Ballmer Scorns Apple As a $500 Logo 1147
theodp writes "Speaking at a conference in NYC, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer did his best to refan the flames of the Mac vs. PC rivalry: 'Now I think the tide has really turned back the other direction [against Apple],' Ballmer said. 'The economy is helpful. Paying an extra $500 for a computer in this environment — same piece of hardware — paying $500 more to get a logo on it? I think that's a more challenging proposition for the average person than it used to be.'"
Not that he's far off the mark, but... (Score:5, Funny)
Additional Ballmer comments... (Score:5, Funny)
"And, they keep changing the OS and user interface faster than we can copy it! Bastards"
Brett
Misdirection (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Many differences but... (Score:3, Funny)
How much is it really worth to have a white laptop for instance?
It's an especially interesting question when there are people who will then pay an additional $200 to get a black MacBook.
Re:He's not totally wrong (Score:5, Funny)
Please note: the following comments are not about you personally; I do not know you. The comments are a broad-strokes response to anyone who makes this argument.
So, congratulations. You saved $100 for the privilege of spending $600 on games in the life of the OS installation, wasting 1000 hours in the interim, severely limiting your social life and development of your social skills, increasing your later-life health-care costs due to lack of exercise and poor nutrition, adding another $75 to your electric bill and 600 pounds of carbon emissions to the environment due to the energy usage while you're playing those games on your high-powered gaming system.
If you love games, great. But from a more holistic perspective, it's a dubious argument.
Re:Misdirection (Score:5, Funny)
bet Ballmer's happy the vista logo is only $250 (Score:4, Funny)
on the other hand, the vista window is a much-better known logo. like Mr. Yuk (tm) it serves as a valuable consumer warning device.
Actually more like $650... (Score:5, Funny)
OS X: $500
dark turtleneck + horn-rimmed glasses: $150
Somehow (Score:3, Funny)
Ballmer has failed to cast his Svengali-like spell over me. I... I just don't know. It's just that for some reason I cannot explain, I am able to control the impulse to go out and buy a retail copy of Windows Vista Ultimate.
Sometimes it seems that I can go days without even thinking about it. This very morning, I got out of bed, and got myself a cup of coffee, and it didn't even occur to me that if only I had Microsoft Select Plus licensing, I might have Windows Embedded Enterprise in my coffee pot.
I wonder. Does this mean I have developed some kind of unusual resistance to Ballmer's powers of persuasion? Does this mean that I, unlike so many millions of others, have somehow managed to penetrate that fatal glamour?
That makes me feel so... so... special.
Re:It seems ironic... (Score:2, Funny)
I'm glad it makes one appear homosexual, because I am homosexual.
I also use a Mac.
That's silly (Score:4, Funny)
Re:and with that same philosophy (Score:2, Funny)
You're new to /. aren't you?
Re:Many differences but... (Score:5, Funny)
According to Apple, about 50 bucks less than having a matte black one.
Re:Actually more like $650... (Score:5, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
you forgot (Score:5, Funny)
to whine about the mouse.
Re:Ballmer -1 Troll (Score:4, Funny)
What has OS X been doing for years that Windows 7, which hasn't been released yet, can't, which makes it so superior?
I fixed your sentence.
Re:Actually more like $650... (Score:1, Funny)
OS X: $500
dark turtleneck + horn-rimmed glasses: $150
Being able to piss off Steve Ballmer by merely existing: priceless.
Re:Misdirection (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Misdirection (Score:5, Funny)
STOP!
Kernel Time!
Re:Misdirection (Score:5, Funny)
It's called FreeDOS [freedos.org], but it's a product made by some commie bastards copying the work of honest American workers, the popular and much loved MS-DOS. It's also "Open Source" which is commie talk for "hacking tools", so don't allow your child to use it or he'll become a dirty, smelly commie hacker.
Just stay with the products of honest American companies like Windows Vista, you support our economy, you spit on the face of those commie bastards, and you get a solid, reliable product as only good ol' American craftmanship can produce.
I've also heard some rumors of a "Lenix" OS or something, made by some finnish commie but trust me, son, you don't wanna piss off the boys at the NSA by using that. I've even heard it includes some sort of "manifesto" with it, fucking commies, always trying to brainwash you with their commie crap.
Monopoly fee? (Score:2, Funny)
First you have to pay the monopoly fee
You know I asked the Mac geniuses at the Apple store about that one, but was rather dismayed when they wouldn't let me pay with Monopoly money.
Re:It seems ironic... (Score:2, Funny)
About the one-button mouse: Apple's "Mighty Mouse," introduced in 2005, has no visible button, but can be configured in software to have 1, 2 or 3 buttons. With the "unibody" macbooks, this concept was ported to the macbook trackpad. The glass trackpad acts as one big button, but can be configured for right-click (by clicking the right hand side of the pad).
Re:It seems ironic... (Score:3, Funny)
No, the price difference is so the Faithful can run around flaunting their glowing logo and think they are superior people. Bah.
No, we do it so people like you can feel superior flaunting your non-glowing logo. You need every little bit of joy in your life you can get, and we are quite generous.
Re:It seems ironic... (Score:5, Funny)
I agree. It's offensive of Ballmer to say that that Apple sells a $500 logo.
It's worth at least $750-800.
My loaded MacBook Pro was $4200. That's at least 3 grand in status that I can lord over the sad sacks in my Caribou Coffee Shop.
And worth every penny in my improved self-image and ability to strike up conversations with cute girls with eyebrow piercings. I didn't get that kind of play with my Lenovo, I'll tell you that.
It doesn't go anywhere past "Aren't Apples great? They have an almost "holistic" approach to computer design, don't you think?" but still...
Re:It seems ironic... (Score:4, Funny)
I'm thinking of inventing a one pedal car. Physically, not functionally; I mean that would just be silly.
To disengage the clutch, you press the pedal three times in quick succession. The engage the clutch, four times in quick succession. To increase the engine speed, two groups of three taps, and to decrease it, three groups of two taps.
The brake? That's important - you wouldn't want to run into anybody's arse, at least figuratively, and so it's configurable. Either you you type out "stop" in morse code or tap long-short-long-long-long-short while selecting any tune that has "Stop" in the title on the onboard mp3 player, provided you downloaded it legally from iTunes. Death to pirates, mwahahahaaha.
One other thing you might like to consider: The last time France lost a war was before macs had two button mice. That last time Germany started one was before macs had two button mice. And yet, still people mention those things. Go figure.
Re:I've always found it ironic... (Score:4, Funny)
We do it because Sony fanboys are almost as fun to troll as furries. :)
Re:It seems ironic... (Score:2, Funny)
Too bad you blew all that cash, you could have tried a more direct approach.
Re:Linux, Macs, and Windows PCs (Score:4, Funny)
A couple of weeks ago, I had to replace the battery in my timex watch.
Re:It seems ironic... (Score:2, Funny)
cute girls with eyebrow piercings.
As we all learned in Pulp Fiction, piercings are for better sex. If you care about the girl having a pierced eyebrow, you're doing it wrong!
Re:Is there a gas leak in here? (Score:2, Funny)
I hate just about everything Apple makes.
Lets see how fast i get modded Troll.
Re:Ballmer is a tired old man, it seems to me. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:developers (Score:4, Funny)
Isn't he down to developers, developers? They just laid off a bunch.