윤석찬 (Channy Yun)
3 HN mentions · mentioned in 3 months, 2011–2012
0:55 · 159K views · Mar 7, 2008
A short clip from MIX08 in which Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer grabs Guy Kawasaki's MacBook Air from its envelope during a Q&A and mocks it.
HN uses it as a recurring example of Microsoft leadership dismissing a product that later proved significant.
3 comments from Hacker News
Yes, the problem is Ballmer. He is extremely shortsighted. Witness his scoffing at the iPhone when it was introduced [1]. Then watch his claim that the iPad is just another PC form factor [2]. He also laughed about the Macbook Air [3]. Of course, now there is a push for ultrabooks from Intel. I saw a Microsoft commercial not too long ago and the lost shot showed a PC and it was a Samsung laptop that looked just like a Macbook Pro. It's a good thing that Metro is not just a copy of iOS. The sooner they fire Ballmer the better. [1] [LINK] [2] [LINK] [3] this video
I agree that his VPs might be blowing sunshine up his arse, but that is no excuse. It’s his JOB to be such a great leader of managers that he knows how to get them to tell him the truth. It’s his job to read tons of positive press and reports and pick out the warning signs and the possible problems. It’s his job to be able to pick up one of those “cheap phones” and remember how Microsoft and cheap PCs beat Apple within an inch of death. And if nothing else, he ought to remember how well things turned out the last time he laughed at something: this video
I just flashed back to Ballmer mocking the MacBook Air 4 years ago. I guess he did want one after all. this video