Comments on: Ballmer on search: 'I don't like not being No. 1'

In his Silicon Valley chat, the Microsoft chief executive says it's going to be a long haul in the search battle with Google. He also talks phones and Windows.

[QuietwaterFilms]

I've got both a Mac (G5) and a beige box PC on my desk right now. I use both at the same time as video editing and media design require. Right now, my PC is cruising right along with PSD, Illie, Homesite and a slew of apps open and running. The Mac is hosed, simply running the Boris Title 3D app within Final Cut Pro. I like them both and I need them both, but the specialty Mac only does a few things well and offers hardly any options when things freeze up. The widely-scoped PC, for me, runs almost everything well. In this case right now, I can't force quit because the Boris app is still "interacting with user" so now I have to power down the machine and lose my work. Hardware-wise I think both are fabulous. Software is where the problems come in. Software offers hugely frustrating issues on a regular basis. Mac software is buggy (FCP anyone??). PC software is buggy (Photoshop temp files anyone??). It's still better than paper though.
JB

[Pacomius]

Well, you don't give enough information to tell about your MS Windows box, but your Mac is at least a couple of generations out of date, CPU wise, to say nothing of a bunch of bus speed and memory capacity increases.

If you are trying to do any sort of commercial work with your two systems, you would be a vastly more efficient by upgrading both of them with a current Intel based Mac and a copy of VMware or Parallels.

[superswiss]

For all you folks bashing MS or Apple or whatever the flavor of the day is. Just get a live. Make a choice. Use what works for you and respect other people's choice. Don't come here and defend your choice by bashing the competitors. That just shows how insecure you are. No product suits everybody's needs. That's why there's competition. If you need a dumbed down system and a vendor that tells you what you can and cannot do the go for Apple products. If you want a product without artificial walls go with Microsoft. It's your choice. Don't try to force your choice on everybody else.

[Earl Benzar]

I am so sick of Microsoft. I'm glad that Google is kicking their ass. I'll be sick of Google in five years, but by then some new player will be kicking the ***** of both Microsoft and Google.

[setmefreeBalmer]

Get a life Mr. Balmer. MSFT stock has been stuck in around 25 for ages. Your buy-backs are keeping it afloat else it would have dropped to single digits.

If you want to be productive and change Microsoft - quit using MS office and start using Google Docs. I'm sure you will get an idea or two. Remember you guys are nice followers and just stay that way. Please let the world enjoy world class products from Google and Apple.

[Inconnux]

My problem is that I have very little choice now. I refuse to use that idiotic, frustrating interface known as Vista and I don't want to join the cult of Mac. I like linux but it still has a way to go as a desktop for the 'average' user. I guess I will just stick with XP until it is no longer supported and by then I hope I have an option. Microsoft has lost my business if it keeps going in the 'vista' direction. This means I won't be buying any new computer equipment until I absolutely have to. Bring back XP! :)

[ChrisLang]

Don't you guys have anything better to do? The Windows / Mac war is so lame. No one cares, I just want to use the Internet quickly and easily. What difference if I drive a Cadillac, a Navigator or Freakin Electric car to get there?

How about this, If Ballmer had any vision he would buy StumbleUpon (which is for sale) meld it with search and create the first social search engine. Google is trying right now with their social networking offerings like Friend Connect, due out any day on Blogger.

Of course Ballmer would screw that up, but it is a good idea. Google almost went there with Digg.

Boy I can't wait for you guys to bash me for that stuff, see ya, I got thing to do.

Chris Lang
http://www.keywebdata.com