Apple's Jobs says Michael Dell should eat his own words
It may not be the last laugh, but on Friday afternoon, after the close of the stock market, Steve Jobs, the chief executive of Apple Computer, shared an e-mail chuckle with his employees at the expense of Dell, a big rival, reports the New York Times.
The message was prompted by the 12 percent surge in Apple's stock price last week, which pushed the company's market capitalization to $72.13 billion, passing Dell's value of $71.97 billion.
Shortly after Mr. Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 as part of the company's acquisition of NeXT, Dell's founder and chairman, Michael Dell, was asked at a technology conference what might be done to fix Apple, then deeply troubled financially.
"What would I do?" Mr. Dell said to an audience of several thousand information technology managers. "I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders."
On Friday, apparently savoring the moment, Mr. Jobs sent a brief e-mail message to Apple employees, which read: "Team, it turned out that Michael Dell wasn't perfect at predicting the future. Based on today's stock market close, Apple is worth more than Dell. Stocks go up and down, and things may be different tomorrow, but I thought it was worth a moment of reflection today. Steve."
Since his comments in 1997, Mr. Dell appears to have softened his views on Apple, notes the Times. In June Mr. Dell conceded that if Apple were to open the Mac OS to other PC manufacturers, he would be happy to offer the operating system to Dell customers.
Still, Mr. Dell could end up with the last laugh. According to the Times, Mr. Dell's personal wealth still exceeds that of Mr. Jobs, despite the fact that Mr. Jobs also has a 50.1 percent share in Pixar Animation Studios that is worth about $3.4 billion.
"Last year Mr. Dell, who founded his namesake company as a college student in 1984, was ranked fourth on Forbes magazine's list of the 400 wealthiest people in the United States," said the Times. "It estimated his personal wealth at $14.2 billion."
The message was prompted by the 12 percent surge in Apple's stock price last week, which pushed the company's market capitalization to $72.13 billion, passing Dell's value of $71.97 billion.
Shortly after Mr. Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 as part of the company's acquisition of NeXT, Dell's founder and chairman, Michael Dell, was asked at a technology conference what might be done to fix Apple, then deeply troubled financially.
"What would I do?" Mr. Dell said to an audience of several thousand information technology managers. "I'd shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders."
On Friday, apparently savoring the moment, Mr. Jobs sent a brief e-mail message to Apple employees, which read: "Team, it turned out that Michael Dell wasn't perfect at predicting the future. Based on today's stock market close, Apple is worth more than Dell. Stocks go up and down, and things may be different tomorrow, but I thought it was worth a moment of reflection today. Steve."
Since his comments in 1997, Mr. Dell appears to have softened his views on Apple, notes the Times. In June Mr. Dell conceded that if Apple were to open the Mac OS to other PC manufacturers, he would be happy to offer the operating system to Dell customers.
Still, Mr. Dell could end up with the last laugh. According to the Times, Mr. Dell's personal wealth still exceeds that of Mr. Jobs, despite the fact that Mr. Jobs also has a 50.1 percent share in Pixar Animation Studios that is worth about $3.4 billion.
"Last year Mr. Dell, who founded his namesake company as a college student in 1984, was ranked fourth on Forbes magazine's list of the 400 wealthiest people in the United States," said the Times. "It estimated his personal wealth at $14.2 billion."
Comments
"Last year Mr. Dell, who founded his namesake company as a college student in 1984, was ranked fourth on Forbes magazine's list of the 400 wealthiest people in the United States," said the Times. "It estimated his personal wealth at $14.2 billion.""
Seeing how this is an issue of the valuation of the company, rather than personal worth, I don't see how that's the case.
Michael Dell: "Apple should go out of business."
Sarge: "Hmm, that is indeed an intresting proposal you have delivered to us. Simmons, would you care to offer our rebuttle?"
Simmons: "Suck it Dell."
Since he's so cozy with Apple now, willing to take on Microsoft for them, maybe he should switch back to WebObjects so configuring a server isn't such a brain-poking exercise in frustration (sorry, you have selected incompatible items - please go guess which ones and fix them).
Originally posted by ClimbingTheLog
Who really thinks Dell wasn't taking a cheap shot at its competitor Apple? Dell had just been 'forced' to re-write its website since its WebObjects-based site (from non-competitor NeXT) was now being supplied by a competitor, Apple. See, if Dell thought Apple wasn't a competitor they wouldn't have made the website switch. But he did, so he did. And the Dell website still sucks today.
Since he's so cozy with Apple now, willing to take on Microsoft for them, maybe he should switch back to WebObjects so configuring a server isn't such a brain-poking exercise in frustration (sorry, you have selected incompatible items - please go guess which ones and fix them).
But if they had a better web page, maybe their market cap would be higher and this thread would not even exist!
Dell's comments weren't without merit at the time, though we're all better off having Apple around today, naturally. But it could have gone either way back then. They're lucky to have had the war chest to stay alive until SJ came back.
Therefore, Michael Dell, welcome to the club.
Originally posted by icfireball
Apple has bigger growth....
I would have to agree with this...strongly!
Apple has much bigger growth potential, while Dell can only go down from here. If Apple can seriously increase market share in the next decade Dell can only shrink.
I'm not picking on Dell so much...it's just that the last article I read listed Apple as highest in Customer Satisfaction and Dell as absolute last.
My sister (against my warnings) chose a Dell and have had nothing but trouble, replacing the modem once and the hard-drive twice and it's less than a year old. The 'techs' at BestBuy use it more than she does at this point. Now, she tells me her next pc will be a G5 Powerbook. Another convert to the Revolution, I guess.
And Dell says he would gladly offer the Mac OS on his product if only Jobs would allow it? Of course. He sees the writing on the wall.
If you think about it, Dell can rather easily be replaced by another PC maker/distributor. There is nothing special about them - if they died today HP and others would fill the void with ease. Apple, on the other hand, cannot be replaced.
It's the difference between being a real computer company and a parts assembler.
Originally posted by kenaustus
It's the difference between being a real computer company and a parts assembler.
LOL.
Dude I got a Dell and I flunked out of school!
I should have gotten a Mac!!
That would be SWEET!
Originally posted by TednDi
Apple should get the Dell Dude in its next commercial.
Dude I got a Dell and I flunked out of school!
I should have gotten a Mac!!
That would be SWEET!
LOL... again.
Originally posted by Mac~N~Cheese
Now, she tells me her next pc will be a G5 Powerbook. Another convert to the Revolution, I guess.
She's going to have a hard time finding a G5 PowerBook since Apple will never make them. I think she's going to have to settle with an Intel MacBook Pro.
Originally posted by TednDi
Apple should get the Dell Dude in its next commercial.
Dude I got a Dell and I flunked out of school!
I should have gotten a Mac!!
That would be SWEET!
And are the moderators gonna leave up Johnny's post?
Originally posted by Wings
And are the moderators gonna leave up Johnny's post?
What's wrong with my post?
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=4575
Originally posted by JohnnySmith
What's wrong with my post?
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=4575
Oh, I dunno.... but something about seeing 2 naked men in bed together just doesn't seem to fit here, ya know what I mean?
Originally posted by ClimbingTheLog
Who really thinks Dell wasn't taking a cheap shot at its competitor Apple? Dell had just been 'forced' to re-write its website since its WebObjects-based site (from non-competitor NeXT) was now being supplied by a competitor, Apple. See, if Dell thought Apple wasn't a competitor they wouldn't have made the website switch. But he did, so he did. And the Dell website still sucks today.
Since he's so cozy with Apple now, willing to take on Microsoft for them, maybe he should switch back to WebObjects so configuring a server isn't such a brain-poking exercise in frustration (sorry, you have selected incompatible items - please go guess which ones and fix them).
How bad did it look when the compay trying to sell windows and IIS with their servers was using Webobjects...the pressure likely came from Microsoft, not an internal thing from Mike...