Comments on: Ballmer calls Google's growth plans 'insane'

Speaking at Stanford's business school, Microsoft CEO characterizes Google as a one-trick pony, calls activities beyond search "cute."
Video: Ballmer on Google

[justgold79]

Maybe Google isn't Trying to grow quickly

Maybe Google isn't purposefully trying to grow quickly, they just naturally have. Plus google has a social slant MS doesn't have.

Remember, this is coming from this guy:
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=steve+ballmer+developers%7Cmonkeyboy

Developers Developers Developers Developers!
Developers Developers Developers Developers!
Developers Developers Developers Developers!

[justgold79]

Maybe Google isn't Trying to grow quickly

Maybe Google isn't purposefully trying to grow quickly, they just naturally have. Plus google has a social slant MS doesn't have.

Remember, this is coming from this guy:
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=steve+ballmer+developers%7Cmonkeyboy

Developers Developers Developers Developers!
Developers Developers Developers Developers!
Developers Developers Developers Developers!

[anarchyreigns]

This from a guy who still reads management "How To" books.

Ballmer, you're a fool. The only smart thing you ever did was to get a dorm room across the hall from Bill.

[anarchyreigns]

This from a guy who still reads management "How To" books.

Ballmer, you're a fool. The only smart thing you ever did was to get a dorm room across the hall from Bill.

[Eric Westra]

Ballmer's superlatives

Once again, Steve Ballmer uses terminology to stir reaction,
whether it is warranted or not. No one can justifiably refer to
Google as "insane." Still, it is a step up for Mr. Ballmer from past
fanatical rantings. As a communications neophyte, he still
represents very little in the way of class or intelligence, and only
promotes the perception that he and his company are very
powerful, very rich, very scared, and running on luck that is very
quickly, running out. I'm not saying Google is the perfect
company, but if there is any claim to insanity it seems to lay with
the corporate minds at Microsoft who continue to believe that
they can run roughshod over their competition through
intimidation and unfair trade practices. Frankly, I think a lot of
people are catching on to the fact that the likes of Steve Ballmer
cannot do justice to a company that represents over 90 percent
of the current OS market share.

[GGGlen]

Yeah!

What ^^^^ said :-)

[levelheadeditguy]

In the 90's Microsoft was the ?little company that could? and everyone loved them for not being ?big bad corporate IBM?. Now Microsoft is the ?big bad corporation? and Google is everyone's favorite ?little company that could?. Gimme a break. I wonder who everyone will love when Google becomes that big bad corporation.

[Eric Westra]

Ballmer's superlatives

Once again, Steve Ballmer uses terminology to stir reaction,
whether it is warranted or not. No one can justifiably refer to
Google as "insane." Still, it is a step up for Mr. Ballmer from past
fanatical rantings. As a communications neophyte, he still
represents very little in the way of class or intelligence, and only
promotes the perception that he and his company are very
powerful, very rich, very scared, and running on luck that is very
quickly, running out. I'm not saying Google is the perfect
company, but if there is any claim to insanity it seems to lay with
the corporate minds at Microsoft who continue to believe that
they can run roughshod over their competition through
intimidation and unfair trade practices. Frankly, I think a lot of
people are catching on to the fact that the likes of Steve Ballmer
cannot do justice to a company that represents over 90 percent
of the current OS market share.

[GGGlen]

Yeah!

What ^^^^ said :-)

[johnxtampa]

Everybody slides sooner or later

And although it's subtle, Google has already begun...

Remember their "update" to the toolbar, where all of a sudden, their marketing ploy options were selected, even though they weren't selected in your previous toolbar version?

And all of a sudden when you do an Adobe Acrobat Reader or Sun Java update, there's Google, being offered to you, and you have to deselect it...

In the old days, Google would never once have dared offend their (at the time) raving fans with manipulative marketing tactics, but now they do.

The slide is underway... and keep in mind, this isn't an attack on them... everybody slides eventually...

[johnxtampa]

Everybody slides sooner or later

And although it's subtle, Google has already begun...

Remember their "update" to the toolbar, where all of a sudden, their marketing ploy options were selected, even though they weren't selected in your previous toolbar version?

And all of a sudden when you do an Adobe Acrobat Reader or Sun Java update, there's Google, being offered to you, and you have to deselect it...

In the old days, Google would never once have dared offend their (at the time) raving fans with manipulative marketing tactics, but now they do.

The slide is underway... and keep in mind, this isn't an attack on them... everybody slides eventually...

[rmiecznik]

yep, and others will replace

As much as I dislike MS, any company had the right to charge
whatever price they want for their product, if you don't like the
quality or price, you don't buy it.

That's what is happening to Vista right now, I tried giving away
copies of Ultimate for free that I got from MS, Beta testing
program and no one wants it, it won't even boot from the DVD
disk, let alone install.

Piece of crap.

[rmiecznik]

yep, and others will replace

As much as I dislike MS, any company had the right to charge
whatever price they want for their product, if you don't like the
quality or price, you don't buy it.

That's what is happening to Vista right now, I tried giving away
copies of Ultimate for free that I got from MS, Beta testing
program and no one wants it, it won't even boot from the DVD
disk, let alone install.

Piece of crap.

[tghounsell]

So, when will MS get to the last phase?

MS hasn't introduced any significantly "new" revenue streams since Xbox. They're playing also-ran behind mac in desktop and phone innovation, linux in server innovation...What is MS going to do that's new? The company simply lacks creativity. Maybe longer vacations would help.

[tundraboy]

When they muster the courage.

MS isn't lacking in creativity. What it lacks is courage. [http://Creativity is easily lured once they display some courage.|http://Creativity is easily lured once they display some courage.]

The courage to chuck the bloated, obsolete core that forms the heart of Windows. The courage to build a cutting edge OS from the ground up. The courage to tell their customers it's time to replace their 20 year old legacy apps with modern, more secure versions. And the courage --and confidence-- to win their customers all over again.

Every once in a while, a company needs to reinvigorate itself by reinventing its products using the latest technology and winning their customers all over again. Because if you don't, the wealthier, more sophisticated customers will migrate to your competitors and before you know it, you're left with the less sophisticated lower end of your market's demographic. Then you're trapped. You try to incorporate leading edge tech in your product and your current customers will not like the 'complexity' while your previous more tech savvy customers are already wedded to your sexier competitors' products. Plus, you've already established a brand image of technological backwardness.

This is what happened to Ford, G.M. and Chrysler and it's happening right now to Microsoft.

Unfortunately, as long as Ballmer is at the helm, nothing will change at MS.

[levelheadeditguy]

Oh, really? What about SQL 2008? What about Windows 2008? What about Hyper-V? Hmmm... maybe we should just sit around and bash Vista

[tghounsell]

So, when will MS get to the last phase?

MS hasn't introduced any significantly "new" revenue streams since Xbox. They're playing also-ran behind mac in desktop and phone innovation, linux in server innovation...What is MS going to do that's new? The company simply lacks creativity. Maybe longer vacations would help.

[tundraboy]

When they muster the courage.

MS isn't lacking in creativity. What it lacks is courage. [http://Creativity is easily lured once they display some courage.|http://Creativity is easily lured once they display some courage.]

The courage to chuck the bloated, obsolete core that forms the heart of Windows. The courage to build a cutting edge OS from the ground up. The courage to tell their customers it's time to replace their 20 year old legacy apps with modern, more secure versions. And the courage --and confidence-- to win their customers all over again.

Every once in a while, a company needs to reinvigorate itself by reinventing its products using the latest technology and winning their customers all over again. Because if you don't, the wealthier, more sophisticated customers will migrate to your competitors and before you know it, you're left with the less sophisticated lower end of your market's demographic. Then you're trapped. You try to incorporate leading edge tech in your product and your current customers will not like the 'complexity' while your previous more tech savvy customers are already wedded to your sexier competitors' products. Plus, you've already established a brand image of technological backwardness.

This is what happened to Ford, G.M. and Chrysler and it's happening right now to Microsoft.

Unfortunately, as long as Ballmer is at the helm, nothing will change at MS.

[E34touring]

Balmer : You are sweating again.

MS is scared of Google!. More scared than we think. At least they had Ray Ozzie.

Just look at Google war-chest $10.5B compared to MS cash reserve of $34B. In 5 years Goggle's cash reserve would be about $50B and MS would be lucky to scrape $40B.

Google is clearly a more scalable business. MS Live! is rather nice but I think their image is working against them. They need a good PR image make up quick. First thing is to silence Balmer. Get him to retire or something....

[E34touring]

Balmer : You are sweating again.

MS is scared of Google!. More scared than we think. At least they had Ray Ozzie.

Just look at Google war-chest $10.5B compared to MS cash reserve of $34B. In 5 years Goggle's cash reserve would be about $50B and MS would be lucky to scrape $40B.

Google is clearly a more scalable business. MS Live! is rather nice but I think their image is working against them. They need a good PR image make up quick. First thing is to silence Balmer. Get him to retire or something....

[befuddledms]

does anyone else think of....

Steve in a tux, top hat and a cane on stage singing Put'n on the Ritz with Gene Wilder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGN2aa3oQRM

That is about as amusing as the gibberish that comes out of his mouth.

[Llib Setag]

Young FrankenSteve video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6rqXHX3O48

[befuddledms]

does anyone else think of....

Steve in a tux, top hat and a cane on stage singing Put'n on the Ritz with Gene Wilder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGN2aa3oQRM

That is about as amusing as the gibberish that comes out of his mouth.

[Llib Setag]

Young FrankenSteve video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6rqXHX3O48

[Commander_Spock]

None So Blind....

... that they cannot see the dancing elephant (IBM) but for the trampling/fighting ones (Microsoft and Google) in the forest that is the 100% market share. As to why some of the above comments appear to give the impression that the forest is shared by only two species of this particular animal kingdom is anyone's guess!!! The 1000lb GORILLA that is OS/2 must have securely climbed up one of the trees from where a ringside view of the trampling of the growth on the ground by the raging elephants offers some clear perspective on the prospects for survival (after the battles and these species self-destruct) and simultaneously beating on its chest while exhibiting those sharp teeth in its jaws. LOL!

[Commander_Spock]

None So Blind....

... that they cannot see the dancing elephant (IBM) but for the trampling/fighting ones (Microsoft and Google) in the forest that is the 100% market share. As to why some of the above comments appear to give the impression that the forest is shared by only two species of this particular animal kingdom is anyone's guess!!! The 1000lb GORILLA that is OS/2 must have securely climbed up one of the trees from where a ringside view of the trampling of the growth on the ground by the raging elephants offers some clear perspective on the prospects for survival (after the battles and these species self-destruct) and simultaneously beating on its chest while exhibiting those sharp teeth in its jaws. LOL!

[Llib Setag]

Reality Distortion Bubble

lands on Redmond One Campus. People think Steve Jobs creates
a reality distortion bubble, but Citizen Gates & Big Brother
Ballmer take the cake!

"WOW"
That was startling!
( now we know where the Vista "wow" concept came from)

Psycho-Billionaire is blinded by greed & power to the point of
paranoia...

MS Board of Directors: FIRE GATES & BALLMER.
Hire a corporate spokesperson / press secretary that knows how
to interface with the media & public.

Hello. I'm A PC & I'm insane.

[aabcdefghij987654321]

"Hello. I'm a PC and I'm insane." -- Hilarious!

Apple should definitely come out with some new ads based on the Ballmer prototype rather than the Gates prototype. Yelling, screaming, chair throwing, keyboard smashing, hallucinations, megalomania... you could have some real fun with it.

[Llib Setag]

Reality Distortion Bubble

lands on Redmond One Campus. People think Steve Jobs creates
a reality distortion bubble, but Citizen Gates & Big Brother
Ballmer take the cake!

"WOW"
That was startling!
( now we know where the Vista "wow" concept came from)

Psycho-Billionaire is blinded by greed & power to the point of
paranoia...

MS Board of Directors: FIRE GATES & BALLMER.
Hire a corporate spokesperson / press secretary that knows how
to interface with the media & public.

Hello. I'm A PC & I'm insane.

[aabcdefghij987654321]

"Hello. I'm a PC and I'm insane." -- Hilarious!

Apple should definitely come out with some new ads based on the Ballmer prototype rather than the Gates prototype. Yelling, screaming, chair throwing, keyboard smashing, hallucinations, megalomania... you could have some real fun with it.