Microsoft Asks Fed For Bailout 346
snydeq writes "Microsoft requested on Tuesday some $20 billion in bailout funds from the federal government, claiming that as the company controls an overwhelming share of the OS market, it is too big to fail. Low adoption rates for Vista, the ensuing ad campaign trying to convince people that they really do like Vista, and the increased need for development resources to rush Windows 7 to market to make people forget about Vista have necessitated the bailout, the company said. 'We want to make it absolutely clear that this is not a crisis of mismanagement,' said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in a prepared statement. 'This is simply a crisis of dollars — a crisis of not having enough dollars coming our way.'"
Slashdot was useless today (Score:2, Insightful)
At least it was funny with the pink ponies thing. Today it's just useless.
Because it's not (Score:3, Insightful)
Maybe because /. is a US based site, and it's not April 2nd anywhere in the US yet?
April saves me money (Score:2, Insightful)
Because every year I get a regular reminder of why subscribing to Slashdot would be a waste of money.
haha (Score:5, Insightful)
Too silly to be real; Too real to be fake; Too fake to be silly. So really, where does that leave the story?
But it is true (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:wait a minute here... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Slashdot was useless today (Score:4, Insightful)
The really sad thing about New Zealand... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:wait a minute here... (Score:2, Insightful)
The alternative is that capitalism works, but can take some time.
Microsoft has a lot of cash which is why it is still so strong. It's current products are coming under increasing pressure from open source, the web etc. So this may not last forever - unless of course they get a bailout.
What if it really happens in April 1, 2015? (Score:3, Insightful)
This is a April 1 joke but spare some time to think what if it really happens in the future, especially if you are a Developer who has put all eggs on Microsoft/Windows basket. Can't happen? Trust me, it happens. If someone came and told Amiga will be dead while we use that Amiga 500 miracle, we would laugh at his face.
Look to what happened to General Motors giant, especially them since they never thought about future may change, people may really pay more money to smaller cars made by companies they joked about just 5 years before.
Re:It's April 2 now (Score:3, Insightful)
It's 4+ more hours in Redmond WA before April 1 is over
Re:They are, ghowever (Score:3, Insightful)
Talk about killing the goose that lays the golden eggs...
Or at least chasing it away.
Re:They are, ghowever (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:They are, ghowever (Score:3, Insightful)
The bridge in question connects one publicly accessible area to another publicly accessible area where there are limited ways to get across the freeway in question.
Would the bridge make the list of projects if Microsoft weren't involved? No? Then the public shouldn't pay a dime for it.
While Microsoft accounts for about 40% of the expected traffic on the new bridge, they [i.e. Microsoft] are actually footing the bill for approximately half the cost of the bridge.
All the non-Microsoft traffic might simply be taking the bridge because it's there and it has already been paid for. The question is what the actual utility of the bridge is to the public.
I've driven around the Microsoft campus a lot, and I don't see any public need for another bridge in that area.
Please Stop! (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:It's April 2 now (Score:5, Insightful)
Nope, in France since we have Sarkozy, it's all year long...
Re:They are, ghowever (Score:3, Insightful)
and all those people using it are taxpaying residents, regardless of where they work. There are plenty of reasons to rag MS, this just ain't one of them, unless you are just a zealot who looks for any opportunity to find fault in MS, in which case, your opinion is worthless.
Sounds like a good plan for the city, a good offer by Microsoft, and a win/win for the taxpayers. On all other points, yea, Microsoft sucks, just not on this one.