Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 179

Anyone have any thoughts about the latest news item on VisorCentral's homepage?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 42

Sounds likely typical Microsoft 'danger, fear, uncertainty' to me... Induce a little fear and uncertainty in the market for your competitor's product and watch as people start looking for good old stable Microsoft - an amusing notion...

It seems like normal Microsoft stuff, and perhaps a reflection of some underlying anxiety from MS as the Win-CE platform begins to falter.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Salem, OR, USA
Posts: 91

The difference between the Windows CE approach and Handspring's is that Windows CE is an industry-wide platform approach that includes multiple hardware manufacturers, different peripheral vendors and thousands of software developers. It appears Handspring will build both the hardware and the software themselves.

This statement is absurd and Microsoft knows it. The software is already out there and there is more of it for the Palm OS than there is for WinCE. After seeing the long list of springboard developers we clearly know that Handspring does not intend to build all the hardware themselves. This looks like typical MS misinformation. Although, the press releases are dated 9/8 and 9/10.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 200

I only think VisorCentral comments are strange:

Also, you state that the PalmOS is a basic platform, yet it currently has around an 80% share of the palm size computer market that Windows CE is struggling in. -SC-

Basic can also mean widely available or most used. Like basic food is the one that makes most of your diet.

PalmOS would benefit if MS would do ad some software. But I think it will take some time before we see MS applications running on PalmOS, LINUX or BEos.

Worst scenario situation for me would be if MS buys Palm.



[This message has been edited by HipHop (edited 10-11-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Urbana IL
Posts: 144

The most incredible example of DUF is the line "The Visor is rumored to run on the same basic platform as the 3Com Palm series of devices...."

Now, there are actual working units in the hands of the people at IW, not to mention units won by consumers at the Handspring booth. THEY ARE RUNNING PalmOS. Does this sound like a rumor to anyone? What was MS thinking?

It's almost like Micro$oft is insinuating that Visor doesn't run PalmOS. Why, I haven't a clue.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Modesto, CA USA
Posts: 599

I believe the article clearly shows that Handspring did a good job of keeping the big one misinformed. As Dkantola points out the articles are dated 9/9 and 9/10. Somebody at MS was trying to CYA because they hadn't issued any press release relative to the Visor.

They needed to satisfy somebody above them and didn't have a clue. Most of this info probably came from the discussion around the Mt. Rainier water cooler located in Redmond, WA.

They're so concerned worrying about Linux and the Justice Department that they didn't see this blow coming against the Windows CE devices at all. Way to go Handspring!

Keep them guessing...in this case poorly.



[This message has been edited by RSGMOOSE (edited 10-11-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 42

I'm sure Microsoft knows *exactly* what's going on with Handspring and the Visor - a person with the intellect of a chicken-McNugget and internet access (and I'm sure Bill Gates posseses both...) could discover in a couple of minutes that the Visor runs the same Palm OS as the Palm family... and the corrections to the other misinformation is similarly easy to find - this press release is simply MS trying to undermine the support for the new Visor.

If MS can demonstrate that *they* aren't all that sure about the compatability/capabilities/market etc. of the Visor, then the average Jo will have similar uncertainty.

MS knows exactly what's going on.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 200

Your message is an insult to any yummy tasty Chicken McNuggets!

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 179

HipHop - those comments are mine. I emphasized the <b>basic</b> statement because it seemed it was Microsoft's way of saying that the PalmOS was lacking or in some way inferior to Windows CE.

This bulletin was from early September, which I stated, but at the time there were many other articles (such as the one mentioned by Ziff Davis in Microsoft's bulletin) that already had a very good idea as to what the Visor would be.

It's just typical Microsoft, concerns Handspring and I thought you all would be interested in reading it...

Scott Cropper aka handsprung
[email protected]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, TX USA
Posts: 95

Remember one of life's fundamental sayings:

"If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bull..."

If basic means (1) works all the time; (2) rarely crashes (3) lots of freeware/shareware (4) gets the job done; then bring on the basic (seems that consumers are voting with the wallets on this one, just ask recent CE defectors like Phillips).

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 200

Well Handsprung,

September? Then it's just outdated. It also shows a positive side of MS. They show no prejustice against hiring people with no computer knowledge.

But nau somzing different. Vor ze mannie German fraends of zis petsch I faund an artikel in a deutsche Hausseite. Lies hier:
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/data/jk-09.10.99-000/

But I leik to warn ju. Zaer is nassing nu.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Endicott, NY USA
Posts: 60

I think MAYBE some people are reading a little too far into this article... when Microsoft says "the Visor is rumored to have..." it just means, "the product isn't out yet; we don't know for sure". Like somebody else mentioned, all this means is that Microsoft was left completely in the
dark about the Visor by the Handspring camp,
and had to rely on third-hand (read: Ziff-Davis) information to write their press release.

What I will take issue with, is the comment that the Visor is being aimed at the "teen market" as if it's a toy. I guess this means that the iMac is also being aimed at the "teen market" because of its pretty colors, ease of use, and ability to plug devices into it with little or no setup hassles? Funny... I never knew that teens
had that much disposable income.

Other comments in the article indicate that the Springboard slot will be a closely guarded proprietary secret, with only Handspring producing the software and hardware for it, which we all know from other articles is complete garbage. Just HOW MANY booths at Internet World were hawking hardware with the Springboard form factor?

The ship is sinking, the crew is jumping overboard, and the captain's pep talks are only being heard by the parrot on his shoulder.

-- Wizard

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 16

I am going to go with wizard on the iMac thing. I am a teen, and I don't like pretty color. I like it when its hard to set computers up, and I have no dispoable income. If i do have disposable income its spent on visors and 486's used to improve my comuter stash. Ohh, and I hope MS doesn't corrupt the Visor.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Endicott, NY USA
Posts: 60

Ladies and gentlemen... the comedic stylings of Kartracer.

My point being that style, ease of use, and true plug & play are things that EVERYONE likes in a product (not just teens, as Bill & Co. would seem to indicate). Get a clue, dude.

-- Wizard

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: LA, Boston, MO. its different every 6 months
Posts: 56

yeah, this is all just typical m$ FUD written for the misinformed. you should see their linux myths page. its all a bunch of FUD, and 90% of it isnt even true. you know you have a good product when the man is scared enough of you to write FUD directed to you. their arrogance amazes me.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

Ok, here's a question:

Who cares?

Who cares what Microsoft thinks? Why is it every time Bill Gates farts, people pay attention, whether or not they like the smell of it?

Microsoft's opinion on the Visor is irrelevant, whether it's based on ignorance or FUD. They like to pretend otherwise, and people just happily feed into it, even -- maybe especially -- when they disagree.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Rio Rancho, NM, USA
Posts: 129

Bearpaw, I have to disagree...

While MS's opinion doesn't matter to the technologically-savy, it DOES carry a lot of weight with CEO's and other folks who may not touch the equipment, but do control the purse strings.

I work for one of Microsoft's main competitors and we get to play 'Let's correct the press release from Microsoft' far too often. A lot of times, there's reality versus Microsoft-reality, but that doesn't mean that our sales force doesn't have to deal with questions about what Bill outputs (no matter the orifice).

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

Nachtswerg,

You help feed the illusion that Microsoft is worth responding to. No doubt they appreciate your support. They love having other people react to them -- it promotes the illusion that they're technology leaders. Next time someone asks you about Microsoft's opinion on something, just shrug and say "Who cares what their spin is?"

It's time people started treating Microsoft's long tradition of self-serving bs with the disrespect it deserves. Ditto for anyone who takes it seriously. If your bosses ask for a response to this or that piece of MS PR crap, ask them why they're wasting your time and your company's resources.

The only reason MS is relevant is because they've convinced enough gullible people that they're relevant. The sooner we stop buying into their myth, the sooner it falls apart.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 22

Hey BearPaw When Is the last time you used a Microsoft Product? Win9X, MS office, MS sequel Server. Hey we in America have a long standing tradition for rooting for the Under dog. As in anyone but Microsoft or Oracle. For all the things that Microsoft does wrong. And there are plenty of them (like keeping visual source save open tends to kill Power Builder). They do some things right IMHO. I�m not a Microsoft rep but I tell you what. I would hate not be able to do all the things MS lets me do. There are many fallback stances to take so you could beat the crud out of MS and I am not going to defend them. All I am saying is anyone who takes such a bold stance as to say anything from/ about / or having to do with XYZ is bad, sounds Ignorant or very prejudice.

As always Peace
Bryan

PS by definition Ignorant means lack of knowledge. Not dumb stupid or anything derogatory. Some would say ignorance is bliss.

PPS When I read the information that MS put out about the Visor I was ticked of just like I assume most of you folks were.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 81

Re-read my post. I wasn't talking about Microsoft's *products*, I was talking about their PR. They have a long history of creative spin, FUD, innuendo, and disinformation. Anyone who responds to it just supports their pretense of having meaningful things to say.

If a person played as fast and loose with truth as MS' PR, eventually people around him or her would learn to stop responding to the lies and just shrug and say, "Well, that's so-and-so, can't take 'em seriously, you know how they are." But for some reason, every time Microsoft issues a bs PR release, it's NEWS, it's IMPORTANT, gotta REACT to it. And Microsoft loves it. They're yanking people around and eveyone just goes along. They ring the bell, everybody salivates.

The hell with it. Whenever someone wants a comment on a MS press release, just say, "Who cares? That's Microsoft, can't take 'em seriously, you know how they are."