A
Adam Albright
Mention Microsoft, like George Bush, Ann Coulter or Michael Moore and
most people have either very strong or very negative opinions.
Why is that?
The other characters are too far off topic to discuss here, but why is
Microsoft sometimes referred to as the evil empire? Perhaps we're too
close, since most people use Windows, so maybe we're too close to take
an objective look. So while some think I spend a lot of time here, I
spend a lot of time being an investor and researching investments.
Odd, the same things you see people say here about Microsoft also come
from the financial community concerning Microsoft's management...or
lack of it.
Sure Microsoft by any yardstick is a successful company. It sits on
top a pile of cash. Still it doesn't get much respect. A recent
comment from an analysis I'll paraphrase, was: While Microsoft
dominates the OS sector and has made inroads into computer gaming,
these businesses while expanding, still suffer from what seems
incompetent or just plain ineffective and sloppy marketing and at best
lukewarm customer approval.
Bingo!
Joe Average, long ago concluded Microsoft at best makes mediocre
products. Many customers use Windows only because it came preinstalled
in some computer they bought. It wasn't their choice. Joe Average
feels he was pushed into using Windows. Worse, Microsoft simply don't
respect their customers. They force a overly restrictive license on
them, demand activation and spy over and over to be sure your copy of
Windows is legit. They went along without a whimper with DRM, the
music industry was demanding. They could have stood up for Joe Average
and tell the Hollywood crowd to go screw themselves, but Microsoft
caved in and went along with screwing their customers instead.
I think like politicians that spend most of their time inside
Washington's beltway, Microsoft executives, especially idiots like the
CEO Ballmer have no concept of the real world or how frustrating
fooling around with a application full of bugs can be.
Old Stevie got an ear full Wednesday, when he heard from an angry mom
who said she hated Vista, hated the rigmarole she had to go through
for her daughter to install it, then not happy having to reinstall XP,
jump through more hoops because Vista, for her was crummy.
This revelation that nearly caused Ballmer to fall off his chair
apparently was a highlight of the conference where the confrontation
took place. Poor Stevie had no idea. He should ditch the country club
circuit and get out more and meet real people and he'd learn a lot
about real world experiences with Vista.
One possible reason investors never get excited about Microsoft
anymore as an investment is poor management and a perception the whole
company is a house of cards. Microsoft is successful because no other
large company that also has deep pockets has really pushed them to
excel through competition. If that day ever comes, watch out. Because
right now Microsoft it fat, lazy and don't give a crap.
Maybe Bill Gates' long time rival Steve Jobs of Apple should try a
hostile takeover. <wink>
most people have either very strong or very negative opinions.
Why is that?
The other characters are too far off topic to discuss here, but why is
Microsoft sometimes referred to as the evil empire? Perhaps we're too
close, since most people use Windows, so maybe we're too close to take
an objective look. So while some think I spend a lot of time here, I
spend a lot of time being an investor and researching investments.
Odd, the same things you see people say here about Microsoft also come
from the financial community concerning Microsoft's management...or
lack of it.
Sure Microsoft by any yardstick is a successful company. It sits on
top a pile of cash. Still it doesn't get much respect. A recent
comment from an analysis I'll paraphrase, was: While Microsoft
dominates the OS sector and has made inroads into computer gaming,
these businesses while expanding, still suffer from what seems
incompetent or just plain ineffective and sloppy marketing and at best
lukewarm customer approval.
Bingo!
Joe Average, long ago concluded Microsoft at best makes mediocre
products. Many customers use Windows only because it came preinstalled
in some computer they bought. It wasn't their choice. Joe Average
feels he was pushed into using Windows. Worse, Microsoft simply don't
respect their customers. They force a overly restrictive license on
them, demand activation and spy over and over to be sure your copy of
Windows is legit. They went along without a whimper with DRM, the
music industry was demanding. They could have stood up for Joe Average
and tell the Hollywood crowd to go screw themselves, but Microsoft
caved in and went along with screwing their customers instead.
I think like politicians that spend most of their time inside
Washington's beltway, Microsoft executives, especially idiots like the
CEO Ballmer have no concept of the real world or how frustrating
fooling around with a application full of bugs can be.
Old Stevie got an ear full Wednesday, when he heard from an angry mom
who said she hated Vista, hated the rigmarole she had to go through
for her daughter to install it, then not happy having to reinstall XP,
jump through more hoops because Vista, for her was crummy.
This revelation that nearly caused Ballmer to fall off his chair
apparently was a highlight of the conference where the confrontation
took place. Poor Stevie had no idea. He should ditch the country club
circuit and get out more and meet real people and he'd learn a lot
about real world experiences with Vista.
One possible reason investors never get excited about Microsoft
anymore as an investment is poor management and a perception the whole
company is a house of cards. Microsoft is successful because no other
large company that also has deep pockets has really pushed them to
excel through competition. If that day ever comes, watch out. Because
right now Microsoft it fat, lazy and don't give a crap.
Maybe Bill Gates' long time rival Steve Jobs of Apple should try a
hostile takeover. <wink>
