10 posts tagged “microsoft”

Meet them on the Internets...

http://www.switched.com/2009/09/08/14-annoying-tech-types/

PS: Update. Number 15 Bonus. Corporate Identity theft on a retail level. Creepy. Can't MSFT be a little more creative in countering Apple's retail stores...

MSFT prototypes...

MS Courier

Let's not forget the Apple "Knowledge Navigator" concepts about two decades ago...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=100196171226719096&hl=en#

PS: MSFT Courier source. http://gizmodo.com/5365299/courier-first-details-of-microsofts-secret-tablet

True, true...

Microsoft makes most of its money from two products, Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. Nearly everything else it makes loses money, sometimes deliberately. Google makes most of its money from selling Internet ads next to search results. Nearly everything else it does loses money, too.

Neither company really cares because both make so much from their core products that it simply doesn’t matter. But companies, like people, strive and dream and in this case both dream, at least sometimes, of destroying the other. Only they can’t — or won’t — do it in the end, because it is against the interests of either company to do so.

The vast majority of Google searches are, of course, done on PCs running Microsoft Windows and Internet Explorer. It is not in Google’s real interest to displace these products, which have facilitated so much of its success. Chrome products are given away, so they bring in no revenue for Google, and they don’t even provide a better search or advertising experience for their users, the company admits. So why does Google even bother?

To keep Microsoft on its toes.
...

This makes even more sense given the recent advent of Microsoft’s Bing search technology, which performs precisely the same competitive control function against Google. Bing hasn’t a hope of toppling Google as the premier search engine and Microsoft knows it. To date, Bing’s success has actually been at the expense of Google’s competitors, not Google itself.

Quelle: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/opinion/13cringely.html?_r=1

Zeichen und Wunder in der Schweiz bzw. der Schweizer Verwaltung. Zumindest kommt das Thema einmal auf die Traktandenliste...

Der Bund hat einen Millionenauftrag an Microsoft ohne Ausschreibung vergeben und damit die Anbieter von Open-Source-Produkten vom Wettbewerb ausgeschlossen. Parlamentarier fordern von der Verwaltung bei der Beschaffung mehr Transparenz.

http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/schweiz/risiken_der_microsoft-strategie_abklaeren_1.2507074.html

Weitermachen. Mit der Transparenz.  Dazu nur ein schon bekanntes Musterbeispiel ((Stichwort BBL und Immobilien)) aus dem Jahre 2008...

Der Bericht der Eidgenössischen Finanzkontrolle über Misswirtschaft bei den Auslandimmobilien der Eidgenossenschaft erregte Aufsehen. Das zuständige Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik im Departement von Hans-Rudolf Merz kam bös an die Kasse.
...
Bekannt wurde ausserdem der geplante Kauf einer Luxuswohnung für die Schweizer Verteidigungsattachées in Paris. Das BBL wollte für diese im besten Viertel von Paris eine 4,2 Millionen Franken teure Bleibe erwerben. Die KöB lehnte den Kauf aber ab – wegen des zu hohen Preises. Dennoch musste die Eidgenossenschaft dem Makler gegen 300'000 Franken überwiesen – unter anderem für Gebühren.

http://bazonline.ch/schweiz/standard/Departement-Merz-redet-Misswirtschaft-schoen/story/22694722

Es heisst nun jedenfalls offiziell so...

http://www.golem.de/0810/62915.html

Warum ich das denke ?

1. Windows 7 muss gut werden, weil Vista bereits jetzt ein Flop ist. Auch wenn MS tapfer das Gegenteil behauptet, jede Statistik verglichen mit den ursprünglichen Prognosen ist eine Enttäuschung - oder anders: Das Upgradepotential von ausharrenden XP-Benutzern, die direkt auf Windows 7 umsteigen werden, ist enorm gross.

2. Windows 7 ist mehr oder weniger im Zeitplan - jedenfalls sind keine massiven Verzögerungen wie bei Vista zu erwarten, 2010 sollte es effektiv erscheinen (( ein Wunder ? )).

3. Der gesunde Konkurrenzdruck ((Apple hatte in den letzten Quartalen erstmals wieder über 10% Marktanteil in gewissen Segmenten in den USA, Linux spürt man im Serverbereich und einigen Ländern auch)) tut dem Quasi-Monopolisten MS gut. Vielleicht kommt Windows 7 endlich klarer und in weniger unnötigen Editionen daher - und versteht sich von Anfang an besser mit bestehender Peripherie.

PS: Das schreibe ich ohne Ironie und als langjähriger Mac-Benutzer  (( der ausser drei Jahren Windows 95 zum Glück nie mit Windows arbeiten musste und es auch nicht tun will in Zukunft - ausser für einige wenige PC-Spiele, die ich an zwei Händen aufzählen kann... ))

Not a replicant, no reason to worry...

http://gizmodo.com/5020426/bill-gates-you-have-a-retirement-e+card-from-gizmodo

Tears in my eyes :)

...except if you are a MS shareholder and salesman CEO Balmer is driving the company into the ground with an operating system that was years late and below expectations. Windows 7 to the rescue ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7

Expected release date: January 2010. Ok, we will wait and see :)

As for BillG, he's got a new mission now...

http://zachary-levi.com/2007/12/10/super-nerd-is-out-to-save-the-world/

PS: Somehow the huge glasses distracted me, but notice the two microphones. Failover for sound input bluescreens ? We will never know but it's safe to assume he can afford two....

Billg_1990

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer just escaped 3 egg attacks in a row in Hungary, not too shabby...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtBQ4UCXQeo

BillG couldn't even escape the first attack back in the days...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3t0uIa1XD0

Which leaves me wondering: Was Ballmer secretly taking Wii Fit lessons in the basement ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpTlb7j52-E

Outlook ? Make that Google Calendar... ((cheapo pun. Hey, it's a free blog ; ))

http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/5/google_to_surpass_size_of_microsoft_windows_in_2009

(( The author's name will give some readers a bad "New Economy" flashback headache, but the article is actually interesting and worth reading))

Other bad news for Microsoft stock holders is the tendency of some large customers to skip Windows Vista and stick with XP until Windows 7 is out...

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2008/tc20080512_157155.htm?campaign_id=yhoo

I have only see anecdotical evidence of this so far, it will be interesting to look at the numbers.

((Sony fanboys: Don't read further, this entry will make you sad, very sad... ; ))

If you know me ((or just happen to read my blog)) you know that I'm anything but Microsoft-friendly. But you have to give the company credit where credit is due. Halo 3 gets the job done ((and I don't think this is just due to Microsoft PR and advertising blitzes)). The Halo franchise will create a problem for Sony's PS3 this holiday season...

http://www.news.com/Microsoft-Halo-3-wins-high-marks-from-reviewers/2100-1043_3-6209584.html?tag=nefd.top

and

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/821/821911p1.html
http://www.gamestats.com/objects/734/734817//articles.html

The FT writes that Sony ((and not the Nintendo Wii)) will be hit hardest by the Halo fallout - I fully agree:

The chief victim of the Halo hype appears to be Sony and its PlayStation 3 console. With global sales of less than 5m, it trails its rivals and lacks any blockbuster games to drive adoption.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20945472/

I don't see Sony's software answer ((it certainly isn't Heavenly Sword, which looks great as Motorstorm did, but that's not enough against the Halo franchise)). I don't even see their newest console being the answer, Sony will try and milk the PS2 one last time...and that says a lot about their ongoing problems with the PS3.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo Wii will rule them all thanks to its gift-friendly price. I wonder if Nintendo will finally manage to keep Wiis in stock at major retailers.

PS: Isn't it funny that two three of Microsoft's best-designed products ((being Excel and Halo, just my opinion ; )) were first designed/developed on the Apple / Macintosh platform ? Thinking about it, even Flight Simulator was first developed for the Apple II. The three best Microsoft products (( or rather products bought)) originated on Apples.

Enjoy these funny video game ads...

Atari Pole Position ((USA, great 80s galore))

Sega Shenmue ((USA, Nozomi NAOMI not included ))

Sega Dreamcast Soccer Ad ((Europe))