Comments on: microthoughts

By: Espen

Espen — Mon, 27 Dec 2004 16:14:15 +0000

Joke from singer-songwriter

By: geoff lane

geoff lane — Mon, 27 Dec 2004 15:51:10 +0000

Microsoft is more like a car company than a computer company. Their business model is selling the same product to the same customer year after year.
Oh, each year they paint it a different colour, use bigger fins and more chrome, but under the bonnet it’s the same old tired design getting heavier and slower. This is called “innovation”.
Even their most famous slogan, “Where do you want to go today?” could be straight out of a car advert. (Picture longshot of a RangeRover on a Scottish moor, the sun just rising and catching and reflecting in the windows…)
Meanwhile the Asian markets are driving hardware design and soon will be doing the same for software.

By: James Rifkin

James Rifkin — Mon, 27 Dec 2004 14:08:54 +0000

Wal-Mart dictates requirements to it’s suppliers. (E.g. artists releasing censored versions of albums specifically to sell at Wal-Mart.)
Microsoft, nominally the supplier, it usually the one dictating terms to retailers and OEMs.

By: Firas

Firas — Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:30:34 +0000

Duuude. It beats ‘Where do you want to go today’ Finally they seem to have figured out that they are a better technology company than a media company.
But you know what? I saw this MS print ad a while ago (2003) in which a person was pushing a cart. Outlined in white was a sketch of the cart holding a mike (ie. being a podium) with hundreds of people sitting around listening to what the guy pushing the cart had to say, on his stage (that was really just a corridor he was pushing the thing down.)
The slogan was something like, ‘we see it in you.’
I think it was a job ad, and I found it wonderful and inspirational. Unfortunately, while the image remained in my mind, I don’t associate t with MS–just a standalone ad.
Can’t smack a brand into forcefully having an image, I suppose.

By: david

david — Mon, 27 Dec 2004 08:03:55 +0000

Since I use M$ at work and MacOS at home I’ve always just associated M$ with soul-crushing drudgery.

By: hugh macleod

hugh macleod — Mon, 27 Dec 2004 06:58:02 +0000

Large companies, your money. Kinda goes with the territory. Heh.
If it’s any consolation, I want your money JUST AS MUCH as Microsoft ever did– they’re just better at getting it from folks than me

By: John

John — Mon, 27 Dec 2004 06:49:19 +0000

Microsoft:
“Your money, our passion.”