Ballmer Claims Most Music on iPods is Stolen

[James Fee]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/04/ballmer_ipod_thieves/' target='_blank'>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/10/04/ballmer_ipod_thieves/</a><br /><br /></div>"<i>"The most common format of music on an iPod is 'stolen'," he told reporters in London today, according to a Silicon.com report. Ballmer conveniently ignores not only that there are many non-Apple music players out there, on which there are probably as many, if not more "stolen" songs. He singles out the Mac maker for attention because - wait for it - "we've had DRM in Windows for years". The implication is that DRM hasn't been in the Mac OS for a similar duration, and that's what's allowed all those stolen tracks to seep through onto the web. Windows has, of course, also had Napster, Grokster, Streamcast, Aimster, Kazaa full and lite, et al for years, but - again - none of that Windows-only music theft apparatus has registered on Mr Ballmer's radar screen, it seems.</i>"<br /><br />One reason I love Ballmer is he opens he mouth before he thinks. You get some really great quotes from people like that. There really isn't much to say about this story, other than I think if shows how important Microsoft views online music sales. Apple better load up, because Microsoft is going to do the same thing to them that they did to Netscape andWordperfect.

[Mojo Jojo]

Dancing boy!!!!

Not onlt is the RIAA labeling me as a thief but now Steve. I really think they need to move that guy to a desk job out of the lime light.

Speaking of which... in the spirit of this news post.
http://www.macboy.com/cartoons/ballmer/

[Filip Norrgard]

I thought Steve'o Ballmer was funny also... :wink:

Speaking of which... in the spirit of this news post.
http://www.macboy.com/cartoons/ballmer/
Nice! :lol: Just put down the volume if you're listening to this on your headphones...

[dean_shan]

Speaking of which... in the spirit of this news post.
http://www.macboy.com/cartoons/ballmer/

:rofl: Awesome thanks for the link.

[Suhit Gupta]

That is a hilarious video. :)

Though I do believe that what Ballmer has said is being taken too critically. I have heard from several reliable sources that Steve Ballmer is actually a very bright person. Anyways, the iPod is clearly the biggest personal audio play (though hopefully not for long ;-)) and so it is inevitable that Microsoft will attack them.

Suhit

[Mojo Jojo]

I fear that the new video (and variations of) are starting to become an in joke. Without the reference to the original 'Developers, Developers, Developers' video of Balmer some miss the humor implied.

At any rate, agreed, when your 'King of the molehill' everyone guns for you. :D