviating" reminds me of another statement attributed to his buddy Bill in 1993:
"The Internet? We are not interested in it"
negative. For fun mark either column with an increasing count
and you see appropriate.
It has been my observation that Ballmer's name has been
associated often with negative toned articles. Often there is an
implied buffoon charactistic associated with Ballmer articles. Is
that good?
Jim
Microsoft doesn't develop new software anymore, and the ones they've tried sort of don't take off. Infopath, Money, Works, Trips, MSN, Dynamics, Server 2008, Pocket PC. They are all average.
I predict that MS apps will eventually be relegated to corporate IT in the next decade, and in decade to follow the company will break up, and only then will they have an original idea.
If you think I'm ranting just look at their stock price, which hasn't changed in over a year. No one is going to run out and buy MS stock just because halo made 170 million bucks...
You can't be serious!
The problem is because all that knowledge doesn't filter down and the goal of MS is to create lock-in.
"Don't give the customer a good reason to buy from us, force them"
(http://www.netdetours.com/archive/drweb4.html) and again this
year (http://www.seorefugee.com/seoblog/2007/07/16/root-for-
microsoft/) the whole idea was to get rid of bloated management
and product lines and let the engineers actually compete in the
marketplace rather than simply prop up Microsoft' existing
product line. It an idea whose time has come.
The good news is that as long as mentally handicapped babies are running MS, Apple will continue to gain market share and produce better and better products. I'm buying a new iMac this January after the Macworld expo. I already have an iPhone, and I have to admit that it's entirely amazing.
But I think the changes are not enough,
one has to only look at balmer's reaction to the iphone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oGaZIKYvo
It just shows quite a lack of vision on his side. I think steve balmer needs to step down and let somebody better take the lead.
Steve Jobs is a way more competent CEO, at least he knows not to compete on price ...
May be Ballmer is right. May be Meg was wrong. May be users don't count for much anymore.
Or may be not. But its not all as simple as it sounds.
- I think it is funny
- by The_Decider October 3, 2007 6:55 AM PDT
- how people think the 'ribbon' is innovative.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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