Oh the irony. The CEO of a convicted felon (Microsoft) calling someone else a "thief" (if he really did).
He did although there is some question about whether it was intended to be in jest or not. Personally I think he's just an arrogant idiot and has proven this repeatedly over the course of his entire career. The man has no charisma either... if anything anti-charisma since he seems to induce nausea in all the thinking people with the misfortunate of crossing his path.
And what is this fixation that MP3 == shared music? I rip all my own legal (purchased at extortionate prices) CDs to MP3 format and if I store it on a music player or burn it to CD I pay the stupid Canadian "tax" for the music industry to compensate them for all the money that I have supposedly stolen from them. This whole scene is a complete farce. I might not mind so much if the artists were actually getting the money, but instead the music companies are getting it and largely ripping off all but the top artists.
On the upside, the guy kind of makes you have fond nostalgia for Bill Gates. I wonder how long after the photoPod ships it will take Ballmy to announce "iPod users are purveyors of pornography".
Another recent real quote: "When asked which MP3 player his son used, he answered jokingly, 'My son doesn't have an MP3 player. He has a Windows Media player.' Everyone in his household knows that the protection of intellectual copyrights is important, he said. 'It's what puts food on the table.'" http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10...doesnt_get_it/
Poor kid has had to listen to "You wanna eat, you don't steal intellectual property" all of his life. The comments in this thread about Windows users are so true. Most of the Windows user I know are sitting on thousands of dollars of stolen software. I sometimes think theft is Windows' killer app, or perhaps using it causes amoral behavoir. I just hope our Steve has sense enough not to mouth-off about it to the press. I'd love, however, to see SB slip up and make a nasty comment about it.
Steve Ballmer and intellectual property. Isn't that an oxymoron?
It's interesting seeing how Gates developed over the years. Before he handed over to Ballmer he wasn't *that* embarassing anymore. Still a nerd but an intelligent one and he had everything under control.
When I see Ballmer mouthing off and prancing about on stage trying to whip up enthusiasm for such dull products I wonder how someone that stupid could go so far.
But then you only need look at the White House to see just how well stupid people can do.
Jobbs is a class act. Sophisticated, intelligent, and calm. Apple are on the rise, and although there is a very long way to go they may well get there in the end.
As for Windoze and piracy, the two go hand in hand. Try and find a home PC that isn't packed with stolen software and MP3s.
Poor kid has had to listen to "You wanna eat, you don't steal intellectual property" all of his life.
Frankly Ballmer's kids will have such a distored view of reality I can't imagine that the whole stealing IP thing is even an issue for them. Growing up in a household that has more money than many countries isn't going to make for normal and balanced kids. The idea of them stealing anything is ridiculous -- why put the effort into stealing when its easier to buy? You like that guys music? Okay, let's buy him.
Comments
Originally posted by Chris Cuilla
Oh the irony. The CEO of a convicted felon (Microsoft) calling someone else a "thief" (if he really did).
He did although there is some question about whether it was intended to be in jest or not. Personally I think he's just an arrogant idiot and has proven this repeatedly over the course of his entire career. The man has no charisma either... if anything anti-charisma since he seems to induce nausea in all the thinking people with the misfortunate of crossing his path.
And what is this fixation that MP3 == shared music? I rip all my own legal (purchased at extortionate prices) CDs to MP3 format and if I store it on a music player or burn it to CD I pay the stupid Canadian "tax" for the music industry to compensate them for all the money that I have supposedly stolen from them. This whole scene is a complete farce. I might not mind so much if the artists were actually getting the money, but instead the music companies are getting it and largely ripping off all but the top artists.
Another recent real quote: "When asked which MP3 player his son used, he answered jokingly, 'My son doesn't have an MP3 player. He has a Windows Media player.' Everyone in his household knows that the protection of intellectual copyrights is important, he said. 'It's what puts food on the table.'" http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10...doesnt_get_it/
Poor kid has had to listen to "You wanna eat, you don't steal intellectual property" all of his life. The comments in this thread about Windows users are so true. Most of the Windows user I know are sitting on thousands of dollars of stolen software. I sometimes think theft is Windows' killer app, or perhaps using it causes amoral behavoir. I just hope our Steve has sense enough not to mouth-off about it to the press. I'd love, however, to see SB slip up and make a nasty comment about it.
Steve Ballmer and intellectual property. Isn't that an oxymoron?
When I see Ballmer mouthing off and prancing about on stage trying to whip up enthusiasm for such dull products I wonder how someone that stupid could go so far.
But then you only need look at the White House to see just how well stupid people can do.
Jobbs is a class act. Sophisticated, intelligent, and calm. Apple are on the rise, and although there is a very long way to go they may well get there in the end.
As for Windoze and piracy, the two go hand in hand. Try and find a home PC that isn't packed with stolen software and MP3s.
As for Windoze and piracy, the two go hand in hand. Try and find a home PC that isn't packed with stolen software and MP3s.
Nah, I moved all my MP3s to my Mac. Digital hub and that.
(p.s.: joke)
Originally posted by murk
Poor kid has had to listen to "You wanna eat, you don't steal intellectual property" all of his life.
Frankly Ballmer's kids will have such a distored view of reality I can't imagine that the whole stealing IP thing is even an issue for them. Growing up in a household that has more money than many countries isn't going to make for normal and balanced kids. The idea of them stealing anything is ridiculous -- why put the effort into stealing when its easier to buy? You like that guys music? Okay, let's buy him.