vowe dot net :: Steve Ballmer Gets the Egg in Budapest

Steve Ballmer Gets the Egg in Budapest

by Volker Weber

Can anybody translate from Hungarian?

More >

[Thanks, Pieterjan]

2008-05-20 :: email :: bookmark :: digg

Comments

He said he really loves OOXML. :-)
No need for translation. Why not have a (kind of) caption contest, instead?

Vitor Pereira, 2008-05-20 16:55

how is this acceptable behavior any place in the world? If you do not like someone, fine. Disagree. But throwing an egg? Come on ...

John Head, 2008-05-20 21:12

LOL. Hey, the throwing of eggs is full of history and tradition! Only in McMerica could you get a web page like this:

WSJ: The Legal implications of throwing eggs

Ben Poole, 2008-05-20 21:49

Some would say Steve had it coming. After 20 years of Windows and it's a complete failure, I would agree that he needs a stern talking to, but eggs would be replaced with words if I have 20 minutes with him. Windows is a poor product with to many people making excuses for it and letting Steve present ideas is like have Saddam Hussein talk about Democracy, Compassion, and Leadership.

David Vasta, 2008-05-20 22:47

I am no fan of Ballmer, but no one deserves to be attacked like that in public. What I found amazing is the lack of a response from the organizers.

Ken Porter, 2008-05-21 03:48

Sorry David, but no matter what he or Microsoft did, it doesn't matter. The difference between Ballmer/Microsoft and Saddam Hussein is ... oh ... the consumer had a choice!

Throwing the egg is just rude. I would throw the kid out of school for that.

Ben - I bet you if a kid threw an egg at a door in the UK, and the homeowner didn't like it, charges could be pressed just as easy as in the US

John Head, 2008-05-21 05:46

but no matter what he or Microsoft did, it doesn't matter.

@John, I disagree. As far as I understand from the articles now available on the issue, Ballmer was on a court trial meeting for abusing 25 million dollars from Hungary.

The method chosen by the fellow student might not be orthodox however, the whole issue here was rising attention on a scandal involving the Hungarian administration and Microsoft.

This guy certainly succeeded.. :-)

Pieterjan Lansbergen, 2008-05-21 06:59

What is worse, I wonder: egg or cake? (these MS CIOs live dangerously...)

Jan-Piet Mens, 2008-05-21 08:06

hello,

as i am Hungarian he was saying: "this guy and this firm causes a lot of problems to Hungary we will suck from the money-driven government like this". One of the organizers said: "how dare you do that, come out and you will be fired from this place immediately!"
On the T-shirt it was saying: Microsoft = corruption
And, yes Pieterjan has right, the whole issue is about having greased the government's officials palms (=bribe money) with 25 millions for choosing M$ in the schools.

BTW it is a traditional old fashion (based on theather-critisism) to express yourself like this... :-) On the other hand, the sec. guards were not alarmed at all... :-(

And, of course it is not common nowadays to have "actions" like this, but believe me, it is probably better than shooting the people as in the US or
make bombs like terrorists.

P.S: do not forget: every RE-Action is reacting an ACTION...

Istvan Nagy, 2008-05-21 09:37

That highlights an interesting cultural divide.

American readers seem outraged. Europeans seem more accepting.

Perhaps this is due to the long standing acceptance in many European countries of egg throwing as a form of political protest. For example, there's the famous incident involving John Prescott during the 2001 general election campaign. Prezza didn't take cover either. He waded in with an impressive left hook as I recall.

And it could have been so much worse for Mr Ballmer too.

Steve made himself a political target when he railroaded through OOXML. If an egg is the worst protest he suffers as a result then he's got off very lightly.

Chris Linfoot, 2008-05-21 11:20

john, the world wanted a standard, but microsoft gave it an illegal monopoly. how is this acceptable behavior any place in the world? arresting a guy who tries to punch your face, fine. but listening to a microsoft top guy without throwing an egg at him? come on...

jan stegmann, 2008-05-21 12:28

He recovered well though in fairness to stevey...

By the way, am I the only person that thinks he is very similar to Jeff Bridges in Iron Man?

Paul Mooney, 2008-05-21 16:56

For all who think I am nuts. I agree with the egg thrower. Microsoft has done some odd things over the years to stop growth in other markets. Take Lotus for example. Microsoft has played dirty with Lotus for years and while it's outrageous no one here in America cares but when you really think about it what they have done is really bad.

I think as people we need to voice our outrage and stop being so damn passive about everything. We were all given a voice and while we may not agree with everyone all the time that is not the point, the point is we need to be vocal and if someone has pissed you off then you need to go over and explain your thoughts.

Why have an open forum in a country you bribed and not expect that to happen?

What the guy did with the eggs was his voice. While a bit messy and I would have used a pie or something and egg is a very nice non-harming weapon. We in America have lost the idea that we have a voice and we can use it, instead some think we need to be passive and hold our tongues. Only to allow someone to talk for us.

Microsoft is a very large very hard to deal with company and while I respect the progress they have made, they hinder much more than they foster. The will purchase competition to only shut it down and they have bribed and threatened all kinds of folks to get then not to use anything but MS products. I have seen all sides of this coin in 18 years of IT and Microsoft is a dirty trickster. Steve right now gets most of the eggs in that he has been the most vocal.

@John, you said "The difference between Ballmer/Microsoft and Saddam Hussein is ... oh ... the consumer had a choice!" No idea what that means you obviously are not as funny as you think you are or you missed my point either way I am confused by your comments. Maybe I missed your point too....

David Vasta, 2008-05-21 19:53

I thought Ballmer handled it as it should have been handed, and everyone moves on. Making a big deal of it is silly.

As for “Ben - I bet you if a kid threw an egg at a door in the UK, and the homeowner didn't like it, charges could be pressed just as easy as in the US”

Um, no. No-one sues for stuff like that here, that would be a complete yolk! We’re not quite as eggstraordinarily litigious as the US (yet).

(Sorry about that).

Ben Poole, 2008-05-21 20:30

You've made your bed, now you must lie in it. That's what I think about. He is an aggressiv bargainer, now he got an aggressive response. That's only fair.

Richard Kaufmann, 2008-05-21 22:41

I think it's wonderful that Microsoft have now stooped to bare-faced bribery to win the endless battle with Google - they are getting ever more overt in their adventures!

Nick Daisley, 2008-05-22 09:32

This is a disgrace - the guy could have at least had some target practice!

Colin Williams, 2008-05-26 21:43