There isn't really a good alternative word though. You could say 'beset' but that normally comes with a qualification, 'beset by falling sales'. They could say 'beseiged' but it sounds too military, 'troubled' sounds too teenager. How else would you describe a firm that's in a very tough but still conceivably survivable situation?
Yeah, Dr. Lizardo and the Basilisk need to take their Smallberries and move on.
(Apologies to Buckaroo Banzai.)
On a more serious note, I wonder which is the better analogy, one-trick pony or dinosaur?
RIM illustrates the problem of a company that creates a very successful product for a niche market (the Blackberry for Corporate use) and then sits on it. The Blackberry does what it does very well, and did it first. RIMs leaders decided that was enough, just keep on improving the basic product. The one-trick pony.
After all, regular people liked the email functionality, so it seemed they were expanding their market. When the environment changed, the Blackberry like the dinosaur (also a very successful "product") didn't adapt and was overtaken by a company that was lighter on its feet and had a long record of innovating and changing.
I always hate to see hard workers and good people axed because of the bad management decisions from those on top. The co-CEO's which have made the most ridiculous public statements in past and haven't strategically innovated to keep their market share, should summarily dismiss themselves.
It's amazing how few people realize how utterly amazing Apple's performance has been over the past 15 years. It's hard to imagine that anyone else could have done what Jobs did.
Agreed. I remember when the first iMac came out. All the PC fan-trolls around me were laughing their collective butts off. They said "what a ridiculous looking plastic computer - nobody's going to buy that." Never mind that the ugly beige monitor on their desk was made of plastic.
I said to them "I don't know, it doesn't appeal to the geek, but a lot of people are tired of beige plastic boxes, and it's much easier to get on the Internet with this thing than a PC. Which is what most people want to do with a computer anyway." They continued to laugh for about six more months until it was revealed it was the best selling model of computer ever, and an online video appeared showing an 8 year old getting it on the Internet faster than an expert could with a new Dell PC. Not to mention that the translucent white an blue peripherals, toasters, kettles, and everything else were appearing on store shelves everywhere.
Only Steve Jobs had the vision and discipline to say no to the beige box market and continue to product products with style as well as functionality.
I can honestly say that I've seen anyone refer to themselves as a "Theoretical Physicist manqué", so I award you novelty points.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cloudgazer
There isn't really a good alternative word though. You could say 'beset' but that normally comes with a qualification, 'beset by falling sales'. They could say 'beseiged' but it sounds too military, 'troubled' sounds too teenager. How else would you describe a firm that's in a very tough but still conceivably survivable situation?
I would go with "wandering about as if recently struck in the head with a two by four" but I suppose that's a bit wordy. How about "disoriented"? Better yet: "dazed and confused."
They continued to laugh for about six more months until it was revealed it was the best selling model of computer ever, and an online video appeared showing an 8 year old getting it on the Internet faster than an expert could with a new Dell PC.
I don't think Microsoft has problems of the scale that RIM and Nokia have. Moreover, it's a predominantly software company, so a comparison seems out of place.
This is shocking and totally unexpected. I am so sad.
These CEO's with their big, ignorant mouths should be looking for new jobs as janitors somewhere, as that profession seems to be what they are best qualified for, since there is a lot of garbage coming out of their mouths.
Traditionally the role of janitors is to clean up garbage, not to spew garbage. Your analogy therefore doesn't make sense. No matter how many smiley faces you put after it.
I wonder if anybody would want to buy RIM. Is there any vestigial potential left?
There is vestigial value, but the problem is that there aren't a lot of companies that could use it. The other players in mobile are mostly screwed themselves. RIM is also a lot more expensive than Palm was, if it was a couple of BN then you might see a player like Dell try to use it to get scale in the handset business. At 14BN it's hard to imagine.
I can honestly say that I've seen anyone refer to themselves as a "Theoretical Physicist manqué", so I award you novelty points.
I'm a unique kinda guy.
Quote:
I would go with "wandering about as if recently struck in the head with a two by four" but I suppose that's a bit wordy. How about "disoriented"? Better yet: "dazed and confused."
Problem with 'disoriented' is that it implies that if they could just get their bearings they'd be all sorted. I think RIM knows where they are, unfortunately where they are is really really bad.
With nearly 60 comments so far it's remarkable how different this thread is compared to previous threads about RIM. There's nary a single apologist for RIM, its products or its management.
With nearly 60 comments so far it's remarkable how different this thread is compared to previous threads about RIM. There's nary a single apologist for RIM, its products or its management.
I think the same thing now happens with Nokia threads. I do hope both these companies can figure out how to be real players again.
Comments
There isn't really a good alternative word though. You could say 'beset' but that normally comes with a qualification, 'beset by falling sales'. They could say 'beseiged' but it sounds too military, 'troubled' sounds too teenager. How else would you describe a firm that's in a very tough but still conceivably survivable situation?
UTTAIA - Up To Their Ass In Alligators
And yes MS veterans aren't known for identifying a threat until too late.
Again???
How 'bout laying off just two!
Guess who!!!
Yeah, Dr. Lizardo and the Basilisk need to take their Smallberries and move on.
(Apologies to Buckaroo Banzai.)
On a more serious note, I wonder which is the better analogy, one-trick pony or dinosaur?
RIM illustrates the problem of a company that creates a very successful product for a niche market (the Blackberry for Corporate use) and then sits on it. The Blackberry does what it does very well, and did it first. RIMs leaders decided that was enough, just keep on improving the basic product. The one-trick pony.
After all, regular people liked the email functionality, so it seemed they were expanding their market. When the environment changed, the Blackberry like the dinosaur (also a very successful "product") didn't adapt and was overtaken by a company that was lighter on its feet and had a long record of innovating and changing.
Research in Motion (RIM) has licensed a trove of more than 30,000 patents from a company founded by former Microsoft veterans.
If they OWN the patents, that is one thing.
If they LICENSE those 30,000 patents, how does that create any value for RIM?
It's amazing how few people realize how utterly amazing Apple's performance has been over the past 15 years. It's hard to imagine that anyone else could have done what Jobs did.
Agreed. I remember when the first iMac came out. All the PC fan-trolls around me were laughing their collective butts off. They said "what a ridiculous looking plastic computer - nobody's going to buy that." Never mind that the ugly beige monitor on their desk was made of plastic.
I said to them "I don't know, it doesn't appeal to the geek, but a lot of people are tired of beige plastic boxes, and it's much easier to get on the Internet with this thing than a PC. Which is what most people want to do with a computer anyway." They continued to laugh for about six more months until it was revealed it was the best selling model of computer ever, and an online video appeared showing an 8 year old getting it on the Internet faster than an expert could with a new Dell PC. Not to mention that the translucent white an blue peripherals, toasters, kettles, and everything else were appearing on store shelves everywhere.
Only Steve Jobs had the vision and discipline to say no to the beige box market and continue to product products with style as well as functionality.
As a Theoretical Physicist manqué ...
I can honestly say that I've seen anyone refer to themselves as a "Theoretical Physicist manqué", so I award you novelty points.
There isn't really a good alternative word though. You could say 'beset' but that normally comes with a qualification, 'beset by falling sales'. They could say 'beseiged' but it sounds too military, 'troubled' sounds too teenager. How else would you describe a firm that's in a very tough but still conceivably survivable situation?
I would go with "wandering about as if recently struck in the head with a two by four" but I suppose that's a bit wordy. How about "disoriented"? Better yet: "dazed and confused."
Agreed. I remember when the first iMac came out.
They continued to laugh for about six more months until it was revealed it was the best selling model of computer ever, and an online video appeared showing an 8 year old getting it on the Internet faster than an expert could with a new Dell PC.
..."there is no step three."
- CEO(s) announce(s) great quarter
- Company spends time and money on a new non-smartphone product
- The non-smartphone product fails (or is not even released)
- Company lays off employees
The difference? A bigger company (HP) decided that Palm was worth buying.
I wonder if anybody would want to buy RIM. Is there any vestigial potential left?
Apple is throwing RIM down the Palm staircase. I see the same pattern developing:
- CEO(s) announce(s) great quarter
- Company spends time and money on a new non-smartphone product
- The non-smartphone product fails (or is not even released)
- Company lays off employees
The difference? A bigger company (HP) decided that Palm was worth buying.
I wonder if anybody would want to buy RIM. Is there any vestigial potential left?
Nokia is going to abandon M$ and buy RIM...
Beleaguered? Was this article written by Paul Thurrott? One of his favorite adjectives.
Your handle is curmudgeon and you're complaining about the use of the word, beleaguered?
Your handle is curmudgeon and you're complaining about the use of the word, beleaguered?
A Curmudgeon's job is to complain about everything...
I can just assume because all this person did was COPY APPLE and now they are being sued.
http://www.bgr.com/2011/07/25/htcs-c...sonal-reasons/
Then there is Microsoft ....
I don't think Microsoft has problems of the scale that RIM and Nokia have. Moreover, it's a predominantly software company, so a comparison seems out of place.
This is shocking and totally unexpected. I am so sad.
These CEO's with their big, ignorant mouths should be looking for new jobs as janitors somewhere, as that profession seems to be what they are best qualified for, since there is a lot of garbage coming out of their mouths.
Traditionally the role of janitors is to clean up garbage, not to spew garbage. Your analogy therefore doesn't make sense. No matter how many smiley faces you put after it.
I wonder if anybody would want to buy RIM. Is there any vestigial potential left?
There is vestigial value, but the problem is that there aren't a lot of companies that could use it. The other players in mobile are mostly screwed themselves. RIM is also a lot more expensive than Palm was, if it was a couple of BN then you might see a player like Dell try to use it to get scale in the handset business. At 14BN it's hard to imagine.
I can honestly say that I've seen anyone refer to themselves as a "Theoretical Physicist manqué", so I award you novelty points.
I'm a unique kinda guy.
I would go with "wandering about as if recently struck in the head with a two by four" but I suppose that's a bit wordy. How about "disoriented"? Better yet: "dazed and confused."
Problem with 'disoriented' is that it implies that if they could just get their bearings they'd be all sorted. I think RIM knows where they are, unfortunately where they are is really really bad.
'Pining for the Fjords' perhaps?
With nearly 60 comments so far it's remarkable how different this thread is compared to previous threads about RIM. There's nary a single apologist for RIM, its products or its management.
I think the same thing now happens with Nokia threads. I do hope both these companies can figure out how to be real players again.
I remember another tech company that, in the mid 90s, had a much worse balance sheet and less market share than RIM...
yeah, but that company regained their singular founder and industry visionary.
Can they recover? Sure - anything, no mater how improbable, is possible.
Is it probable? Not bloody likely - especially given their current level of cluelessness and denial