iPod Most Popular Music Player on Microsoft Campus

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."

Bill buys Apple?

[turtled]

I wonder if he'll make an attempt to buy Apple, and say it's his idea... It's like Coke employees drinking Pepsi.

Could it be

[CDOS_CDOS run]

Can you imagine people using the most popular product of it's kind?? I bet many of them drive HONDAS too!!!! What will Bill do?? Micorsoft doesn't compete with Apples Ipod, why would anyone at Microsoft care?

Best comment ever, from a M$ manager

[dmuth]

Straight from the article:

But at the Windows Digital Media Group, which is charged with software for portable players and the WMA format, using an iPod is not a good career move.

"In the media group they all smoke the company dope on that one," the manager said.

So a Microsoft manager is comparing their own products to mind-altering substances? I won't dispute that!

Here comes Bill!

[Pirogoeth]

Quick! Put that thing away!

This makes no sense...

[dook43]

Why would people who spend all day on the computer have portable music players?

First Sign of Intelligent Life at Microsoft!

[Zemplar]

Here you have it folks. Not everyone at Microsoft is hatching ill-conceived ideas; apparently it's only the Management.

Re:I wonder...

[AddressException]

• large number of MACs
  
• The slashdot technique to debate: You misspeelled a word, so your arguement is dumber then me.
  

No comment!

A matter of time

[Enevitable]

Until microsoft makes their own branded MP3, I can't imagine the DRM fiasco that would be

Re:headphones

[profet]

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."

So thats why the iPod shuffle was released... Its all coming together now...

Re:headphones

[gotgenes]

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."

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.

...

What else is smuggled in?

[CTO1]

Perhaps there are a few employees that are sneaking in Knoppix CDs disguised as AOL disks.

Re:This makes no sense...

[slimak]

At my work, we are not allowed to use company resources for personal use. This includes playing audio CDs on our computers, playing digital audio on our workstations, etc. So a portable player is a good solution. I should probably not be posting to slashdot either...hmmm.

Pulp fiction time

[savagedome]

The way Steve looked at it, this iPod was your birthright. He'd be damned if any of the slopes were gonna get their greasy yellow hands on his boy's birthright. So he hid it in the one place he knew he could hide something: his ass. Five long months, he wore this iPod up his ass and disguised himself on the Microsoft campus. Then when he left because of dysentery, he gave me the iPod. I hid this uncomfortable piece of metal up my ass for two more months. Then, after seven months, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the iPod to you.

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

Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision"

[WhatAmIDoingHere]

So apple invented the hard drive based mp3 player? Holy crap, that's amazing.

You got served.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

BULLSHIT!

[Anonymous Coward]

"Employees have even started using different headphones to be a bit more stealthy about it."

Bullshit Alert! Nobody is going to reprimand an individual for owning and/or using a competitive product at Microsoft. Thats simply not the way things work there and its silly to suggest it.

Re:No

[SunFan]

Why the hell would they use Macs?

Everyone needs a role model.

Re:Bill buys Apple?

[Leo McGarry]

It would have been a good investment if they'd held on to it. They sold it off years ago.

Re:Insight into the campus here...

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft is staffed entirely by cocks from what I can tell.

No wonder their software is so full of holes.

Re:headphones

[zieroh]

Could be, or maybe they just don't want to get mugged

Yeah, I hear that crime is a real problem on the Microsoft campus.

Besides, employees mugging each other is just an outward symptom of working for a company that's mugging everyone else.

Re:BULLSHIT!

[Warlock7]

Wow, couldn't use your real name? What's the matter Ballmer? Were you afraid that somebody would castigate you for it? Eh, MonkeyBoy? :P

Re:Insight into the campus here...

[Pendersempai]

Holy cow. What an incisive summary of Microsoft's attitude, from the grandest corporate strategy all the way down to the microcosmic world of the individual employee.

"A single anonymous source"

[Cr0w T. Trollbot]

"One thing they teach you in Journalism 101 is that when you have a single anonymous source, you don't have a story."

Well, you'll never get a job at CBS with THAT attitude, young man!

Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision"

[shut_up_man]

This reminds me of an analogy that I read somewhere, perhaps from Robert X Cringely... it said there are three types of tech companies:

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.

Re:Representative of Microsoft's "vision"

[eclectic4]

"The innovator is usually the one who ends up going out of business. Apple is (currently) the exception."

Yes, that beleaguered company should be going out of business any decade now, I can feel it...

Re:I wonder...

[EpsCylonB]

Your saying that working at Miscrosoft is a bit like working at MacDonalds ?

Re:Changing headphones isn't so bad....

[Rotund Prickpull]

No, it's because they don't want to look gay.

Bill using iPod in Teen Beat

[Sophrosyne]

A little image I fixed up in photoshop :)
Here [mac.com]

Re:Bill using iPod in Teen Beat

[Sophrosyne]

Also did a blue screen pic for the other one:
here [mac.com]

Re:MSN Music employee here...

[micromuncher]

Note - We don't discriminate [we cut everyone off.]

Re:Insight into the campus here...

[mapmaker]

My cube-mate owns an iPod.

Are you saying that Microsoft employees have to share cubicles? You don't even get your own grey box to sit in?

Re:Bill buys Apple?

[timster]

That sounds brilliant. I need to start a company so I can use those titles.

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:Why would you care?

[Trespass]

That was you!?

Re:Insight into the campus here...

[spywarearcata.com]

You mean you were a Microsoft employee...

Re:Not like Coke employees drinking pepsi.

[richieb]

As a Coke employee, if I brought a pepsi product to work ....

It's much worse when a Pepsi employee tests positive for coke....

Re:Bill buys Apple?

[bahamat]

Maybe the next-gen of DVD players will drop WMA and pick up AAC w/FairPlay.

They can. Check out the next-gen of DVD players here [apple.com]. It's so advanced though it will only hook up to TV's with DVI input. You can get a composite video adapter though, for about $20.

Slashdot History: Apple releases iPod

[Anonymous Coward]

Posted by CmdrTaco on Tuesday October 23, @11:20AM
from the well-thats-not-very-exciting dept.

The BrownFury writes "At an invitation only event Apple has released their new MP3 player called the iPod. iPod is the size of a deck of cards. 2.4" wide by 4" tall by .78" thick 6.5 ounces. 5 GB HDD, 10 hr battery life, charged via FireWire. Works as a firewire drive as well. Works in conjunctions with iTunes 2. Here are Live updates". No wireless. Less space than a nomad. Lame.

First iPod article on slashdot. [slashdot.org]

Re:The reporter is an idiot

[Anonymous Coward]

You forgot to tell us how Bill Gates's dick tastes.