Sleeping giant, hidden dangers

By | April 1, 2006

Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, said in an interview with FORTUNE magazine (“The Sleeping Giant Goes on the Offensive”, April 3, 2006) that he’s got his kids brainwashed: You don’t use Google, and you don’t use an iPod. (Oh mind, no Google? Does that mean his children only use MSN Search?)

But, I wonder whether it’s reckless arrogance or pure ignorance that Ballmer is disallowing his children anywhere near a competitor’s product. Doesn’t he realise that in order to beat the competition, you need to know what the competition is about?

Sun Zi’s The Art of War made it very clear: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

Ballmer himself doesn’t own an iPod either, but should he?

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