Posted on 07/30/2009 11:59:33 PM PDT by Swordmaker
Ballmer expects Windows 7 to grab share from Apple In a bullish presentation to financial analysts today, Steve Ballmer promised Windows 7 PCs that would 'overturn the conventional wisdom that Apple has the coolest hardware'.
He also described Apple's impact on Microsoft sales this year as 'a rounding error', saying that; "Apple's share globally costs us nothing."
"Hopefully we will take share back from Apple," said Ballmer, "But they sell only about 10 million computers globally so it's a limited opportunity."
Taking a bite out of Apple
Ballmer said that research data showed that Microsoft adverts targetting Apple's prices were working, claiming that three times as many 18-24 year olds now think that Microsoft represents better value than Apple - a reverse of the situation before the commercials ran.
"We don't believe in coming to market like Apple - high margin, high quality, high price. We believe in high volume and low price," Ballmer told the Microsoft Financial Analyst Meeting. "Investors are pushing us to spend more money on this marketing."
Ballmer also released the latest data on Windows 7: 8 million copies of the release candidate have been downloaded; half of IT managers plan to upgrade to Windows 7 'as soon as it's available'; and 80 per cent intend to move within 30 months.
The Microsoft boss revealed a change in pricing strategy for Windows 7 in developing countries: "We did a programme to cut the price of Windows in emerging markets. The theory was that lower prices would lead to higher attach rates and higher revenues. That theory was wrong, so for Windows 7 we'll readjust those prices north."
He also had a few words to say about open source rivals, noting that: "It's hard to build ecosystem momentum with a chaotic operating system like Linux," and gloating over expected delays to Android-based netbooks.
Out of curiosity, just how old is this Win 2000 PC of yours?
Can't honestly answer that, its parts and pieces of many. Have to go to work, regards....
I agree. I have vista on a laptop I bought last year and it’s been a big headache. All kinds of errors-seems like every time I get a new update, something gets screwed up.
How much does Win 7 cost?
You will when you get hacked and realize why you got hacked. Good luck with that...
Cooler? So he uses a generic word to describe his company's latest product and he thinks that's going to impress people? Hey everybody, my left foot is cooler than my right foot! Yippee!
Hype, hype, hype.
I’ll never forget that Windows 95 launch. Remember the guy who was staggering out of the computer store with a stack of 12 copies of the OS?
He was going to make a fortune scalping them, he said.
Microsoft, thy name is Hype.
I’m wondering how much of a problem there will be with Windows XP files and programs running on Win 7. When I bought a new XP laptop years ago I encountered a lot of problems - some transferred files from 98 wouldn’t run at all and others (Word 97 and PhotoShop 1.0) had problems. I’m thinking of buying a new laptop in the next year so it will probably come with Win 7.
I have yet to purchase a mac. I want to, I really really want to. But the way we use computers in my house doesn’t justify the extra expense.
I’m comfortable with all the flavors of windows, various Linux distros, but the primary mission of computers in my house is internet, skype, gaming, and some document work here and there. The far less expensive windows machines do all that and more, and if something ever does go wrong, I can fix it. With Vista and W7 rc’s and XP, we rarely have anything go wrong that isn’t hardware related, like not enough memory or processor.
Meanwhile, my next door neighbor cannot keep a computer going. I finally found them a refurbished HP quad-core that runs Vista, and I’m going to leave it on. IMO, (7 of 9 voice:) Vista is...adequate. (/7 of 9) It has run solidly on MY HP quad-core machines, both refurbs. So I’m pretty comfortable letting the machine killing neighbors loose with it. But hey, I pointed them in the direction of Macintosh computers a long time ago and told them to buy one. They did look, but balked at the price.
If mac would cut their prices down somehow, I’d be a mac owner. As it stands, they’re just not cost efficient for my uses. Darn it.
I’m the LAN-lord at my office.
My primary machine at the office runs Win 2K. XP Pro is an ok upgrade, but not worth spending the money for, imo.
I just bought a new HP laptop with XP Pro to replace my old one. Specifically avoided Vista (not as easy to do as you might think). We had a Vista box awhile back. We don’t anymore.
On my extended desk, I am running 4 gens of Macs on a single server. My oldest, a G4 tower is the server, and the oldest. My newest in an Intel MacBook. I am running OSX 10.4 on two machines, and 10.5 on the others. I can swap back and forth between them, and even access files from the Windoze stuff on my MacBook.
In the end, Mac is cheaper, and you get more stuff included. Those iLife programs are great...
Ballmer always comes off like a buffoon but he is right here. Windows 7 looks great and works great and should put Apple on the defensive
I have pre-ordered a few Win7 upgrade editions but for now I am using the Win7 what I got from rapidshare .... you can test drive Win7 for 120 days by rearming four times. The torrents are a bit slow but if you have a very good high speed connection it will download for you
My DSL is slow due to to phone line limitations so rapidshare made more sense. Anyone very interested in details can freepmail me
I had to buy a cheap HP that has Vista last month when my trusty XP puter had a glitch, I am using it now but I have cut off its balls, it has no animation, no Windows update cause it just creates more problems and have basically turned it back into a version of an XP.
I neutered Vista, it still tries to cancel most applications because it has such a high security paranoia, I swear its like Obama, it refuses to allow me to view its history and how to see if it right or wrong, weird.
Wife continues to use XP pro on here machine because of all the apps she is comfy with and depends on work for her, most of the time. She won’t be upgrading to Windows 7, however. She doesn’t want to fool with new drivers and knows XP upside down and sideways.
I will keep XP on my PC for the 1 music related program I have to use in creating drum tracks. This accounts for less than 2% of my computer use.
Use my Macbook for everything else and love it. I would love to get a MBP but since the Macbook handles everything I throw at it, I can’t justify the expense. The Macbook just rocks!
1. Can W7-RC be downloaded to this?
2. Will it even work?
Use the right tool for the job.
Here are the minimum Windows 7 requirements Microsoft offered in January when it released the Beta:
1GHz processor (32- or 64-bit)
1GB of RAM
16 GB of available disk space
Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128MB of memory (for the Aero interface)
I’m posting this from a Windows 7 (beta) notebook. IMHO the new OS is quite nice. Secure and most definitely not bloatware in any sense.
In fact this install is running on a basic three year old notebook.
It might be a source of interesting reflection for FReepers to recall - it was Microsoft Windows which then-president Clinton attacked with the US Justice Dept.
Setting off the dot.com crash.
Just saying.
You sound like a candidate for a Mac Mini. One box, hook up your existing keyboard, mouse and monitor, good to go.
Vista would not accept any of my legacy software. I support a number of people with older computer programs and could not work without that capability. This enforced upgrading of anything whether it is needed or not is distasteful.Like Microsoft downloading new versions of their browser without giving you a choice. Making you get all new software when you get a new computer. I’m happy with my Mac. I only have an XP machine to support legacy software.
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