iPod Most Popular Music Player on Microsoft Campus 1017
bblazer writes "Wired is running an article about how despite the displeasure of management, the iPod is the most popular music player on the Microsoft campus. The article states that 80% of those who have digital music players have an iPod. Employees have even started using different headphones to be a bit more stealthy about it."
I wonder... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Insightful)
I have never worked in fast food, but I have worked in the food-preparation industry. And I can say that I am leery about eating anything from my former employer; and, it has nothing to do with hatred toward my employer. While it was only a summer job to get me through my first year of university, I had an excellent employer and the pay was good. Unfortunately, I saw the kind of sanitation practices that took place during the preparation of food (including, for example, people touching food with licked fingers).
[P]eople who work at many factories refuse to buy products from that factory.
This time I speak not from my own experience, but from that of a good friend of mine who worked at a pipe-fitting factory. While the factory and its management had strict safety protocols (regarding both its employees and its finished products), most employees blatently disregarded those protocols. Many close calls (including falling pipes barely missing people and chemical spills being sealed just in time) resulted from the lax attitude of most employees toward those protocols. More important for the consumer, though, many employees tried to slack off as much as possible, resulting in many pipes that were cracked or otherwise unusable, but were only discovered during the final phase of product quality checks. Arguably, with such an attitude prevalent, some faulty products must make it out of the factory. Hence, I would understand anyone's unease at buying from such a factory after seeing first hand (or, in my case, hearing second-hand) about the safety violations.
Of course, one could argue that such issues would exist at almost any factory or any fast food restaurant (or, almost anywhere, quite frankly), but I suppose something about our perception of a particular location changes after having experienced the issues up close.
Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Insightful)
Factory workers on the other hand... well, let's break that up, those who work in factories that produce foods, they once again see what goes into it... (that's very scary stuff, I've seen what goes into most cookies and crackers... most of the ingredients are also found in windex...) Now as for the other group, they simply know the flaws in the products their factory produces...
In the case of Microsoft, their employees tried their product, found it inferior, and moved on. Don't forget, MS is a huge company, and you'll note the article specifically mentions that the media group is all using MS based players... that's probably due to fear of losing your job, rather than thinking your product is superior... but anyways...
What I'm trying to get at, is that the don't feel hatred to their employeers as the parent tried to imply, they simply know a little too much about the product produced...
Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:I wonder... (Score:4, Interesting)
The one I worked in was fanatically spotless. I don't know if it's all of them but a great many are owned by Uber-Christian franchise owners who are crazy about the clean and the lord. I didn't fit in with the majority of the crew there being a godless heathen and all but I'll give them points for being obsessively clean.
I don't even want to think about, much less mention what I saw at Popeye's and McDonalds. I've tried hard to black those months out of my mind.
Re:I wonder... (Score:4, Interesting)
When I was 17-18, I worked at Jack In The Box. It was my first job. I ate there all the time, and so did most of my coworkers. Everyone was very good about food handling there, so we weren't to. We got a 50% discount if we were working that day, and 20% discount on our day off. So on days I worked, I usually ate during work on my lunchbreak, and after or before work. If I was feeling broke, I just bought a 99-cent item like a Jumbo Jack or two tacos, so it was only 54 cents. Since I made $6.75/hour, a buck a day wasn't an unaffordable price.
In 2003, though, I worked at a McDonald's in Massachusetts. I never once ate there, because of the "OMG the way they handle food here is so disgusting" factor.
And as a final note, Disney doesn't give any of its theme-park employees any break on its ridiculously-priced, low-quality theme-park fast food. So considering the slave wages they pay, their employees literally can't afford the food. One meal would cost about two hours' pay. (this also from experience.)
Re:I wonder... (Score:5, Informative)
No, they are not disproportionately Macintosh users compared to the rest of the software industry (unless they work for MacBU). No, they do not hate their employer. No, they are not more likely to use Firefox compared to other software professionals at other companies.
I base this on having worked there in the past.
Re:No (Score:5, Funny)
Everyone needs a role model.
Re:No (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I wonder... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:PC competition for I-Mini dotMAC? (Score:3, Insightful)
Because, Cayenne- actually, can I just call you CAY? Because, CAY, a nickname for something, such as "Mac" for "Macintosh" is just a nickname, not an acronym, and with all capitals, readers think it actually is one; when people see me call you CAY, they'll thing it's something like "Computer-Adept Youth", rath
Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:5, Insightful)
Anyway, I found it interesting how clearly the note reveals (what seems to be) Microsoft's general thought process. Never lead, always follow. I mean, how pathetic is this sort of blatant, shameless me-tooism? While innovators like Apple are trying to build the future, Microsoft employees like this guy are trying desperately to catch up... and they still can't figure out how.
Just my two cents from an Apple fanboy. Flame on...
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft doesn't innovate because they don't NEED to innovate. They know that they can be late to the party on a particular feature or product, and they will still be able to capture the majority of the market, because they can offer two things that no one else can possibly provide:
1.) the strength of the Microsoft name, and
2.) Seamless integration with Windows, a family of operating systems that over 90% of the public uses, and which only one company has full access to the internals of: Microsoft.
If the innovation does not fit into a category that can be exploited in this way, Microsoft can either purchase and rebrand the technology, or develop their own clones and bury the competition in predatory pricing and overwhelming marketing.
Why bother to innovate when it's so much easier not to?
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:4, Interesting)
Hah! Windows doesn't even seamlessly integrate with itself, much less external products. Microsoft wouldn't know seamless integration if it hit them over the head while crying out, "Hello! I am seamless integration!"
Of course, they can pretend, which convinces most people.
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:5, Insightful)
That, my friend, is known as smart business.
Need an example? Here's a quick one. Tivo and the satellite/cable PVRs. The content providers can do it cheaper, because they don't have those large R&D bills. Tivo, on the other hand, has to produce the product, pay the expenses incurred, and still somehow make a profit.
The innovator is usually the one who ends up going out of business. Apple is (currently) the exception.
apple doesn't "innovate" (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't think Apple does much innovation of that kind anymore. They seem to have taken another track to the typical "lead, follow, or..." paradigm: taking something that exists, and making it cool. Did they invent the portable music player? No, they made it cool and really usable.
Also, just to nitpick: TiVo supplies DirecTV's PVRs. I think TiVo is here to stay. But I realize you could have picked 1000 other examples that supported your thesis.
Re:apple doesn't "innovate" (Score:3, Informative)
Shhhhh... don't say it...! (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:3, Insightful)
In fashion, it goes like this:
1) Armani/Gucci/whomever releases new jeans that are actually worn to the point of looking stained.
2) Next year, Levi's adds this to their li
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:5, Funny)
Yes, that beleaguered company should be going out of business any decade now, I can feel it...
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:3, Funny)
You got served.
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:5, Insightful)
Basically, yeah.
You know who invented the automobile? Depending on how you define the term, there are as many as half a dozen possible answers, none of them later than 1893.
But do you know who really invented the automobile, for all practical purposes? That's right. Henry Ford, in 1908.
Apple is to the iPod as Henry Ford is to the car.
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:3, Informative)
Henry Ford invented the assembly-line which made mass-production of automobiles possibles.
That is, if you wanted one in black.
Apple did not invent the MP3 player.
Apple mass-marketed an MP3 player that looekd good, was easy to use, and had the features consumers were craving.
And no, the iPod doesn't *just* work with the iTMS.
I use mine regularly with sites such as eMusic, Magnatunes, and other MP3 sites. iTunes likes those files just fine.
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:4, Insightful)
Apple had the first widespread success with one, but I seem to remember things like the Creative Nomad predating it by a matter of years, so completely untrue.
nobody. Ford was the first to mass produce 'em. There's a huge difference.
Well, "Apple is to the portable MP3 player what Henry Ford was to the car" might be closer to accurate. You've rather overmixed your metaphors and created a bit of a mish-mash.
Hold it right there, pre-iPod HD players? (Score:4, Insightful)
Haha. Very funny. Sorry, not a fair comparison.
What Apple came up with was a high-capacity affordable music player with an interface that no one has betterted, to date, along with a weight/form/design factor that sits in an optimal tradeoff zone. They also championed a tight integration into a general music suite (as opposed to a separate tool that works on files).
Oh yeah, and then Apple built the music store into the same client that plays the music, organizes the music, and syncs your iPod. So far only iTMS and MusicMatch even try to do this as more than a token gesture, and it's hard to argue for MusicMatch over iTMS.
If that's not enough to make it an "innovation" then I don't know what is. Did carriage builders complain that the automobiel was really their invention, just without the engine and obedient steering?
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:3, Interesting)
It takes an Apple to invent a better MP3 player -- one that's so easy to use, all you have to do is plug it into your computer and it essentially does everything else.
That is why the iPod is a raging success.
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:4, Insightful)
I have yet to see another HD-based mp3 player that has the entire package: a good player UI, good PC music management software, and an easy way to get almost any sort of music legally from the internet.
Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision" (Score:5, Funny)
1) The Commandos
These guys are doing crazy new stuff in wacky situations, inventing and improvising and breaking new ground. They are happiest going where no-one has gone before, creating new products and whole new markets. If they aren't doing wild new stuff, they get bored and go somewhere else. In many ways, this is Apple.
2) The Soldiers
Soldiers go in once markets and products have been established by the commandos. They take these original ideas and solidify them, securing the area with polish and marketing glitz. In many ways, this is Microsoft.
3) The Police
Once the war is won, the Police maintain the status quo. They aren't interested in creating markets or inventing new products, they just want things to say the same and keep making cash for their organization. In many ways, this is Dell.
Now I can see holes in these descriptions already, but I do get the feeling that Microsoft isn't in the insanely great new product business. It's risky, requires rare and volatile skills, and it doesn't end up making that much money in the long run. And that last point is the key, because Microsoft really isn't a tech company. They are a money company. They make tonnes and tonnes of money, and they don't care about the other stuff.
Huh? (Score:3, Insightful)
The iPod is the most popular digital music player. It's fairly like that if you take any subset of the population that the iPod will also be their most popular player.
Re:Huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Huh? (Score:3)
Note that the PlaysForSure site apparently is down, "An application error occurred on the server." Way to go, Microsoft!
Re:Huh? (Score:3)
drop the wiseassery and RTFA next time.
headphones (Score:4, Informative)
Could be, or maybe they just don't want to get mugged. White iPod headphone do a great job of saying "I've got an expensive, easy to steal piece of electronics on me."
Also, iPod headphones suck. after half an hour my ears started hurting with the old ones.
Re:headphones (Score:4, Funny)
Exactly! 'Cause I know I certainly keep hearing about these muggings that happen to all these people wearing iPods in upper-middle class neighborhoods, schools, universities, and especially large, patrolled software giant campuses.
...
Could it be (Score:4, Funny)
Best comment ever, from a M$ manager (Score:5, Funny)
So a Microsoft manager is comparing their own products to mind-altering substances? I won't dispute that!
Here comes Bill! (Score:3, Funny)
First Sign of Intelligent Life at Microsoft! (Score:5, Funny)
outside their firewall... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:outside their firewall... (Score:4, Insightful)
Microserfs have stated quite a few times that the Macintosh Business Unit (MacBU) is one of their most profitable divisions. They do little to no advertising for Microsoft Office on Macintosh and most of the innovations for the Windows version of Office are created by the MacBU, being implemented in the Mac version of Office first. Does the Windows version of Word have Notebook view yet?
I'm not at all suprised that you would find a horde of iTunes shared libraries when they have a pretty healthy team working on a profitable product.
Insight into the campus here... (Score:5, Insightful)
Sometimes people can be very petty here.
MSN Music employee here... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:MSN Music employee here... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Insight into the campus here... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Insight into the campus here... (Score:5, Funny)
Are you saying that Microsoft employees have to share cubicles? You don't even get your own grey box to sit in?
Re:Insight into the campus here... (Score:4, Funny)
No wonder their software is so full of holes.
Re:Corporate culture "trickles down" that way (Score:3, Insightful)
Oh barf. Who fucking cares? If the original scenario actually happened you know what I would have done? Walked away. You know why? Because
Amazing that corp security allows them (Score:4, Insightful)
Its called Group Policies (Score:5, Interesting)
Pulp fiction time (Score:3, Funny)
Make sure the wire coming out of the headphone jack is not too thick. Sometimes it hurts but I can tell you that once you use iPod, you will never go back.
With apologies to Mr.Tarantino
as usual, take wired with a grain of salt (Score:4, Interesting)
Ed Bott has some good comments [edbott.com] too: "Now read the story. Read it carefully.... Note that the entire thingis based on an interview with one "high-level [Microsoft] manager who asked to remain anonymous." From this one source, we are able to calculate with confidence that 16,000 employees at Microsoft's Redmond campus own iPods... taking an offhand remark from an unknown source (who may or may not have a hidden agenda and who may or may not know what he's talking about) and extrapolating it to the entire campus is just silly...
One thing they teach you in Journalism 101 is that when you have a single anonymous source, you don't have a story. That's still true."
Consider your source (Score:3, Insightful)
He went on to state, "Personally there's no way that 80% of our employees use more than 640k of ram. I don't know what world that source is living in, but it's not the one I live in..."
Because, after all, if someone at Microsoft doesn't recognise people's usage pat
Re:as usual, take wired with a grain of salt (Score:3, Insightful)
No, Apple employees playing Halo 2 is not a story, since Apple doesn't make anything to remotely compete with Halo 2, a video game only available on Microsoft's Xbox platform.
If however, Apple employees were buying Windows PCs in order to play Halo (the original) which has been ported to OS X [apple.com] then that _would_ be a story.
Re:as usual, take wired with a grain of salt (Score:3, Informative)
80% of MS employees have a player.
80% of those employees have an iPod.
Total number of employees on campus is 25,000.
(0.8)(0.8)(25,000)=16,000
The original article is correct.
Re:as usual, take wired with a grain of salt (Score:3, Informative)
No, it doesn't. God, how many times do we have to do this? The article may not be perfectly written, but here's what it says.
"The source estimated 80 percent of Microsoft employees have a music player."
and
" 'About 80 percent of Microsoft employees who have a portable music player have an iPod,' said one source, a high-level manager who asked to remain anonymous. 'It's pretty staggering.' "
Got it?
experiencemore must be an internal site... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:experiencemore must be an internal site... (Score:3, Informative)
http://experiencemore is likely just an internal pointer to this site [microsoft.com]
For your information, the same applies for mail servers, so if I send an email from this mail server using the local email service (n
Motorola CEO gave away free phones (Score:3, Insightful)
He was especially pissed at the salesmen, trying to sign the big carriers to promote Motorola phones, who had Nokia's hanging from their belt! Makes sense for the visible people I guess.
Shocking! (Score:4, Insightful)
bottom up versus top down (Score:3, Insightful)
And the posters above who claim that microsoft is not competing with Apple, you're wrong. In a narrow sense, it's true that Microsoft does not sell a portable music device. In a larger sense, Microsoft IS competing with Apple when it comes to digital consumer entertainment platforms.
That is why Microsfot has spent more than a year denigrating the iPod and promoting its "open" audio format and associated MP3 players. This is why microsoft has been pushing "http://www.digitaljoy.com/ [digitaljoy.com]" at CES.
Just because Microsoft does not manufacture Intel hardware, are you going to say Microsoft doesn't compete with Apple b/c Apple sells computers? Sheesh!
Bill using iPod in Teen Beat (Score:5, Funny)
Here [mac.com]
Re:Bill using iPod in Teen Beat (Score:3, Funny)
here [mac.com]
GM (Score:4, Interesting)
The difference between a smart co and a dumb co... (Score:3, Insightful)
The dumb co will see this and put out a memo telling folks it's a CLM.
Gosh, I wonder which way this will go?
(And yes, I know M$ doesn't build the player hardware, but they _could_.. I mean, they build good HW (xbox, kynds, mice, joysticks)...)
Paul "I Love Microsoft FOR LIFE" Thurrott's reply (Score:4, Informative)
"Hide The Truth, Here Comes Leander Kahney
Leander Kahney is a reporter for Wired News. I've been doing a little research into him lately, after being hugely disappointed with his book "Cult of Mac," which is a collection of his Mac-oriented Wired articles. The problem? Kahney's not into facts. Instead, he likes to sprinkle his articles with anecdotal evidence and quotes from a single source, which he then sells as facts. No big deal, right? I mean, that's what most bloggers, tech new aggregator sites, and Mac news sites do too. Sure. But the problem is that Kahney writes for Wired. And thus, he is representing a respected source. That is, people believe this crap."
Read more @: http://www.internet-nexus.com/ [internet-nexus.com]
Honestly, who in the right mind would want to believe Paul Thurrott?
Has Paul Thurrott even realized that he is the Rush Limbaugh of Microsoft?
RTFA (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course, Microsoft's software is used by dozens of competing music players from manufacturers like Creative Technology, Rio and Sony. Its Windows Media Audio, or WMA, format is supported by several online music stores, including Napster, Musicmatch and Wal-Mart.
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:5, Informative)
Microsoft bought a small amount of non-voting stock in Apple some time ago as part of a deal that kept IE and Office on the Mac platform.
Microsoft has long since sold those shares, at a fair profit I might add.
Microsoft doesn't own any part of Apple at present.
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:4, Interesting)
Microsoft has long since sold those shares, at a fair profit I might add."
Actually, Microsoft 'bought' the nonvoting stock to prevent Steve Jobs from suing their ass over blatent rips of Quicktime that was brought to his attention while Owner / CEO of NeXT. It meant nothing to him at the time because he was a scorned man, having been fired by the company he started several years earlier. Once NeXT was bought up and he was brought on as a 'consultant', he was once again in a position to care about Apple's goings-on and layed it on the line with Bill that Microsoft was going to be sued and even at their weakest, Apple had several billion in the bank (and to this day, in a much more liquid form than Microsoft).
As such, it was deemed that Microsoft would save face by 'investing' almost a billion in nonvoting stock that should have by all means been worthless after a few years with Apple's then track record, but at the same time, no one expected SJ to make a return as he had (most expected at the time, he'd transition NeXT to Apple and go to the next little 'big thing' he had planned). This also helped in the rublings of the Antitrust suit in Microsoft's advantage.
Microsoft was never supposed to make any money, but it nearly doubled their investment by the time they cashed out.
I got this info from one of the higher ups at Apple at a conference about the time of the investment...but as I'm posting as an AC, you should take this with a grain of salt.
Re:What's the big deal? (Score:3, Informative)
I was curious, so I looked up the 10-Q [edgar-online.com] for Apple in summer of 1997..
Even though they were struggling (year over year), they still had over $1 billion in cash assets, $212 in short term investments, $1.2 billion in A/R .. this compared to around $1.9 billion total current liabilities.
Granted, compared to the latest 10-Q [edgar-online.com] you can see they are definitely more financial secure right now.. but at the time, I don't think they necessarily needed the cash infusion to stay afloat -- they still had quite a bit o
Re:Why iPod anyway? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Why iPod anyway? (Score:3, Informative)
Most PDAs I've used just don't have the battery life that a dedicated device has. I know mine doesn't (HP iPAQ 1945), although that is the low end of PDAs anymore.
Re:Why iPod anyway? (Score:5, Insightful)
That, and a 1GB SD card comes up on Froogle for $54. This is a third the price of the 1GB iPod shuffle, but does not include the cost of the playing device, which is almost certainly at least $100.
So, you've got a comparably priced solution, with a worse interface, and shorter battery life. Of course, a PDA is still a PDA, in the end.. So it really depends on what feature set you are most interested in.
Anyway, I have a 40GB iPod, which would be about $2,200 in SD cards, and it cost me less than $200 (thanks, freeipods.com)
Re:Why iPod anyway? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:This makes no sense... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:This makes no sense... (Score:3, Insightful)
There are some good reasons for this. First of all, it's the rationale that justifies things like web and e-mail filtering, restricting employees from instal
Re:This makes no sense... (Score:3, Interesting)
You've never been to MS, have you? (Score:3, Interesting)
And this may come as a surprise to you, but some people there even like to play sports and stay in shape! Not everyone there is a stereotypical
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:5, Informative)
There is also the other factor of exposure to Apple products. The more consumers that buy Apple iPods, the more that may just buy a Mac Mini, eMac, iMac, iBook or PowerBook. That means less revenue to MS for their OS cash-cow.
I personally hope Apple kicks their butt with the iPod and become the defacto digital music format. The latest home DVD player I bought can play MP3's and WMA files. Maybe the next-gen of DVD players will drop WMA and pick up AAC w/FairPlay.
MS has a lot to lose if they don't control the major digital music format.
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:5, Insightful)
I seriously doubt MS is even remotely worried about this, since Apple would have to have five or ten times its present sales to even make a small dent. More importantly, I doubt any corporate clients are going to go Apple just because of the iPod and mini. Besides, they probably make as much if not more money from Apple users than they do from Windows users because of the price of MSO:Mac and VPC -- both of which I bought.
Most importantly, however, MS can pull the plug on Apple anytime they want by eliminating MSO:Mac. Fact is, a whole lot of people, myself included, exist in a world dominated by MSO and need to interact with it; if Office:Mac didn't exist, I wouldn't own a PowerBook. Hell, if VPC didn't exist I probably wouldn't, because I also need Access.
Any time MS wants to, they can effectively kill, or at least really marginalize, Apple with their MSO weapon.
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:3, Interesting)
http://www.digmind.com/store/index_500.html [digmind.com]
Don't mean to sound like a marketing droid, but it looks nice.
Not like Coke employees drinking pepsi. (Score:5, Interesting)
MSFT doesn't fire people for wearing iPODs...
Not the same thing. (Score:4, Interesting)
MS even makes software for Apple computers. This would be akin to Coke making drink holders for Pepsi products if the analogy held true.
When I worked at MS, I used to get a kick out of wearing an imac shirt I got from an apple vendor a couple of years ago. Most people wouldn't give it second notice, but every now and then, a clueless drone would make a comment. Now if I showed up with wearing a 'Linux Roxorz MS Boxorz!' shirt, I'm sure that would raise a few eyebrows....
Re:Not like Coke employees drinking pepsi. (Score:5, Funny)
It's much worse when a Pepsi employee tests positive for coke....
Re:Why would you care? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:3, Insightful)
Unlike, say, Apple's pointless, me-too, proprietary FairPlay crapmat?
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:4, Interesting)
I would be shocked if the answer is smaller than the number of administrative assistants with satisfactory performance. It's cheaper than giving a cash bonus for the price of iPod and you get free viral marketing both to visitors and to general population of Bay Area.
Microsoft? Understand? (Score:3, Interesting)
This is a joke, right? In Microsoft's entire history, their responses to a competitive threat are:
1. Buy 'em out.
2. Stomp 'em out.
There's nothing in there about "understanding"; all problems are nails, and they've got a sledgehammer.
What's really pissing off MS right now is that none of these tactics will work w/r/t Apple and the iPod.
Re:Shenanigans (Score:4, Insightful)
It rather proves the point of which technology is best, and which is doomed to fail.
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:5, Interesting)
No questions asked, no fighting for your job. You get fired. This includes if your boss sees you at Pizza Hut, Taco Bell or KFC, since those entities are owned by TriCon, who also owns Pepsi.
Coke's employee base is very nearly fanatical in their loyalty to their product, and use of "the blue" is not accepted. I worked in a building *owned* by Coke, and we were not even allowed to have a Pepsi machine on our floor.
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:4, Interesting)
- Coke's employee base is very nearly fanatical in their loyalty to their product
It's not just Coke/Pepsi. The husband of a lady I work with is employed by DPSUBG (Dr. Pepper, Seven-up Bottling group). One of their key products is Royal Crown cola (RC).When RC big-wigs are in town for a visit, the local account reps get a detailed agenda built, including all dining stops while said big-wig is in town.
The local reps then work with the restaruants to make sure that RC and only RC is served in the presence of said Royal Crown big-wig.
There is just about no place I know of in town that serves RC products. So this is a highly choreographed ritual they go through about twice a year. They even coach the hostesses and wait staff to offer an "RC" cola, not just a "soda" or even worse a "Coke".
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:3, Funny)
Want to come work for me as a Peasant I? Minimum wage and no benefits and you can't work more than 20 hours a week until you're promoted to a Peasant II.
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:5, Informative)
However, in their haste to hype a "Microsoft buys Apple" story, the press often ignores three important facts about the purchase:
1. They were non-voting shares.
2. $150 Million is a very tiny percentage of Apple's publicly-traded shares.
3. Microsoft has already sold them off, and made a huge profit doing so.
Re:Bill buys Apple? (Score:4, Interesting)
> often ignores three important facts
No kidding. That was some of the worst tech reporting I had seen at the time.
They also ignored that as part of the deal, Apple dropped their lawsuit against Microsoft for stealing QuickTime software code, Microsoft agreed to develop Office for the Mac for five years, and Apple agreed to not develop any new text-to-speech capabilities for the Mac (this one wasn't allowed to leak for a while).
I don't know how this information was kept secret -- both companies are publically owned (and I own shares of both, so I get their annual reports), so they should have had to disclose it.
Re:BULLSHIT! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Changing headphones isn't so bad.... (Score:4, Insightful)
It's also a competing product becuase MS has the MSN Music Store -- and guess what. It doesn't work with Apple's iPod.