Ballmer Reminds Us Of The Difference Between Apple & Microsoft. Again.

Photo: APSure, we've been harumpfing over the iPhone 4 issues, and we still hear about app approval issues from time to time, but leave to it to Steve Ballmer to remind us what makes Apple different.

Last week, Ballmer speaking to analysts, left his thoughts be known on the success of the iPad. Addressing the number of iPads sold, Ballmer said Apple had “sold certainly more than I’d like them to have sold.” Additionally, he added a jab at the inability to print from the iPad natively.

Let's remember he's speaking of a hypothetical iPad killer, as there's no shipping Windows 7 pad, despite Ballmer touting essentially the same strategy at CES back in January. Ballmer reiterated Microsoft's vision for the future, and that vision is simply trying to take down Apple.

Sure back in the day, Apple staked its future on "beating" Microsoft, but they did it by laying out a compelling alternative. That alternative was something consumers and employees could get behind. I doubt the talented people in the trenches at Microsoft came to Redmond to work day in and day out to simply find a way to copy Apple.

As Apple has laid out a their version of the future, Microsoft hasn't kept pace. If they want to copy anything from Apple, maybe they could start with creating some sort of coherent vision; something those loyal to their platform can rally behind, and see as an alternative to Apple. There's certainly enough room for two competing philosophies in technology, and for Microsoft to roll over, and focus solely on Apple, is distracting for the company and doesn't serve consumers.  

Which Version of Windows 7 Should You Install?

None.

Windows 7 Starter Edition Limited to Three Open Apps. Seriously

Sometimes Microsoft will do something so mind-boggling stupid, you just can't help but wonder what is going. (Apple does this at times too, to be fair, but this one is a doozy.) Kudos to Ed Bott over at ZDNet for unearthing this gem: Windows 7 Starter Edition will only allow for three apps to be open simultaneously. Starter Edition is intended for developing countries in Asia, Africa, and elsewhere. I guess the thought is that these "primitive" tech users can't possibly be expected to handle having three programs open at once. I mean checking mail, researching online, writing a paper, AND doing something else? Let's just let them get used to three apps first.

As Bott points out, there doesn't seem to be any limit within a program. For example, you can have 12 browser windows open if you like. This would tend to indicate that this wasn't done to protect under-powered systems from crashing. It was done to protect over-priced versions of the software from not selling. This is hockeypuck mouse-level stupidity.

As advocated elsewhere, I agree, and say these markets should instead consider free alternatives like linux. This offering from Microsoft does nothing but to help them ensure their current marketshare numbers.