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Breakdown: How Apple Blew By Microsoft
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Breakdown: How Apple Blew By Microsoft
Updated: 1 hour 41 minutes ago
Ernie Smith Contributor
AOL News
(May 27) -- Thirteen years ago, Microsoft had to prop up its arch-rival Apple with a loan. On Wednesday, Apple's market capitalization became bigger than Microsoft's, completing one of the most dramatic turnarounds in business history (not to mention further validating one of the most effective loans in business history). How did it happen? Here's how:
The turnaround has been stunning. Read how it happened here.
How Apple Passed Microsoft: A Breakdown - AOL News
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Consider these posts as my way of introducing you to yourself.
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"One ticket to Washington, please. I have a date with destiny."
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I've heard Apple's surpassing of MS' marketcap described as "Using an airport truck to run over a broken-backed company grieving over the loss of it beloved chimp named Art Linkletter."
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Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey 
Who died?
I find it highly Alanis-Morrisette-style ironic that the link goes to AOLNews.
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Nothing too shocking here, but Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has made his first public comments on his company's recent slippage in market cap, and he's unsurprisingly downplaying the numbers. Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Ballmer said simply that "we are executing very well," and "that's going to lead to great products and great success," later adding that, "I will make more profits and certainly there is no technology company in the planet which is as profitable as we are," and that "stock markets will take care of the rest." What's more, while he seemingly didn't refer to Apple by name, he did say that "it is a long game," and that "we have good competitors ... we too are very good competitors." As you might expect, Ballmer was also asked about the recent shakeup at Microsoft, but he apparently wouldn't say anything more than that he "wouldn't predict any drastic changes" in strategy for the division, and that "we'll have to accelerate plans" -- although it's not exactly clear what will be "accelerated."
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Your plethora of threads each day are incredibly boring and filled with the same amount of content as the average person's RSS feed or Google homepage.
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Originally Posted by imitchellg5
Your plethora of threads each day are incredibly boring and filled with the same amount of content as the average person's RSS feed or Google homepage.
I thought this would be something of interest to discuss. 
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Consider these posts as my way of introducing you to yourself.
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Originally Posted by aberdeenwriter
I thought this would be something of interest to discuss.
It is. Well, at least it's better than your other recent attempts.
The answer is, Jobs. I mean, seriously, who do you think is more competent, the Steve or the monkey boy?
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"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
- Thomas Paine
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Originally Posted by Shaddim
who do you think is more competent, the Steve or the monkey boy?
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" * Apple Vs. Microsoft, 1997Apple, looking like it was on its last legs, put Steve Jobs in charge in a last-ditch effort to keep the company alive. The situation was so dire that they had to get a $150 million loan from arch-nemesis Microsoft, who by that point had become the 800-pound gorilla thanks to Windows 95. Meanwhile, Apple was playing catch-up with Mac OS."
Apple was playing catch up with their OS?
LOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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hayesk
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Originally Posted by downinflames68
" * Apple Vs. Microsoft, 1997Apple, looking like it was on its last legs, put Steve Jobs in charge in a last-ditch effort to keep the company alive. The situation was so dire that they had to get a $150 million loan from arch-nemesis Microsoft,
Not quite. Apple had a few billion in cash reserves even then. They were even selling a few million Macs a year. Not as good as today, but not terrible.
Apple had a PR problem, and an excessive management problem. Gil Amelio fixed up their finances, excessive management, and did it with a $768 million dollar write-off in a single quarter. Little or careless analysis of that quarter just fueled the "Apple is dying" fire and the press continued the "beleagured" mantra. Sales only then started to become affected.
The $150 million non-voting stock purchase (it wasn't a loan) and the Gates announcement was a PR move - nothing more. A brilliant one, but the $150 million stock purchase did not significantly affect Apple's finances at all.
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It's shocking how many people believe that Microsoft "saved Apple" in the 90s with that "massive" loan. It seems to come up all the time on other message boards... I really think that a lot of people really think it's true. Or really want to think it's true and never really read up on what happened and why.
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Originally Posted by imitchellg5
Your plethora of threads each day are incredibly boring and filled with the same amount of content as the average person's RSS feed or Google homepage.
WTF? Why the hate? Judas Priest.
Some of us don't believe in RSS feeds -- I'd rather wait and see what interests the folks I know & recognize here on MacNN. The Forums end up screening out a lot of useless noise.
Aberdeenwriter, I started to write in yesterday to thank you for the OP. I reposted it to my blog for my students -- thanks for putting it up.
So there.
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To be fair, this is actually a sort of interesting topic. It's just easy to rip on Abe after he posted 50 or so RIP/injury threads about celebrities.
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It'd be also easier to "discuss" the topic if he posted more than one bland line along with the link.
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Originally Posted by hayesk
The $150 million non-voting stock purchase (it wasn't a loan) and the Gates announcement was a PR move - nothing more. A brilliant one, but the $150 million stock purchase did not significantly affect Apple's finances at all.
I believe it also included a promise from MS that they would continue to develop Office for the Mac for 5 years so Apple could continue to remain viable as a computer choice for businesses/those consumers that needed file compatibility. Because around that time, there was little to no competition for Office.
And to be fair about the "catching up to Windows 95" Apple had been failing rather spectacularly to produce a next generation OS to replace/advance MacOS. I don't think it's accurate to say they needed to "catch up" to MS, but the tech in MacOS was pretty old...
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It was still much better than windows. Still is.
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Originally Posted by downinflames68
It was still much better than windows. Still is.
Don't disagree there.
Although time has softened the memories of my frustrations of troubleshooting extension conflict. 
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Originally Posted by finboy
WTF? Why the hate?
Originally Posted by George Bernard Shaw
It is impossible for a MacNNer to open his mouth without making some other MacNNer hate or despise him.
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Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
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Originally Posted by -Q-
I believe it also included a promise from MS that they would continue to develop Office for the Mac for 5 years so Apple could continue to remain viable as a computer choice for businesses/those consumers that needed file compatibility. Because around that time, there was little to no competition for Office.
It was also a pay-off to Apple so that Apple wouldn't sue over stolen Quicktime technology found in Video for Windows.
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
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Originally Posted by finboy
WTF? Why the hate? Judas Priest.
Some of us don't believe in RSS feeds -- I'd rather wait and see what interests the folks I know & recognize here on MacNN. The Forums end up screening out a lot of useless noise.
Aberdeenwriter, I started to write in yesterday to thank you for the OP. I reposted it to my blog for my students -- thanks for putting it up.
So there.
Thank you.
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Consider these posts as my way of introducing you to yourself.
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Originally Posted by Doofy
Shut up! 
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"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
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Originally Posted by doofy
How come the grinning face icon keeps reverting to :d ?
Ah, I get it. The period I added afterwards in order to satisfy the 3 character minimum changes the capital D to a small d.
(
Last edited by aberdeenwriter; May 28, 2010 at 01:39 PM.
)
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Originally Posted by aberdeenwriter
Ah, I get it. The period I added afterwards in order to satisfy the 3 character minimum changes the capital D to a small d.
Nope. Try again.
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