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Microsoft chief Ballmer takes shots at Apple, iPod

updated 06:10 am EDT, Mon October 4, 2004

MS takes shots at Apple

In a London press briefing over the weekend, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer said that that consumer adoption of digital technology in the home is at a 'tipping point', which could lead to a dramatic increase in sales for converged devices that integrate video, audio and computer technology, but said that "there is no "Billing Microsoft as the good guys and Apple the villains of the piece - at least as far as corporate America, rather than users, is concerned, Ballmer said: 'We�ve had DRM in Windows for years. The most common format of music on an iPod is 'stolen'.'"

by MacNN Staff

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John Dwight
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 1999

0

10/04, 06:24am | report spam | close Reply |
Oh Great

Great! If Ballmer's right then the future will consist of spyware interrupting my TV porgram, while I try to disinfect my stereo from that WIN32 virus, and fend off my ISP because my fridge is unwittingly hosting a prOn site.

A spot visit to my large org's IT dep't. will reveal most PC techs watching movies they downloaded off P2P. All of my PC friends claim to have never paid for a piece of music for the last several years, while iTMS has made an honest man of me. I no longer trade files, I buy 'em from iTMS.

typoon
Addicted to MacNN

Joined: Oct 1999

0

10/04, 07:00am | report spam | close Reply |
Oh Brother

Another show of desparation from Microsoft because Apple is kickin there butts in something and they are jealous. This Steve is gettin his butt kicked by the other Steve and he wishes he could be just like him.

johnny66ch
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2003

0

10/04, 07:07am | report spam | close Reply |
iTunes is a windows app

Maybe MS has forgotten iTunes is also a Win XP app. And that most iTunes windows users have an iPod. So don't take the Steve B rant as anti-Apple, but pro- Windows Media.

Anyway it is insulting to almost all hard disk/solide state RAM mobile music player users (sounds almost like a microsoft product name ;-), not just iPod users, to accuse them of having more "stolen" music on their players than legally rippped CDs.

Personally the music on my iPod mini is all ripped from my CDs.

addiecool
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: May 2001

0

10/04, 07:13am | report spam | close Reply |
Stolen music on Ipod???

I guess Balmer's brain was stolen the day he joined Microshit, and all he carries today is pirated ideas and pirated stuff in his empty head. Go dig for your brain balmer....

Bartman
Junior Member

Joined: Oct 1999

0

10/04, 07:14am | report spam | close Reply |
Monkey ballmer

screaming (like a monkey) developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, developers, is his way of encouraging developers..

pliny
Mac Elite

Joined: Apr 2001

0

10/04, 07:20am | report spam | close Reply |
Wrong

Hm, what else can I say about Ballmer's little speech?

JeffHarris
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 1999

0

10/04, 07:24am | report spam | close Reply |
The Honesty of Microsoft

Microsoft is SO honest. Microsoft has NEVER stolen ANYthing from ANYone, ANYwhere, EVER!

Windows steals.. time, money and even sanity. Viruses, spyware, security holes, instability and downtime.

The only "positive" thing about Windows? Through the vast efforts required o keep installations of Windows running, Microsoft has given a safe place for all those dorks from junior high school in the A/V club... the ones who set up movie projectors and film strips (remember those?).

Ballmer, more blather from another BIG FAT STUPID IDIOT. What friggin' world does billionaire Ballmer live in? Get a clue FAT BOY.

Sydney Tsai
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Feb 2002

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10/04, 07:30am | report spam | close Reply |
Blammer Simpson...

>We�ve had DRM in Windows for years. The most common format of music on an iPod is 'stolen'.'"
So true, and msn has the music store since when?
I knew you guys have errors and designing flaws for years....

>Ballmer also took the opportunity to take yet another dig at Apple, calling iPod users music thieves.
Sound like you are guys works like intel... who stole the wireless and clam they did it. Yes, we are thieves! coz Apple are priates, hmm start your photocopiers!

>there is no way that you can get there with Apple. The critical mass has to come from the PC, or a next-generation video device.
That's REALLY TRUE!, There is no way I gonna stick with M$-ed product with apple... Yes, the critical mass has come from the PC which inefect with virus and spyware... video device? Does Bill find out who made "Finding Nemo" yet?

Lyra
Forum Regular

Joined: Jul 2000

0

10/04, 07:34am | report spam | close Reply |
How low can you go MS?

Ok, Micro$oft is one of the biggest companies in the world. To express them selves in this manner is utterly pathetic. I mean how low can you go? MS, is afraid of Apple, but mostly they are afraid of other inventors who might follow Apple in their innovative steps to make the Future Today!!

If we would all hang around waiting for Microsoft to come out with such groundbreaking and innovative devices and software as Apple has over the years, we would still be in the dark ages of the computer industry.

Instead of welcoming Apple to be apart of an already big enough market, and get some ideas "Not like he says stealing". After all Microsoft would know a great deal about stealing since they stole a sh%$t load of Apple ideas and interface build ups...

Balmer is one little bitter man with small shoes... Who needs to relax.

His statement that people who have iPods are thieves, is going to hurt MS more than that little t*** could ever imagine. He just lashed out at the youth and decent people who own an ipod...

I guess he is learning what the Bush administration is doing. The next thing he will say is that Bin Laden WANTS you to buy iPods, and that it is iPods that gave Saddam, the will and power to lash out in utter evil...

GIVE ME A BREAK. Has it all come down to this? Are we really getting THIS pathetic? We cannot argue so we accuse and lie?

Sad... Instead of working together to build a better tomorrow... We fight like little 4th graders...

wooster
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Joined: Oct 2003

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10/04, 07:36am | report spam | close Reply |
Monkeyboy

He can sit down and shut up the big bald f***!

xcom
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Joined: Oct 2004

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10/04, 07:47am | report spam | close Reply |
What a tosser!

What a complete tosser. Yes... why not take every opportunity to spout off absolute drivel in the hope it might improve Microsoft's position in online music and digital lifestyle devices, which I might add is dead last.

Yeah, why not badmouth Apple.... they actually managed to do what Microsoft couldn't and make online music work. To make matters worse, they created a successful digital lifestyle device that sells by the bucketload.

If it's oh soooo bad, then why has Microsoft attempted to mirror the iTunes music store with a similar pricing structure and what can only be descibed as really c*** DLD (Digital lifestyle device) that will probably be able to play video and music. On the downside the DLD will be the size and weight of a brick and have a one hour battery life as long as you don't turn on the colour screen. I can't wait!

By the way, ALL my music on my pod is my own from my CD collection.

Will C
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Jan 2001

0

10/04, 09:17am | report spam | close Reply |
So does this mean..

..the DLD will not play mp3s?

GORDYmac
Mac Elite

Joined: Dec 1999

0

10/04, 09:20am | report spam | close Reply |
I bet that...

...this wasn't supposed to get out...

Halfloaf
Junior Member

Joined: May 2003

0

10/04, 09:23am | report spam | close Reply |
Ballmer...

Typical "Small p****, big words" accusations...!

F#ckhead!

-HL

iChick
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2001

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10/04, 09:31am | report spam | close Reply |
Monkey Boy

Monkey Boy is going whacko again. This is funny: http://www.macboy.com/cartoons/ballmer/

Deal
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Apr 2001

0

10/04, 09:42am | report spam | close Reply |
The fall of Microsoft

Let it be known, that when Microsoft's fall comes (and great will it be), it will be Steve Ballmer's fault.

That's all I have to say about that.

kerryb
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Joined: Aug 2001

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10/04, 09:51am | report spam | close Reply |
Big corp = US gov

Funny our present government paints a similar picture of any dissenters as "evil" and "anti-American". I wonder if our present government has anything to do with big anti-competitive corporations.

johnny66ch
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Joined: Mar 2003

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10/04, 09:55am | report spam | close Reply |
Steve's 12 yr kid's cle

I can just imagine Steve Ballmer explaining all the restrictions to his kid.
Kid: " Dad, how come I can't rip all this music from the CDs you gave me on to my new Microsoft digital media player?"
S.B.: "Well son, you don't OWN the music, you are just licensed to use it according to the EULA. Also, if the CD is copy-protected, it is illegal to rip the music to the PC. Except for these minor restrictions you may load any music to your Microsoft digital media player."
Kid: "But the Windows Media Player does rip the copy-protected CDs".
S.B.: "Well, ...um...at least we maintain DRM so that you can't share the music electronically with your friends."
Kid: "But dad, my XP Media PC will let me burn a CD that I can give to my friends."
S.B.: "Well, ...um...Microsoft is at the forefront of technological progress, we (Microsoft and the RIAA) are working on eliminating that sharing feature on new products for future generations."
Kid: "But that is a step backwards in terms of usability and anyway there will always be shareware which will circumvent any restrictions you put in place."
S.B.: " Son, please understand that all SW not specifically approved by Microsoft is by definition malware. We're working on Longhorn, which will automatically prohibit any software from being launched if it is not pre-approved by us. This is a brand new security feature. Our partners love it."
Kid: "Dad, get a life!"

hayesk
Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

0

10/04, 09:58am | report spam | close Reply |
Selective memory

Funny how, when discussing media integration, he claims "there is no way that you can get there with Apple. The critical mass has to come from the PC".

Hmmm... perhaps he forgets the entire music industry being turned on its ear by Apple?

But no, a TiVo-like device running Windows is going to be the future of media integration. Uh-huh.

Roehlstation
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

0

10/04, 10:01am | report spam | close Reply |
What the....

Ummm....I know a HUGE number of Windows users....well every Windows user I know has been stealing music for years before the iPod even existed.

GET OVER YOURSELF!!!!

you cannot own the Monopoly on everything.

gdsgds
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2002

0

10/04, 10:09am | report spam | close Reply |
Just loaded a new song...

on my iPod : Jealous guy from John Lennon ;-)

cebritt
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Joined: Mar 2000

0

10/04, 10:11am | report spam | close Reply |
Bad sales technique

Bashing your competitor is a horrible sales technique and a sure sign of a bad salesman. You should politely acknowledge your competitor and then explain why your product is better. This is especially true when your competitor has a headstart on your product or they are the established market leader.

Bryson
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2002

0

10/04, 10:16am | report spam | close Reply |
Its like

Its like saying all people who own guns are murderers.

The pathetic desperate level they have stooped to is almost unbelievable. They are having to actually compete for once, and this is how they do it.

Eriamjh
Addicted to MacNN

Joined: Oct 2001

0

10/04, 10:26am | report spam | close Reply |
I won't even comment.

iPods do not steal music. PC users do!

noka
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Dec 2001

0

10/04, 10:34am | report spam | close Reply |
New TLA for today...

FSB.

Bobby
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Apr 2001

0

10/04, 10:38am | report spam | close Reply |
Idiot

What a dumb a**... Yet another company says "Our company's music service is better than our much more successful competitors."

Next thing you know, Microsoft will make a release saying they believe windows is more advanced than mac os...

There's a difference between opinion and reality... Microsoft hasn't quite figured out what that difference is yet...

cooner
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2003

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10/04, 10:51am | report spam | close Reply |
PC = not stolen?!? WTF?

Personally, on my 20GB iPod, other than a few tracks of hard-to-find songs sent to me by friends, 98% of the music is either ripped from my CD collection or purchased from iTMS. I've never been on a P2P network.

Last office job I worked at (which was at an educational software studio, no less) most of the other employees had two computers under their desk. One they worked on; the other simply downloaded music of P2P networks and burned it onto CD-Rs 8+ hours a day, 5+ days a week. And they were all Windows PCs.

Honestly though ... It is utterly ridiculous to try to tie platform ownership to theft tendancy. It just doesn't work like that.

MacnTX
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Apr 2004

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10/04, 10:52am | report spam | close Reply |
Threatened

This proves that M$ and Ballmer feel strongly threatened by Apple and the iPod. Otherwise he wouldn't be out there bad mouthing the iPod and it's users. This should be taken as a very good sign.

JeffHarris
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 1999

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10/04, 10:58am | report spam | close Reply |
PC = Piracy Contingency

PC's ARE piracy.

Damn, everyone I know who has a PC thinks NOTHING of pirating EVERYTHING. It's as if just buying their computer makes them feel justified to take everything they can get their hands on.

The tunes that are loaded on my iPod are all from my CD collection. I got one free tune from the iTunes store. Besides, I prefer higher sampling rates than what ITMS offers: AAC @ 256

Fellow2000
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Aug 2003

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10/04, 11:01am | report spam | close Reply |
Hmmm... can we say idiot?

What an a** clown.

tabarnak
Fresh-Faced Recruit

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10/04, 11:45am | report spam | close Reply |
he's right

i've use my iPod to steal MS office from work

aristotles
Grizzled Veteran

Joined: Jul 2004

0

10/04, 11:59am | report spam | close Reply |
Earth Calling Steve B.

The following happened while you were under a rock or on LSD:
-Apple has already made a deal with HP for the HP branded iPod (now shipping) and bundling iTunes with HP windows machines.
-Apple have also integrated their device with BMW and VW Beetle cars and Alpine makes an adaptor kit for other vehicles.
-Virgin Airlines offers iPods to use in the first class lounge.
-Apple has Licensed playback software to Motorola for inclusion in their cell phones.

Apple already has that critical mass by having captured over 60% of the market even before HP jumped on the band wagon just through direct marketing to mac and windows users.

PS. You might also want to take note that the iPod is a status symbol today and many music stars like to brandish them in public (especially diamond encrusted ones). MSFT is not considered cool these days and your "developer, developers, developer" song combined with your monkeyboy dance are partly to blame for this.

PPS. Get some better antiperspirant when you go on stage 'cause large armpit sweat stains are uncool.

paulc
Junior Member

Joined: Aug 2000

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10/04, 12:08pm | report spam | close Reply |
Why...

do y'all get yer pants in a bunch? Don't listen to the rantings from the CEO of a criminal organization (despite the fact they suffered no consequences, the court DID rule they engage in monopolistic practices, which can be thought of as criminal behavior).

And it's not a stretch to think that the heads of a criminal organization is a criminal as well. So just think of him as another OJ... guilty as h***, but spared the consequences of illegal acts.

Vekven
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Mar 2004

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10/04, 01:00pm | report spam | close Reply |
Way wrong

I for one am personally offended by those remarks. There is not a track on my iPod or in my music library that is "stolen". Kazaa works on what platform again? "Kazaa Download Accelerator" was downloaded 3.6 million times from download.com last week alone. Oh, yeah, I'm sure it's being used to accelerate only downloads of file sharing being done legally. Nope, no music stealing from those Windows users.

uhanna
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2002

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10/04, 01:12pm | report spam | close Reply |
What the F?!

I even hate that F**K more if that's even possible.
M$ has less class that a pile of s***.

I hope some idioy at M$ reads these comments, I'm sure they have the time, lord knows they're not spending it being creative or visionary.

F**K HEAD Ballmer. Billie boys personal ball washer.

bobthenob
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10/04, 01:17pm | report spam | close Reply |
When P2P first started...

... there were very few (if any) apps for the Mac platform -- so I'd say that "Honest" Mr. Ballmer's company was responsible for starting all this evil music sharing. :)

PookJP
Mac Enthusiast

Joined: Jan 2001

0

10/04, 01:47pm | report spam | close Reply |
Similarities

The similarities between these comments and the Republican party are staggering. If you don't have them beat on the facts, just spread false information!

ecrelin
Junior Member

Joined: Oct 2000

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10/04, 02:42pm | report spam | close Reply |
Drinkin' buddy�

methinks thou does't protest too much�
a consumate loser, still touting the never delivered claims of NT5, um, that's Win200� uhm 3, yeah, that's the ticket, no I mean XP uh, Professional of course, um, I mean ah, Long�shot, uh, Horn, yeah�
Gates put him in charge so he can explain how in the EULA regarding M$ employment he's the one to go down with the ship! Monkey boy will be saying "I thought we were friends, I thought we were friends, I thought� Ah HAH HA HA HA HA HA
and PookJP the Dems do it too, pols and M$ are ALL scum!

addiecool
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: May 2001

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10/04, 02:55pm | report spam | close Reply |
News Flash!!!! Ding Ding

Balmer is not a fool, he is an axxhole.
Balmer is not only inteligent, he also has a fried brain.
Balmer uses toilet paper "approved to clean" my Microshit XP.
Balmer has no hair, cause it was stolen while he was busy stealing ideas.
Balmer does not use Apple iPod because once he does he might give up the hope of developing a better product.
Balmer looked like a jerk while selling Windows 1.0
Balmer is still a jerk after all these years

Gorloth
Registered User

Joined: Nov 2001

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10/04, 06:56pm | report spam | close Reply |
Whaaaaa

Me wanna gro home and cwy in big bwill's arms.

MPMoriarty
Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Oct 2003

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10/04, 07:06pm | report spam | close Reply |
Why?!?

Seriously, what does Balmer expect to gain from saying this except making Microsoft look unprofessional and childish.

Just because the iPod isn't from Microsoft and from Apple doesn't make it bad. iTunes and the iPod have really paved some new roads in the digital music industry. What's really so bad about it?

Mac-a-Bayan
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jul 2004

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10/04, 09:31pm | report spam | close Reply |
Ang Babaw!!

(That means "shallow!" in Filipino.)

Stealing music has been there for years long before digital music players became popular. Remember MP3, Napster, CD writers, external hard disk, zip disks and internet. Eversince the onset of these technologies, file swapping has become so easy for everyone. In fact, if you analyzed it, it is only when Apple launched iTunes and iPod that we are made aware of this really cool way of "acquiring" digital music -- legally. Remember the "good karma" thing?

If Microsoft is realy concerned about piracy they should not concentrate on one product alone-- most particularly THE PRODUCT that is actually doing a great work in providing a legal music download. (Bad move Ballmer)

Admitted M$! You are feeling the pressure. Suddenly a company outside the Wintel circle is finally making waves and PC users are taking notice. (Oooh why M$ did not thought of that before?) All M$ can do is sour grape and throw cheap shots.

JEB
Junior Member

Joined: May 2001

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10/05, 01:21am | report spam | close Reply |
re: Ang Babaw!!

I won't be checking back on this comment . . . but FWIW . . . remember the days when you recorded to cassettes from vinyl / other cassettes?

And, like, remember the time when Microshit was cool?

(hrmm, still thinking . . . don't think anyghitng comes to mind . . . oh, no, can't sleep tonite .. . . still pondering . .. )

z10n
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Oct 2003

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10/05, 01:27am | report spam | close Reply |
lol.

"'We�ve had DRM in Windows for years. The most common format of music on an iPod is 'stolen'"

Oh I get it. Windows people are somehows supposed to be more trustworthy then mac users, right?

Window XP product activation was cracked the day it was released. DRM in windows has been completely useless in curbing the tide of pirates who publish movies/music on p2p before it's even out in stores. 95% of people use windows, thus 95% of the people responsible for the 5 million people downloading on p2p at any given time are windows users.

It's WINDOWS that has the new encrypted p2ps, WINDOWS with the multiplayer game bots/cracks, WINDOWS with the Serials 2000 database with serials for every windows program made (a h*** of a lot more then the number of mac programs), and WINDOWS with the majority of cracked programs floating around on bittorrent. There is like ONE major mac bittorrent site. ONE. All of the others are pirating windows programs.

If anything, windows users are even more billigarent about their piracy. From what company is the number one source of pirated windows programs downloaded from? You guessed it: MICROSOFT. Microsoft even beats out pirated games, and that's saying a lot. Gee, I wonder if windows people really respect IP as much as Balmer seems to think, if they spend half their time pirating software directly from the company who enforced the DRM on them?

Microsoft's idea of being a "Good Guy" is to enslave all users in unbreakable DRM, forcing them to pay the entertainment industry over and over and over again for the privilage of using their own files. Allowing a IP copywriter to hack into a user's machine and delete every "unacceptable" file without warning. Automatically taking over a user's experience and spewing them ads they neither need nor want. And basically doing everything possible to make corporate CEOs extremely rich people.

And THAT my friends, is why I continue to support apple. Apple seems to be the only company left who dares to treat their customers like people, instead of criminals. NOT trying to enslave them in restrictions, as a useless attempt to prevent piracy.

Balmer doesn't get it, and likely never will. All he hears is the words of the entertainment industry.

jerryfrit
Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Feb 2004

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10/05, 08:57am | report spam | close Reply |
Give Ballmer a break

Lighten up, people. He simply looked at his watch, and realized that it was getting late and he hadn't said anything inane all day.

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Microsoft chief Ballmer takes shots at Apple, iPod

updated 06:10 am EDT, Mon October 4, 2004

MS takes shots at Apple

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