How would you change Microsoft if you were Bill Gates?
By Darren Murph 
posted Jun 27th 2008 7:15PM
posted Jun 27th 2008 7:15PM
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Start using a MacBook?
That Sucked dude.
So does your use of capitalization.
I like Vista more than XP, sorry.
Wow, idontbelievethis might be the biggest mac fanboy ever. Get over yourself, bud.
@IDONTBELIEVETHIS:
TL;DR.
Holy block of text.
WTF do you think p.c. stands for retard?
It's an f-ing personal computer so if you think your mac is not a p.c. it must be because either a.) Its not personal or b.) its not a computer but a pile of electronic shit
know what? i'm a mac guy. but honestly, the dude' retiring from his company. I would love to put the mac-pc debate aside just for one day. then tomorrow, macs/pc's can be better again.
Same goes for when Stevie J retires!
Dear lord, I'm a mac fanboy, and even I think IDONTBELIEVETHIS is a retard.
@d
well said, im an apple fanboy too (almost, i want a mac but stuck with a pc till i get enough for an iMac 24inch) but bill should be left alone, its his last day
@IDONTHATETEHCAPSLOCK:
TL;DR except for the last sentence: "all the posters here are P.C. ppl so I expect extreme amount of hate coming this way but it is what it is and I wont check for replies anyway so whatever"
you're wrong about that. you also fail really damn hard.
@ I Don't Believe This
I think your argument is flawed. The Mac>Windows process speed argument isn't true and hasn't been since Apple switched to Intel's Core 2 line from IBM's PowerPC processors. Other than that, it just has to do with process order. As far as the Vista vs. XP war goes, it's not that Vista is a bad operating system, it's that developers don't like it because it's so boiled down and upgraders dont like that they changed the locations and names of things. I'm certain that if a user started on Vista and then went to XP, they would be on Vista's side.
IDONTBELIEVETHIS: get a life...wow
What I would if I were Gates? Focus on function over glitz and glamour. Vista is fine, im using it right now, but for the business world and overall majority it isn't exactly the cup of tea it was sent out to be. That said, I dont believe Windows 7 will achieve much better. I keep hearing it will be a Vista look alike with tweaks. Get back to the roots MS....get rid of the turdy registry and revamp the OS. Start from scratch. and to IDONTBELIEVETHIS....get a life, if you wanted to be a MAC fanboy go to their forums not here. MAC's are neat machines, but until they release their IRON GRIP on their hardware so we can actually make machines with OS X ( a la Pystar Open PC)....and get rid of Tyrant Master Overlord Steve Jooooooooobies.....MAC will be second. The seed was planted long ago, and it takes more than moving a few machines and a new OS to beat out a long time giant like Mircosoft. not for a long time yet....
Refund everybody that bough Vista with a FREE copy of XP.
nah... l keep my Vista.
i don't know why people are beating up on Vista. I actually LIKE Vista, more than XP, and have zero problems with it.
Agreed. Although I still can't wait for Windows 7....I'm a sucker for new OS's
I'd add a hidden app so every time someone starts bashing Microsoft while using a Microsoft product it would add that the user is a hypocrite to there post :)
I would add a good system-wide grammar checker to Windows so people would stop using "there" when they should say "their".
First thing i would do is get rid of that atrocious IE and Outlook, and get some GMail and Firefox going... then maybe I would consider working towards a business plan
You fail at 2 levels:
1. You're probably confusing Outlook Express with Office Outlook.
2. Both of the aforementioned are e-mail clients, and not e-mail services.
For more in-depth information on how much you fail contact me at thedude@outlook.com since according to you, Outlook is an e-mail service.
OK - I may be gunning for an epic fail, but unless there is some invisible text, I don't see anywhere where he referred to Outlook as a service.
And therefore; barring an epic fail on my part; I declare this a fail on your part.
...you don't have to be such a dick about it. this is why i try to avoid adding to the comments on engadget, no matter what you say there's always some douche to correct you
...dick
Seriously, and you call yourself 'The Dude'?
Calm down, Walter!
I'm calmer than you are.
great movie though
When you say something stupid expect people to call you out on it.
Aww see, now you've made The Dude feel like an asshole. That is so not The Dude's credo. Well, I'm sorry.
@Caleb: He mentioned IE & Outlook vs. Firefox & Gmail. That comparison means that either Gmail is an e-mail client or Outlook is an e-mail service. None of which is correct. You access services such as Gmail through clients such as Outlook.
I probably could've been nicer about it, so yeah. I said I was sorry.
Gmail is not only a service but a web client. I think he ment Put in a Gmail app?
I wasn't saying that Gmail completely replaces Outlook, just saying i would be using Gmail instead, didn't mean to cause so much confusion
You're all missing the point: you don't have to get rid of Outlook and IE if you have gmail and firefox. You simply choose to use the better programs. If you mean firefox (with gmail set as the default homepage) should be preloaded then yes, I suppose I could do with saving a few minutes by not downloading and installing FF after a fresh Windows install.
You're all missing the point: you don't have to get rid of Outlook and IE if you have gmail and firefox. You simply choose to use the better programs. If you mean firefox (with gmail set as the default homepage) should be preloaded then yes, I suppose I could do with saving a few minutes downloading and installing FF after a fresh Windows install.
"Why do have to cuss so much?"
"What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Ok Dude, have it your way"
There's this fancy thing now called POP3 which allows you to access your Gmail with Outlook, and everyone uses Firefox anyways... (except now I'm starting to use Safari instead because the Firefox Beta is SOOOOO slow and buggy..)
You know I may be wrong but this thought just came to me. If a web browser isn't bundled with the system how would you go and download your preferred browser?
Get a good haircut.
Microsoft is bald.
No, they just have issues with their Hair/Rogaine®/Install.exe files. I'm sure it will be fixed in the next service pack.
Apple is gay.
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
Microsoft isn't bald, just Steve Balmer
Hmm. Steve 'Baldmer'.
Sorry. Couldn't resist. =)
Get rid of Ballmer.
Yes ! Kick Ballmer to the curb!
Then cut all the legacy crap out and start fresh with the next OS.
Ditto
Count me in for another vote to get rid of Monkey Boy.
Ditto.
I would go further than just letting go of Ballmer. I say they need another technologist in the drivers seat, not another corporate MBA -- whose idea of "novel" tends to be "let's buy out this completely different company, and start making baskets too!" It's not just Ballmer who is the idiot -- it's this Wall Street centric view of what a corporation should be that ruins everything, including Microsoft.
They need tech strategy, not corporate strategy. They have obviously been in a bad corporate strategy loop ever since Windows 95.
No, Ballmer is funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvbWLfr-Z4s
get windows 7 out b4 every1 turns to a mac
dude thats never happeninnngggg.
They could delay Windows 7 to the year 3000 and still get it out well within that deadline.
No, they need to rewrite Windows 7 with a completely new kernel, keeping the important legacy parts in a compatibility layer - Windows desperately needs a fresh start, but it's far more difficult for MS as, frankly, Windows is in a much, much better market position than Apple was when OS X was first released
Huge apple fan here.....
but I just hate their OS... it's....not Windows
:-D
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Cut all the legacy crap out and start fresh with the next OS.
Then keep XP around for those individuals and businesses who aren't ready to let go.
it won't change
everyone should understand.
first Ms is a company
2nd is a Computer company.
so what really a comapny doing is keep the cash~
whatever we dream about.it won't ever make different.
it s the word capitalism
What?
I think he's using Microsoft's Vista™ Speech Recognition.
Oh, it's capitalism alright. So why are yours all messed up?
-jp
I wouldn't be able to, because I stepped down today.
I see what you did there.
If I were Bill Gates, I'd go out on the town and dance.
Because I'm Bill Gates, I'm pretty sure I'd be damn good. Then I'd get discovered and be featured in many music videos. One day, they'd hear me sing and discover I have a wonderful singing voice and I'd get a contract. I'd then win a Grammy.
If I were Bill Gates.....
Huh?
Damn, I was trying to comment the poster below me. I was one reply button off, I guess. -_-
it won't change
everyone should understand.
first Ms is a company
2nd is a Computer company.
so what really a comapny doing is keep the cash~
whatever we dream about.it won't ever make different.
it s the word capitalism
i think BG is done a great job
congratulations to bill on all of his hard work.
So you would congratulate yourself? A bit narcissistic are we?
being bill gates....
malkovich, malkovich! malkovich, malkovich!!
I would get Microsoft to work closely with vendors to the point where it's like Apple and OSX. Then, get the people working on the OS to give details to problems instead of making people moan/groan about the BSOD.
Windows would be a lot more convenient if it had an "official" software repository like apt or rpm. That is one of the greatest things about using linux and it would/could go a long way towards alleviating spyware/malware problems on Windows.
OTOH, the perception of this furthering Microsoft's control and monopoly would kill this idea. (Didn't Microsoft try a "Marketplace" or something like that where people could sell or distribute approved software? I can't remember...)
agreed
a unified repository is a terrible idea and what i dislike most about linux distributions. windows is a great operating system because of the incredible variety of third-party applications, and i think a unified repository discourages this.
it would be marginally acceptable if all windows users had sufficient proficiency with the built-in shell scripting (powershell / WSH) in order to accomodate basic tasks, but at present these are accomplished by third party applications.
furthermore, a unified software repoisitory takes away from the business model of paying for software, IRL, in a store, and promotes free alternatives that may be inadequate for a user's needs, thereby breaking a lot of investment
@mappy:
A unified repo is what makes Ubuntu recognize all of my hardware automagically. I don't know if any of you have noticed, but XP / Vista is a bitch to install compared to most Linux distributions nowadays.
A single place to get all software helps enforce quality control and makes the user experience much nicer. If you like searching all over the place for your software, you can go ahead and do that all by your little self.
And on topic: If I were in m$'s throne, I'd do one of two things, get them running on a Unix-based kernel or I'd simply disband the company.
IMO, they've done enough harm to the computer industry as is.
they really hate us for our freedom...lol...
Easy, kick Steve Ballmer
word. in the ball region or something.
When i looked at those pictures and the fact that i definitely agree that Microsoft is not the same without Bill...I wondered if Microsoft is still the most powerful company in the world? (as, in my opinion, they used to be) And i took a look at what companies dominate the world and i wondered, who is the most powerful company nowadays? So i took a ride on google and came across this website which might give me an answer in a month, check it out: http://www.themostpowerfulcompany.com
Spamalot?
spam spam spam egg and spam; spam spam spam spam spam spam baked beans spam spam spam.
The very fact that you said you used google to figure out who the worlds most powerful company is, kinda points to the fact that it's google itself.
Two words: stripper pole.
Buy off AMD, Cooler Master, Acer, Assus (all the hardware you need for pc)many problem with window because of the hardware, if microsoft own those companies it will make easier to work with windows. I will put more more money and effort in touch technology, and redesign Windows Mobile. Also start working with next general gaming console, expand handle device. And hired world best hacker to work with Microsoft, so will be harder for hacker to hack their windows. Every product release, must goes to me for approval, to ensure product satisfaction is high.
It is really hard to be in Bill's place right now, I mean we seriously have absolutely no idea about the actual system running inside Microsoft, so we can't give the right advices and opinions, having said that, I will generalize my takes in three things: Freshen up a little, add some youth to your products and be real, just be real and true to people.
stop running after yahoo again and again
Consolidate properties. Basically condense everything Microsoft does and keep things connected. Do whats smart for Live on all its platforms instead of just using Live as a copy cat brand to anything Google does.
Not give out release dates or product specs to the public until the product is finished, that way some products arent let downs. Also, I would add in more frequent UI changes. Make a special version of WIndows that looked the exact same, but ran only programs that are made by MS on MS hardware so that their are 0 virus's and more "elderly" support.
That's what Apple does, and people are always complaining about how the actual product doesn't live up to the rumours that precede it. Just look at what people said about iPhone 3G before it was released, and then the same people complaining afterwards.
If Microsoft went to Apple-style secrecy, there would be just as many rumours.
My God eric is from the future!
Just look at what people said about iPhone 3G before it was released, and then the same people complaining afterwards.
and then the same people complaining afterwards.
My god, since it isn't out he must be from the future, either that or he forgot how to use future tense of words. Besides how does he know their complaining?
Can't say i agree with the policy of withholding product specs before release, particularly for the company that builds the world's most used operating system, but doesn't make the hardware that goes with it.
Maybe somebody already said it but I would build a new operating system fresh. something similar the mac switch from OS9 to OSX.
I'd also start work on a broad application robot specific operating system. Develope xbox 360 further as a media center, not worry about blue ray and continue to develope for downloadable media and internal storage.
Frankly, Microsoft would need to define a vision, bring in the rank and file with an iron hand and then put those tremendous ressources to work towards that vision.
Also, get rid of the ceremonial shotgun that goes around MS and that every department that put out a good product usually uses to eventually shoot themselves in the foot.
Kill the Zune. Spin off Xbox to its own company. Spin off Hardware to it's own company or sell it. Personally, I'd sell it. Focus on software, revamping Windows and Windows Mobile to be similar to what Apple has done with the iPhone.
Dump internet advertising. It's never going to happen. Microsoft search is just a waste of money. Dump it. UMPCs. Dump them. Concede that we've lost the search and ad battle and focus on what we should be doing, supporting 90% of the computer world making excellent software (well, making software.....excellent is just a hope).
Mostly agree with ya, but spin off Xbox? With the money it's making? :O
Why spin off profitable arms of the organization. A company the size of Microsoft can walk and chew gum at the same time.
"kill the zune"
that was a dick move
Hire some spies to go sneak out Apple's development center hehe
Study long and hard about alpha and beta testing and give a clear idea of what Release Candidates are for and why shouldn't shipped products include changes over the latest RC. That would cut a lot of bugs and usability issues.
Also, I'd learn a couple of things from Linux, like how to improve performance and eye-candy without rocketing hardware requirements.
I'd sell the company and give all the money generated from the sale to fighting global warming / aids / malaria / world poverty!
That would be one of the coolest things ever done.