[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Microsoft, R.I.P. here

[GetReal]

I disagree. I would not want Microsoft to die but REALLY would like to see a turnaround in attitude (aka, much better response to customer needs and what they want, as opposed to existing predominance of what MS wants). The existing MS business model seems to irritate increasing numbers of its customers!

Yes---Balmer should go! Doubtful this man has ever contributed anythink useful to the world.

[Evildave]

Meh, Microsoft doesn't bother me as a customer, because I don't deal with their crap anymore.
Except I ended up buying a Microsoft mouse when mine fried. Unfortunately for me (but not surprising), it's crap, too.

[izzledizzle]

apple is already the new microsoft... name one person that doesn't own an apple product (i'm not a fan of apple by any means, but I do own a hand-me-down ibook that fried on my sister), which means that soon enough people will stop ripping on microsoft and start aiming towards apple when all their apple products start becoming mediocre

[Evildave]

Well, I'd rip on Ubuntu and Sun for OpenOffice, Mozilla for Firefox and GNU/FSF for the rest, but really, people are doing this work for free, and I got it for free, and ALL of these people are very helpful when there's a problem, concerned when there's a bug, etc.

It's far better than what Microsoft makes and charges you for, and then charges you for useless support for when it goes wrong.
It's not as if Microsoft invents anything besides new ways to rip people off.
Maybe if they'd act a little less entitled to their market position? Nah, that's like saying Joseph Kony could be nicer to children.

[ClaudeD]

A fast answer to make Microsoft more profitable. Put an XP like interface on the new product and quit trying to stuff garbage into users computers. Give users what they want or Linux might be Microsoft's death. A great indication of this is Microsoft Office 2007 hundreds of dollars(not well liked)and its competitor Open Office free. Open Office can do just about everything Office can do easier and sometimes better.

[catagious]

I use Ubuntu for most of my computing needs but unfortunately I still need Windows for gaming. Until gaming companies adapt games for Linux users, Microsoft still has a niche in the computer world.

[mpheadley]

Another extremely absurd article. Microsoft beginning to die just because they are down 30 percent this year?
There are far worse companies on the verge like GM, but do you really think the name GM is going to disappear? Look at Circuit City! That name is still going to be around apparently.
And I'm quite surprised at the statement, "this new talk of Windows 7 Starter Edition, which is junkware by any standard". Everything I've heard is either neutral or positive about the operating system. And that's really the matter here. Nobody's buying Vista because everyone knows they are coming out with Windows 7 soon! So of course given the current situation their profits are going to be down this much!

[lexon]

Miracle Max:
Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your
friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between
mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead,
well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.

lexon

[Finsternis]

The only thing that's keeping Microsoft on is the fact that is has been around for so long. People are comfortable with Windows (one of the reason I do not change to a Mac is because the Mac OS is so strange).
The gaming industry is also keeping MS up (it will take a long time for Mac and Linux to start getting games like Windows).
But as you said, laziness is killing MS. Maybe it is because of that guy that you mentioned, I don't know.
What I say that MS should do is completely get rid of Windows and start anew. Make a new OS from scratch with a different name and maybe more security too (Windows was built before PCs were expected to be connected with each other on a regular basis. MS needs to change that).
You can fix and add levels to an ancient building all you want, but eventually it will look like crap, act like crap, feel like crap and then collapse.

[puterdood]

Micro$oft (M$) has been the schoolyard bully since the early years, but at the same time they have provided software that has literally shaped the world as we know it. Almost nothing you do on a daily basis is not affected in some way by M$'s products. A lot of people that do not truly understand what is really going on constantly talk bad about M$. But consider this, where would we be without M$? Would another company have taken their place? Would the Internet be as we know it without M$? Would the business world be able to carry on without M$? The only answer I can think of is probably not.

I agree that M$ seems to have lost its focus. Is Steve Ballmer the reason? I don't think he is the only reason. Bill Gates was the man with vision. He should be more involved with managing M$. Steve Ballmer definitely should NOT be the person in charge.

My advice to M$ is to listen to what your customers want and what they have to say. Also, don't have the attitude that you are going to do things your way and the rest of world will just have to like it (I am referring to the Windows Vista fiasco). Make changes in usability gradually; ease users into the changes (Vista and Office 2007). It is possible to make major changes under the hood without ruining the product's personality. Take Windows 95 for example - the basic interface did not change much from W95 to WXP, yet XP is a completely different critter than 95.

And one last suggestion to M$, price your products reasonably. You can still make billions of dollars, like you really need it, if you set price points that are more attractive to consumers as well as business. That is the reason some people are threatening to switch over to Linux. I don't think you really have anything to worry about from Linux, but what if there is another OS out there that truly offers the stability and usability of Windows at a very reasonable cost? It could happen.

M$ has had its ups and downs like any other business out there. Right now is one of those down times, a combination of the economy, Vista, and M$'s own arrogance, plus more. Changes need to be made, restructure, regroup, and recuperate. All companies do it, M$ is in need it. Will they ever "go away"? No. Will they see increased levels of threats and challenges? Yes. They need to answer those threats and challenges just like the schoolyard bully - show them who's boss by improving current products and introducing new products that the world just can not live without.

[mpheadley]

Great post! I totally agree with everything you have to say!

[peterretief]

I wish they would hurry up and go, they have messed up so many things like the web browser and ruined truly creative companies (Netscape? It would be a long list)

[XMan]

puterdood, the internet doesn't run on Windows anyway. Server side is mostly UNIX. The internet, business and the WWW wouldn't end without MS. The only MS I own is a $7.00 Mouse. I'd like to be Adobe free too but Flash keeps getting bigger. Microsoft however is certainly waning but that's fine by me.

[Evildave]

Heh. Microsoft would just get a 'Bail Out'.

An extension of their current business model where a new PC comes with Windoze on it whether you want it or not.

Just get the government to threaten you with VIOLENCE and PRISON if you don't pay Micro$oft.

After all, if you don't pay your taxes, they will come and arrest you, hunt you down and take you in by force if necessary, and stick you in a steel box with a homosexual rapist for a room mate for an extended period of time. After confiscating everything you own, and making your family homeless, that is.
And don't blame Obama. The right wingers will do it to you, too.
Wave your flags, boys and girls! That's Amerika!

[bbvammy]

I surrender ...

I will use Windows from now on, no matter how many times I got viruses, worms and being a botnets.

This is the land of not free and home of Microsoft. ]:)

[artzy65]

Actually, although Steve Ballmer has come off as a bit of a tool in recent years (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nc4MzqBFxZE), if you check out 'Triumph of the Nerds' on youtube you'll see that he was reasonably sensible in those days. Here too (jobs and ballmer) http://www.youtube.c...R8SAFRBmcU&NR=1

He's not stupid, probably just an 'aspie' like gates (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aspergers_pr.html)

[Evildave]

Probably none of them are stupid, but some people are better collaborating on the evil plots than inspiring them.

The 'dream team' broke up and retired, and Ballmer was the one left to sweep up after the party. If he'd planned better, he would have retired on top of his game, and someone else would be taking the fall.

On top of that, the market is changing. Inexorably. The things that Microsoft did that worked so well for 20 years don't work anymore.

So I agree, blaming Ballmer for it is like blaming the circling vulture as you crawl across the desert.

The real death knell will be when they replace him. Someone young and cool and hip and overflowing with charisma, promising a new vision for tomorrow. He'll drive the short term shares up so the big investors can sell out.

Sort of like the TV commercials have begun shifting from 'We'll buy your gold' to telling you what a good investment gold is. Take your profits, leave the small fries holding the bag.

[puterdood]

Hey XMan, I agree with what you said about Unix servers and all, but without Windows, and Apple/Mac OSes also, the Internet would still be command-line and very much user-unfriendly. I never said the Internet runs on Windows.

As for the rest of your post, I respect your decision to choose other than M$, but if you take a look at the big picture M$ has been the biggest driving force behind computing as we know it today.

Even though they have made some bone-headed decisions over the past 30-ish years, overall they have provided us with a very valuable service. I don't believe they will "go away" as the M$ haters wish.

Hey, M$ has provided me with a decent living over the years. I have provided tech support, systems admin, network admin, etc. on DOS & Windows-based systems since the beginning of M$. I have also worked with just about every other OS out there and to be completely unbiased, Windows OSes, for the most part, have all been head-n-shoulders above the rest. Not without some problems, mind you.

People are certainly free to try whatever systems they choose, but like a doctor recommending the best medicine for his patients, I would recommend M$ products over the rest.

[WinTard]

To all of you happy R.I.P.pers, let's see one year from now who will still be laughing... Bozos!

~~~~~~~~~~
He who laughs, lasts...