Software Piracy Due to Expensive Hardware, Says Ballmer 814
frdmfghtr writes "ZDNet is running a story where Steve Ballmer tries to pin the blame of software copyright infringement on expensive hardware: 'One way to stem piracy is to offer consumers in emerging countries a low-cost PC, Ballmer said. "There has to be...a $100 computer to go down-market in some of these countries. We have to engineer (PCs) to be lighter and cheaper," he said.' Does he think that cheaper hardware will make copying software harder to do?"
Yep. and give everyone a free gun (Score:1, Funny)
Software Piracy Due to Expensive Hardware (Score:5, Funny)
Speeding due to long roads (Score:5, Funny)
Monkey see, monkey do. (Score:2, Funny)
He's just been seeing too many politicians making absurd claims on television lately, and thought he ought to get in on it too.
Re:Wow. (Score:5, Funny)
WTF? (Score:1, Funny)
By the way, a press release has been posted on Microsoft's website today. It turns out that the reason for so many new Windows XP security flaws is because footballs aren't fuzzy.
In other news, RIAA says manufacturing costs... (Score:3, Funny)
Let's see, the cost and performance of PC hardware is constantly dropping, and how's the price of software been doing?
You know, if they'd just sell hummers for $100, people wouldn't steal gas anymore.
Re:What's MS going to Do? (Score:2, Funny)
In other news: (Score:3, Funny)
-Security breaches in Microsoft's products due to plugins.
-Worst hurricane season in Florida in recorded history due to a cyclic weather phenomenon.
-Global warming due to increased levels of CO2.
Okay, maybe Microsoft didn't cause those last couple, but I say we blame them anyway. They've been transferring it just a little too often, and I think it's about time they take on their share.
So, Microsoft, what are you going to do to reduce world emissions? And have you hired out enough landscaping companies to clear away all the downed trees? You better jump on this stuff. You wouldn't want to be declared the cause of cancer, would you? 'Cause I'll do it.
Perfectly reasonable from MS point of view (Score:5, Funny)
IT budgets are finite .
IT budgets typically cover hardware, software, and (sometimes) services.
Services are not much of an issue since that typically comes from staffing. It's a lot easier to shift capital money from HW to SW purchases than to shift expensed money from staffing to purchases.
MS doesn't sell hardware. Well, they brand keyboards, mice and xboxes. But that ain't where they make their nut.
Therefore, it is desirable that the entire IT budget be allocated to software. Hardware has to go.
Hardware has to go. QED.
Ideally, MS would prefer that IT budgets are spent entirely on software licenses, and no hardware at all. Without actually installing the software or even opening the boxes, there would no concerns about tech support, liability, or piracy for that matter.
Re:OK, that explains it... (Score:1, Funny)
The clouds tend to gather in the center of the sky in a valley that goes off in either direction.
In the center of that valley is a large black openning, surrounded by a ring of brown/green discolorment and it emits a foul gass with explosive force 3-4 times a day.
When he feels scared, or reads about Linux he shoves his head up into the black openning to feel safe.
This pleases his master greatly.
Re:Geez Louise (Score:1, Funny)
What the board should do is get him some press agents so he stops shooting his mouth off and pissing off his 14 year old customer base on slashdot.
Re:Wow. (Score:5, Funny)
Still, he can't change what he is . . . . . .
Re:OK, that explains it... (Score:5, Funny)
Blue with white text on it.
Re:In other news, RIAA says manufacturing costs... (Score:3, Funny)
Are people stealing gas to fuel their hummers?
Re:Geez Louise (Score:3, Funny)
Hell yeah. I could sure use some Java Applets. Lots and lots of Java Applets.
Re:What's MS going to Do? (Score:3, Funny)
In Other News... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:how MUCH cheaper? (Score:3, Funny)