[Macworld]

Post your comments for Microsoft CEO Ballmer calls on Apple to be more open here

[EPonj]

"I agree that no single company can create all the hardware and software. Openness is central because it's the foundation of choice."
I agree too.
"Dude, your company built an empire on an effective monopoly."
Never been a monopoly. Apple has always been around and had all the cards to compete. They just didn't succeed. Hurts, doesn't it?
"Here's the thing: the people have choice; they're just not choosing you. Hurts, don't it?"
nearly 90% did choose MS.

[Dan Moren]

EPonj said:

"Dude, your company built an empire on an effective monopoly."
Never been a monopoly. Apple has always been around and had all the cards to compete. They just didn't succeed. Hurts, doesn't it?

Well, perhaps not an actual monopoly (hence the use of "effective" monopoly), but obviously Microsoft has been under the gun for antitrust violations on more than one occasion. Also, I would argue that Apple succeeded just fine: they're still around, and these days they're doing business that Microsoft feels threatened by. So I guess it depends on your definition of "succeed."

Quote

"Here's the thing: the people have choice; they're just not choosing you. Hurts, don't it?"
nearly 90% did choose MS.

Not when it comes to the iPhone they didn't.

[maflynn]

The kettle calling the pot black.

They're upset that their closed proprietary isn't selling so they're calling for open standards. Of course M$ has such disdain for open software its remarkable that Ballmer can so easily speak out of both sides of his mouth.

[myramoki]

Everyone should go read the original article, its even funnier. Bunch of petulant kids whining about not getting their 'fair' share.

[brian_meyer]

Hmmm, not being open.
Isn't the new chrome browser based on webkit, which is really the core part of Safari. Isn't that how being open works?
Isn't the OS X operating system available sans the outer GUI as Darwin.
Aren't the folks at microsoft under court order to reveal to third parties the inner workings of their operating system to allow interoperability, which they have been dragging their feet under.
Couldn't microsoft save itself a lot of trouble and just put the Vista interface on top of the Darwin Operating system. And put the Explorer interface on top of Webkit.
I would call what he is saying spin, and it's the type of stuff i am used to hearing from washington DC, the fact is they are trash talking others via describing themselves.

[jamus]

We have GOT to get Ballmer his own late night show! He is heeeeee-larious.

[jdukovac]

I find it absolutely hysterical that MS is part of this "panel". The mobile phone industry has been lethargic when it comes to innovations. For years the only way to navigate on a cell phone was through a series of menu 10 layers deep.
Enter the iPhone, sleek, touchscreen, nicely designed, ease of use. Ballmer said it would never fly, and that it would only serve a niche market (paraphrasing). Wrong-O!! Advance a year later, and now we have an App store. Yes, it's controlled by Apple, but once again, success.
All of a sudden, the people who are loosing market share because of the success of Apple have a tear in their eye, and are bent out of shape and are calling for "Openness"; absurd. Why should Apple be more open? So MS and others can use the technology developed by Apple to further themselves? It wouldn't lead to innovation, but a typical MS copy and paste tactic (Microsoft Stores anyone?).
It amazes me that a company like Apple can come along and turn an industry upside down the way is has. If it would have been RIM or Nokia, then everyone in the Cell industry would be clamoring for a piece of their success and trying to copy them. Maybe, by being closed as Apple is, you would think that companies like MS and Nokia would say, "Hey damn it, how can someone come into this industry and be such a huge success overnight??" The CEO's should be calling for creativity from their R&D departments and replace the talent they have with more creative ones if they can't cut the mustard, not crying like children saying "it isn't fair.....waaaa"
Just my two cents.......not worth much I know.

[alansky]

@EPonj: You are a certified moron.

[jdukovac]

YEAH!!! Suggestions:

1. The Steve Ballmer Comedy Hour
2. Who's Insane Line is it Anyway?
3. Crossing Over into Madness, with Steve Ballmer
4. Madness TV
5. The Ass-Clown Hour, with Steve Ballmer (although this one would have to be on HBO)
6. Straight Jacket Talk, with Steve Ballmer
7. The Developers, Developers, Developers show!
8. Microsoft Fantasy Island
9. Steve's World! (party time!)
10. Mr. Ballmer's Neighborhood

He does crack me up with his nutjob antics....."Keep up the good Steve!! Even if I have a bad day, I can click on YouTube and see video of your insane antics."

[leicaman]

Opennes as a concept ? from Ballmer!

I won't buy this Microsoft Hypocrisy Ultimate

[alansky]

What's not "open" about Apple's hardware and software? If you buy a Macintosh computer, you can add just about any peripheral that can be added to a PC. You can install Mac-compatible software from just about any software developer. There are some exceptions (some software that isn't available for the Mac), but that's not Apple's fault. You can even install and run Windows (along with virtually all available Windows applications) on your Mac. What's not "open" about that? Steve Balmer is first and foremost an idiot; but he is also something far more dangerous: an idiot with a fancy degree.

[kcidsremmus]

What I see is the neighborhood bully finally getting hit in the nose. Now he calls for his mommy because he has no idea what to do when he is not in complete control.
The thing I find most amazing is how Steve Ballmer keeps his job. In any other business if the top guy was wrong as often as he has, they would already be collecting unemployment.
We are witnessing the results in this country, and around the world, of what happens when incompetents are in charge.

[adobephile]

I could see this kind of thing coming back when the iPhone first came out, and especially on the occasion of the App Store. The iPhone caught the comatose industry totally off guard.
Apple had the creative and financial resources as well as its overall strategy of leveraging the power of OS X, a strategy it has followed now for almost a decade.
In one sense, revenge must be sweet, as the best revenge is success.
But this is a far bigger and better game, far above and beyond the woebegone and stagnant phone industry.
Apple's game is still new and still knows no real limits, and we Apple customers can only expect to benefit further.
I hope Steve recovers soon and isn't missing out on too much of the fun!