Wordart: the favorite of MBA’s, the bane of designers, and its continued existance further proof that most people have no taste. The people from the “Taste’s Like Rad” Cafepress store agree. And while the design is absolutely killer for someone like myself I do pause at the $33.90 price… for a Cafepress shirt. Perhaps the designers are saving up for their own copy of Photoshop?
Via Funky Duds.
Microsoft has some odd promotional videos. Say what you will about the products but the hype machine usually make straw into a very odd sort of comedy gold (’Welcome to the Social’ ineptitude aside).
Then we have this seizure inducing promotional video for Microsoft Vista (hat tip istartedsomething.com):
From this video we learn that Vista:
(source: AP Photo/Nati Harnik. Hat tip to the SeattlePI)
What?! What did you thinking I was talking about?
I think I like the entertainment at previous Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meetings better.
Rumors of a brewing $50 billion deal appeared in papers like the New York Post, Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times over the weekend. Of course, the retired circus monkeys and I that work for Militant Geek don’t read any of those. We instead heard in a round-about manner from Valleywag.
But why now? One banker quoted in the Post said “They’re getting tired of being left at the altar.” That certainly may be true but both companies are profitable. Both could certainly continue doing what they do for many years to come. If they do merge they take both unsexy, yet functional fiefdoms and carelessly toss them into a thicket of tough questions: will they iron out the operational kinks quick enough to react to nimble competition? What will happen to their two distinctly different search operations? And, most importantly, how soon will the new company kill the Zune?
Microsoft has money. Lots of money. So much money, in fact that they can afford to blow a big wad on lame promotional videos starring celebrities. It’s that way today and most definitely that way during the launch of Windows 95. Gaze in horror at this complete train wreck of a promotional video starring (the then gainfully employed) Matthew Perry and Jennifer Aniston. Wince in pain at the Seinfeld-esque base guitar ’stings’ after each attempt at humor. And knowingly nod at the revelation why this was the first and last Cyber-Sitcom.
Microsoft has been trying to spin its way out of lackluster sales of its latest operating system, Windows Vista, for some time now. Whether its the considerable hardware requirements needed to run, the lack of compatible drives for hardware, or a just downright general contentment among existing Windows OS users there hasn’t been much love for Vista. Microsoft had been able to rest assured that at least people buying new PCs would be forced into the new OS; however, the latest announcement from Dell undermines even that lackluster silver lining.
A story on Information Week describes how Dell has decided to reverse course and re-offer Windows XP - due to customer demand:
Dell said late Thursday that it’s reintroducing Windows XP — Vista’s predecessor technology — as an option on its consumer and home-office PCs based on customer demand. “We heard you loud and clear on bringing the Windows XP option back to our Dell consumer PC offerings,” said a statement posted on Dell’s Web site.
Oh well, at least Bill Gates is being accused of having the world’s best murder simulator, if not the world’s lusted-after OS. That has got to count for something.
All the news outlets were buzzing about how Microsoft was in the bidding to acquire DoubleClick, a banner serving company. However, before the weekend rolled around Google’s checkbook had swooped in and bought the ‘Punch the Monkey’ specialist for a whopping $3.1 billion. The steal put Microsoft in a difficult position - it’s ad network was considered sub par, it wasn’t getting traction in the marketplace, and having DoubleClick in Google’s stable provided some impressive benefits for advertisers. What is bygone behemoth to do?
Take a page from its mid-90’s competitor’s playbook and whine to the Department of Justice about monopoly violations. Because if you can’t beat ‘em, fuss about it. While Robert Scoble might have recently been named ‘King of the Shills‘ he does have a good point regarding Microsoft’s irony:
Isn’t it funny how there’s been a total turnaround at Microsoft in just six years? Instead of asking us to help poor old persecuted Microsoft out now we’re being asked to have the government look into the business of Google.
Now, you might not agree with me about either case, but I’ll be consistent at least. I was in Microsoft’s side against the government last time (they asked nicely). But I’m in Google’s side this time. Sounds a lot like Microsoft is now the company who had its ass kicked in the marketplace and is running to government regulators to get some relief.
Militant Geek doesn’t pull punches when its come to the Redmond behemoth which starts with M and ends in $. They’ve never been innovators. But with billions in the bank and thousands of Microserfs ready to take on any cause Microsoft is never a company to be counted out. Plodding and ponderous? Yes. But are they dead as Paul Gram so crassly suggested in his link-bait post this weekend? The blogsphere couldn’t wait to answer.
As the appropriately named raging mouthpiece Dave Winer was clever to point out:
Microsoft is not dead, because (come on get real) it’s a company, and companies aren’t living, and they don’t die.
The also appropriately named Don Dodge, current Microsoft employee, carefully shirks the issue:
Microsoft is a software company. Apple is a hardware company and Google does consumer web search. I have a lot of respect for Apple and Google, but Microsoft killers? I don’t think so.
Apparently he missed the Google Office announcement and its ascent on the S-Curve. And all those hated ‘Get a Mac’ Apple ads espouse the benefits of Apple’s software, not hardware - DOH!
The point is that this is the classic blogstorm in a teacup. One attention-deprived blogger purposely posts alarmist tripe and the echosphere chimes in shallow me-too-isms or counter claims.
What we really aught to be discussing is the legitimacy of this photo from the annuls of Microsoft history:
… And the lion will lay down with the lamb… and have wine at a fancy upscale restaurant… or something. Given the chuckles I’m guessing they’re not discussing the latest round of “PC vs Mac” ads or lackluster Vista sales.
Hat tip, GeekSugar
