Prompt's TechBlog
Yolks on Microsoft
21 May 2008
Posted by James Gerber
Microsoft, the world's favorite multi-billion dollar software conglomerate, recently had its CEO, Steve Ballmer, egged at a conference. Literally.
Below is the video which I first caught on Matt Asay's blog.
It's hilarious, not only for the eggs awkwardly being thrown, but also for the incoherence of the person throwing them and Steve Ballmer's priceless reaction. Listen carefully to see if you can decipher the second half of what he says. I sure can't. (Something about Microsoft stealing money something something Hungarian government something...)
Ballmer actually has a great recovery and finds the humor in the situation, so kudos to him.
While some people might say that Microsoft deserved it for its lack of openness, or applaud the protest for its audacity, I say that it was WEAK and not enough.
It came nowhere near the classic Bill Gates pie-in-the-face from several years ago (gee, Europeans seem to really love Microsoft, they keep giving them free food).
None of the eggs even hit. Much worse, it was a clear step backward from a previous prank. If the software community, and open source in particular, is to foster openness, innovation, and software quality, then WE MUST DO BETTER.
We must think of the next great prank and do it with the community involved. We must join together, and find innovative methods of Microsoft-targeted hijinks, where we can do things like launch 100 pies simultaneously at Bill Gates. Or stealthily leave 1000 banana peels for Steve Ballmer to slip on as he leaves the podium. Or ridiculously-complicated Rube Goldberg devices in Microsoft's executive offices that somehow leave them tarred and feathered after opening their doors. Stranding them in a giant room with a floor made entirely of Microsoft Surfaces that opens a rickroll video each time it's touched, anyone?
I've seen the code in your intricate applications. I've seen your 3D-rendered ultrarealistic machinima. I've seen the innovative way you turn 140-character messages to haikus in your Twitter stream. Now, people, is the time to join together for the next great Microsoft prank.
But eggs? Lame.
Below is the video which I first caught on Matt Asay's blog.
It's hilarious, not only for the eggs awkwardly being thrown, but also for the incoherence of the person throwing them and Steve Ballmer's priceless reaction. Listen carefully to see if you can decipher the second half of what he says. I sure can't. (Something about Microsoft stealing money something something Hungarian government something...)
Ballmer actually has a great recovery and finds the humor in the situation, so kudos to him.
While some people might say that Microsoft deserved it for its lack of openness, or applaud the protest for its audacity, I say that it was WEAK and not enough.
It came nowhere near the classic Bill Gates pie-in-the-face from several years ago (gee, Europeans seem to really love Microsoft, they keep giving them free food).
None of the eggs even hit. Much worse, it was a clear step backward from a previous prank. If the software community, and open source in particular, is to foster openness, innovation, and software quality, then WE MUST DO BETTER.
We must think of the next great prank and do it with the community involved. We must join together, and find innovative methods of Microsoft-targeted hijinks, where we can do things like launch 100 pies simultaneously at Bill Gates. Or stealthily leave 1000 banana peels for Steve Ballmer to slip on as he leaves the podium. Or ridiculously-complicated Rube Goldberg devices in Microsoft's executive offices that somehow leave them tarred and feathered after opening their doors. Stranding them in a giant room with a floor made entirely of Microsoft Surfaces that opens a rickroll video each time it's touched, anyone?
I've seen the code in your intricate applications. I've seen your 3D-rendered ultrarealistic machinima. I've seen the innovative way you turn 140-character messages to haikus in your Twitter stream. Now, people, is the time to join together for the next great Microsoft prank.But eggs? Lame.
Labels: microsoft, open source, pranks, software
# posted by James Gerber at 2:27 PM 
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