Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Ballmer Says iPod Users are Thieves

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the hurting-my-feelings dept.

A 'music thief' (apparently) writes "According to Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft: "The most common format of music on an iPod is 'stolen'." He appears convinced Microsoft will lead the way in Digital Rights Management and also believes Microsoft will steal a march on Apple in making the digital home a reality because Apple "doesn't have the volumes". "There is no way that you can get there with Apple. The critical mass has to come from the PC, or a next-generation video device," he said."

8 of 1,108 comments (clear)

  1. He doesn't get it by bblazer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Since I got my iPod and used a decent music service iTunes, there have been no 'shared' music on my player. Balmer thinks that Apple cant get the job done - can he say iPod for Windows? As long as Apple continues to make accessories for other OS'es, they will have no problem competing.

    --
    My .bashrc can beat up your .bashrc!
  2. Quickie Slashdot Poll... by turnstyle · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Ok, Slashdotters!

    1) Roughly what percent of your music collection is unauthorized files from P2P like Kazaa, FTP, etc.?

    2) Roughly what percent of your music collection comes from sources like iTunes Music Store, eMusic, etc?

    3) Roughly what percent of your music collection comes from shareable sources like Creative Commons-licensed music?

    4) Roughly what percent of your music collection comes from rips of your own CDs?

    5) Roughly what percent of your music collection comes from rips of friends' CDs?

    (and what am I missing?)

    --
    Here's what I do: Bitty Browser & Andromeda
    1. Re:Quickie Slashdot Poll... by log0n · · Score: 5, Interesting

      ipod 10gb

      1. 0% (seriously)
      2. 25%
      3. ~ 5%
      4. ~ 70%
      5. 0%

      I have no idea how many songs are on my ipod atm, but it's usually pretty close to full.

      I can't remember the last time I downloaded an mp3 (not counting iTMS)... definitely not within the last 3 years.

      My views on piracy basically shifted once I got a real/steady job (~ 3? year ago) and was able to afford buying what I wanted. When I had no money (college), I didn't really have any respect for intellectual property (as opposed to tangible/physical property), things that I could get easily on the internet, etc.. I needed/wanted things, but I just didn't have the cash. Now that I can afford to buy things, my pride actually grows because I enjoy knowing that *now* I can buy things; I don't *need* to pirate to get what I want. It's a sense of satisfaction knowing that I have solved my problems of once not having money, to now having money.

      Some people are just cheap, or just like to steal for the sake of stealing. But a lot of people who do steal do so not because they are thieves but because they just don't have the finances to get what they want. Nowadays, ultimately a thief is a thief, but intentions are what differentiate a criminal from a normal person.

      $.02, FWIW, IMO, etc

  3. Re:Ballmer and FUD? Who would have thought?! by hype7 · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I don't understand the "corporate America" distinction.


    it has to do with the fact that the RIAA wants DRM, and the user doesn't. so Ballmer's looking after the corporate interests ahead of the user interests.

    What's funny is that he doesn't realise that new entertainment formats are mostly demand driven. People don't like div-x (the old one, where you had to "connect" to get movies), people don't use it. Same with DVD-A and SACD. Invariably, formats with draconian restrictions on them don't work. And although he wants to label people thieves, there's a very good reason why the iPod is popular, and MS's DRM isn't. The irony is Ballmer himself points it out in the article - "My 12-year-old at home doesn't want to hear that he can't put all the music that he wants in all of the places that he would like it". This isn't about stealing, it's about fair use. 12 year olds just want to do whatever they want to do with their music - like the rest of us. If stolen, free music is the only way we can get there, then so be it. Why pay for restrictions, when freedom is quite literally free?

    It makes me laugh, the 12-y-o son of the man running the most powerful IT company in the world gets it, but Ballmer himself doesn't.

    Which oddly enough is a theme repeated in the second article - his vision for the digital home - which involves "converged devices that integrate video, audio and computer technology". He's pretty much ripped off Steve Jobs' digital hub strategy from two years ago... and then he goes on to say: "There is no way that you can get there with Apple."

    Sorry Steve, the only organisation you can be guaranteed to not get there with is Microsoft. It makes poor copies of good products, labels consumers who want freedom "thieves", and calls out organisations who innovate as not being good enough.

    -- james
  4. The most common format of music on my WinXP box... by intheory · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...is stolen.

    So what if "[you've] had DRM in Windows for years" Microsoft? Windows did anything but halt the 13.6 million Napster users "stealing" music, et cetera.

  5. Steve Ballmer is a Douchebag by Greyfox · · Score: 5, Interesting
    But we already knew that. No one's going to buy his intentionaally crippled device, and we've already seen repeatedly just how well copy protection works in the commercial market. Microsoft will try to ram their device down the throat of the marketplace with their usual tactic (Sell as a loss-leader until no competition is left, then dramatically raise prices) but people have already had a taste of actually being able to choose how they want to do things, so I don't believe it will work this time around.

    So Steve, STFU and GTFO. The reflected light from your forehead is blinding us.

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

  6. Ha by Sheepdot · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I don't know if Ballmer has been paying attention.

    My roommate is a die-hard Microsoft fan. I don't just mean he uses Windows over Linux, either. I mean he will get compromised because of a failed update, have to reformat and reinstall, and he *still* favors MS. Why? Because of usability. Linux does not cater towards him and it certainly doesn't offer the gameplay. Mozilla/Firefox, despite what I try to tell him about security, is laughable. After all, why should he use a browser that takes 4 seconds to load a 2 second page?

    Now, despite all of that, he uses iTunes. Why? Because where other "free software" fails, Apple does not. They provide a method for him to get what he needs when he needs it. And not only that, but he pays money hand over fist for services/music through iTunes.

    So my question to Ballmer would have to be: If you've lost even your fanbois to Apple, who also has DRM, how exactly do you intend to actually gain a foothold in this market?

    On a perfectly safe side note, the percentage of my "stolen" music collection used to be 100% MP3, now it's 80% MP3. Any MS representative want to take a guess as to what the other format is for my stolen music?

  7. F- Him by nurb432 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They are really pissing me off with all this 'thief' crap.

    Just because you have an MP3 does not mean you are a thief. just because you bought an OS-less PC doesn't mean you are a thief. Just because I own a soldering iron and am an EE doesnt mean I'm some 'evil hacker'..

    I have 25GB on my 4G Ipod and not ONE song isn't from a CD I own.. I have several PC's, and NONE run some sort of pirated Microsoft OS.. Either I own a license, or its running a 'free' OS...

    I'm sick and tired of being accused of something I'm not, and then getting legislation passed that restricts my activities, and increases their market share/profit. ( generic statement, this applies to most any 'media' industry )

    To hell with them all. See how little of my money they continue to get from me..

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----