[Am-info] Maybe I've been wrong...

[John J. Urbaniak]

Sujal Shah wrote:

> On Thu, 2002-03-07 at 15:53, John J. Urbaniak wrote:
> > ... all this time I've been saying that Microsoft's problems are:
> >
> > 1.  Gates is insane
> >
> > 2.  Ballmer is an idiot.
> >
> > But maybe Ballmer's insane too.  See
> >
> >   http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/24333.html
> >
>
> What's more amusing (or worrisome?) to me is that no one is calling them
> on the obvious problem with his statement.  Why the hell would anyone
> expect Microsoft to maintain these variations???  I mean, if I go buy a
> car and replace the factory stereo with a nice third party stereo, do I
> expect my warranty to cover the stereo?  No.

Ballmer's insane and hyperbolic assertions that Sun (and others) would
devote their energies to "torturing Microsoft" was the most interesting
aspect of his statement, I think.

The very fact that he came up with this scenario indicates how *his* mind
works.

I have no doubt that Microsoft would use any legalism to "torture" its
competitors.  I have no doubt that Ballmer has instigated many such acts.  I
have no doubt he chuckled with sadistic glee as Netscape's "air supply" was
cut off.  I have no doubt he revelled in the layoffs of poor Netscape
employees whose dreams he snuffed out.  I have no doubt he jumped with joy
at the disheartening of IBM's OS/2 developers and programmers whose careers
he devastated.

The man, and the whole Microsoft company is very, very sick, I have no
doubt.

John