Comments on: Ballmer details MSN spending plans

Microsoft's CEO explains exactly how much his company will spend on beefing up its Internet services.

[Dachi]

Why he is wrong

Google finds technologies people want to use and later figure out how to generate income from it. The result is that people are interested.

Ballmer does not "get it", he is making these statements as though he is speaking directly to investors.

"our number one priority is software as a service"

Think monthly revenue $$$, great that is _exactly_ what I am out there looking for in a product. I will find a product that will charge me a monthly fee and come up with a use for it later!

The rest is about the "AdCenter engine" etc. which is also obviously aimed at investors and NOT the consumer.

Think: "I really this other product, but I decided on yours becasue of the impressive technology which drives the ads you force on me"

How about doing something with the consumer in mind for a change. After all, they are driving the market, right??

[Bill Dautrive]

Agree, but

The problem is that businessmen have a hard time thinking critically, and Balmer is far more dense then your average businessmen.

They look at short term and only think of investors, which is why most businesses always fall short.

Think of creating quality products that your customers will happily use, but will attract new customers, and support them. Everything else will fall in line.

In MS case, it doesn't matter how much you throw at the problem. The money is not being spend on erasing decades of mistakes and legacy code, but to just build on the esisting junk heap. You get nowhere doing that.

[Shakingmy head]

check your facts

The article did not clearly state that Ballmer was speaking to hundreds of MSN customers who are "paying advertisers". So in the context of the speech it was directly related to MS customers in this case who are the advertisers who have a direct link/interest in MS Ad center which is a tool for on-line advertisers. The market and customer base for MS or any other large IT supplier are much broader than your narrow definition of "consumer".

[Maccess]

Yet another $1Bln arrow in the wrong direction

$1Bln is a lot of money, even for Microsoft, too bad they're now the Microsoft that spends to hurt competitors instead of to help their customers.

So, where did this software as a sevice strategy come from? Did you just think it up? Or is this because you think its the best way to hurt your
"new" competitors, e.g. Google.

How about another $1Bln devoted to where it really matters: Helping customers and creating a better product.

How about $1Bln to simplify Windows? to remove all those "built-in applications" err, features.

How about $1Bln to get something (it doesn't have to be Vista) out the door that customers can really use.