User: razor88x

Refighting Apple's War

On: Microsoft Goes Head-to-Head With IBM

The Rough Type blog points out how closely Microsoft's new marketing message echos the "power-to-the-people" message that Apple used against IBM 20 years ago:

Yesterday, Microsoft launched an assault on IBM using a very similar message. Microsoft, said CEO Steve Ballmer, offers "people-ready" computing. "Our innovations facilitate the power of people," he went on, drawing a direct comparison with IBM: "Their pitch is to let IBM help your company with its innovation. Ours is to empower your people to innovate. The two approaches are striking in their contrast." IBM is The Man - the hidden power behind the hegemony of the centralized, spirit-crushing Corporate IT Department - and Microsoft, like Apple before it, is going to help you stick it to him. "People, people, people," boomed Ballmer, in case anyone missed the point.

Kind of ironic.