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Bill Gates and Sony, still unable to "Out-Jobs" Steve Jobs

forbes.com — Bill Gates' presentation gets graded, consciously or not, by the standard set by Jobs' famously theatrical presentations--and his performance Wednesday night was "his attempt to out-Job Jobs, and it didn't work," sniffed one tech executive...

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  • Berkana, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12To see pictures of why, consider this:

    http://presentationzen.blogs.com/presentationzen/2005/11/the_zen_estheti.html

    Bill Gates' presentations are busy looking, whereas Steve Jobs' are focused and uncluttered. Plus, Gates and Co. seem to think that meaningless jargon will still fly before an audience long since jaded by that kind of stuff years ago. Meaningless mumbo-jumbo and buzz words such as appending "live" to everything.

    http://presentationzen.blogs.com/presentationzen/2005/11/it_was_one_of_t.html

    Quote: "One of the goals of the presentation was to share the company's vision. But early media reports coming from the few people who attended the event have been less than glowing. Now, four days after the event, many in the media (and blogosphere) are still unclear just what exactly is "revolutionary" about Microsoft's new Live strategy and what it all means. If industry pundits don't fully get it, what hope do mere customers and investors have?"

    I think anyone who uses the term "revolutionary" for their imitation of other people's evolutionary and incremental improvements on technology ought to be sentenced to a camping trip in the mountains of Columbia to see what the term actually means.
  • Avius, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Some people are tards. Look at the CES 2006 Keynote by Bill Gates (Microsoft) and you'll see some amazing technology there. Steve Jobs is far from presenting such technology any time soon. Those ipods will get old at some point however.
  • isilex, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Awesome read!
  • Zonkzor, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I watched the webcast where bill showed how people will use computers in the future and the unveiling of the Urge music service. Gates and the main guy showing off everything did alright but the guests like Justin Timberlake and the MTV guy just felt awkward and told really bad jokes. Guess I shouldn't be expecting some sort of crazy entertainment from a trade show. :-)

    _-----_
    http://CollegeCheapskate.com
  • asdfer, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7One main difference:
    Bill Gates is talking about WHAT COULD BE
    Steve Jobs is talking about WHAT IS
  • frem001, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4"Some people are tards. Look at the CES 2006 Keynote by Bill Gates (Microsoft) and you'll see some amazing technology there. Steve Jobs is far from presenting such technology any time soon. Those ipods will get old at some point however."

    The tech he shows you doesn't seem to be relevant when you've seen it already on a mac
  • andrewr, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I think microsoft showed a clear direction they are taking in the industry, whereas apple seems to live by the moment. Just my opinion.
  • zwilliams, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Didn't bother to watch it; simply because listening to empty promises is about as helpful as spending the resources to design a house, buy all the materials, pay all the workers, put together parts of the house, only to find out you don't have any land to put the damn thing on.

    I can't think of a single thing Microsoft or MTV have done in the recent years that would even closely match up to the level of Apple's success.
  • hotwaterham, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Image is everything after all.
  • ImmortalSoldier, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Bill makes everything so complicated and too many words. On the other hand Steve makes it simple and pleasing to the eye. The KISS method is the way to go.
  • andrewr, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1One thing I see is that IF Bill Gates had gone with something more like a Steve Jobs keynote, he would still be flamed for that, so either way, he gets burned.
  • CatcherInTheWhy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Come on, Microsoft adds life to a few different products because it is an adequate description of how the products work, ie as they are online and not stored locally, whereas Apple adds the letter i before things and its suddenly revolutionary.

    iPod, iDVD, iLife, iMovies, *****

    What does "i" mean anyway in these contexts?
  • thisnameisfake, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0They must boil babies in oil at CES. All those evil companies come together to boil babies
  • CatcherInTheWhy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Sorry "Live" not life.
  • Arch, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Bill Gates needs to grow beard so he'll become a fierce speaker like Jobs and Ellison.
  • Rajio, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5developers developers developers
  • frem001, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"whereas apple seems to live by the moment"

    it only seems that way because apple keep their products a secret, but there is no way to just present something you've thought of the day before. everything is carefully crafted and presented.
  • frem001, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0"developers developers developers"

    Oh god did you see that video, *get's out the tranquilizer gun*
  • MrBabyMan, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3Consider this. Perhaps Jobs can afford to be edgy and radical with his presentations. He only has to worry about his 'boutique' OS garnering 4% of the market share. Meanwhile, Gates bland, conservative presentations are perhaps a reflection of the fact that he has to appeal to upwards of 78% of the OS market. How many enterprises use Apple servers, really?
  • flock31070, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1I think Jobs is overrated.
  • degree, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0"developers developers developers"

    I
    LOVE
    THIS
    COMPANY
  • Rajio, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0"Oh god did you see that video, *get's out the tranquilizer gun*"


    haha yah I just watched it again for a laugh. *gets out his antipersperant gun*


  • Photog, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I just hopped over to Microsoft's site to view some CES footage and it's scary how awkward everything feels. No vision, no spirit, no passion... http://www.microsoft.com/events/executives/billgates.mspx Ouch!
  • wardriver20, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I think Steve Belmer would be a lot better/interesting(at doing presentations) than Bill Gates.

    But yeah, Bill Gates to Steve Jobs is like Windows to Mac OS. :-)
  • hotwaterham, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2Jobs is charismatic and gives a good speech...but so do encyclopedia salesmen.

    I trust Jobs about as far as I can throw him.
  • neocitron, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1i will never argue that jobs is one of the best public speakers around
  • neocitron, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1we're not talking about which company is richer... we're talking about who's a better speaker... and jobs hands down speaks better.
  • ezkiel, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0"Oh god did you see that video, *get's out the tranquilizer gun*"


    haha yah I just watched it again for a laugh. *gets out his antipersperant gun*

    Heh I watched it again for old times sake. *gets out gun*

    :P
  • Nick_Circosta, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"Those who dont inovate are doomed to die"


    -Nick
  • staticten, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0"Bill Gates and Sony, still unable to "Out-Jobs" Steve Jobs"

    really, then howcome Apple's only less then 10% of the marketshare.......

    hihihihihihihihihihihi.....................what the F ever!
  • staticten, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0For those who LLLLOOOVVVEEE Mr. Jobs, are u guys jerkin off with your smiling faces just because of this article......?

    hahahahahahahahahaha................
  • cyberdork, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2"really, then howcome Apple's only less then 10% of the marketshare......."

    howcome Porsche's marketshare is even less?
  • staticten, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0"howcome Porsche's marketshare is even less?"

    that's a different story dude........then howcome Ferrari's marketshare is also less..............they're exclusive and expensive Mr. Numbnuts...........
  • staticten, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0What else can i think of Mr. CYBERDORK? HMMM?

    Howcome not everyone is wearing Rolex watches???? LEt me think...........
    HOwcome not everyone owns a Plasma T.V.?????????? Let me think.......


    GET THE POINT?
  • staticten, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Let me put this down again, it's just way too good.......

    from cyberdork:

    howcome Porsche's marketshare is even less?
  • cyberdork, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1So Apple products aren't more expensive and exclusive anymore?
    Last time I checked they were...
  • staticten, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0you don't get it......go to bed.

  • muikano, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Seriously, digg comments need some way to mass block/report people. 3/4's of the comments is utter bullshat, uninformative too.

    Jobs does do a better keynote.
    One, Steve Jobs is better looking. The devil usually is.
    Two, Bill Gates has never been prided on his looks but on his uncanny business sense.

    He starts off with a joke: wrong.
    He then tries to teach the class like Job does but overcomplicates things by narrating too much.

    Everyone should do what their good at. What Bill Gates should have done was start off with the veiled truth.
    "Hi, I'm here to beat Steve Jobs. Not just beat him but destroy him. Hehe. I've done it before right? *Wait for maniacal laugh.*
    Seriously though, I'm here to offer what Apple offers and MORE. Not just our versions of his stuff but they'll all be linked together, jumping from Office to Messenger to your Xbox. It'll all be seamlessly integrated so that USERS will be so familiar with us, they won't want to switch. Here's an example of what I mean...etc etc.

    Instead, he had boring step by step of everything without flair. He's evil. Work it. Last i heard, evil was interesting. Bill Gates was dull and hunched.
  • rolosworld, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0so... wheres Ballmer?? I haven't hear about him since the "I'm going to kill him" stuff.. MS send him to vacations?
  • Tony2Nice, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0"*gets out his antipersperant gun*" -Rajio

    Ahahaha...
  • CarbonAndroid, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Why does anybody give a crap? Comparing the public speaking ability of a couple of rich guys telling people what is in their future. What boors, both of them.

    I would rather watch paint dry.
  • caban, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1"So Apple products aren't more expensive and exclusive anymore?
    Last time I checked they were..."

    Being somewhat expensive makes them exclusive, but comparing a mac with a Ferrari or Porsche really doesn't put macs in a favourable light.

    Imagine if a Ford would have higher quality parts, stronger engine, be available in a great variety of designs, just as flashy as a Ferrari if you like, and be custom built on order while still half price compared to a Ferrari.

    Sure som people would still get the Ferrari just because it's more expensive and they like the feeling of having something exclusive, but a mac sure ain't no Ferrari in terms of performance nor looks if you compare to todays PC's.

    As for if Jobs or Gates is the better speaker...interesting discussion....NOT
    I can only agree....
    "I would rather watch paint dry."
  • MoeB, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1dude who cares, he out wallets him any day.
  • lollerskates, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0IMO Macs are more like Cadillacs. Not that powerful, costs a lot, but still in the public price range, and very luxurious (there's no doubt that Aqua is the most beautiful GUI on the market today, not counting custom mods).

    andrewR wrote: "I think microsoft showed a clear direction they are taking in the industry, whereas apple seems to live by the moment. Just my opinion."

    That is, after all, the nature of Zen Buddhism, which, in the first post, claimed was Jobs' style: "Zen."

    mrbabyman wrote: "Consider this. Perhaps Jobs can afford to be edgy and radical with his presentations. He only has to worry about his 'boutique' OS garnering 4% of the market share. Meanwhile, Gates bland, conservative presentations are perhaps a reflection of the fact that he has to appeal to upwards of 78% of the OS market. How many enterprises use Apple servers, really?"

    You are totally right. Jobs is appeasing his developers and the "in" crowd of hipsters that use his OS for image's sake and as a fashion device, where as Gates has to appease the layman, that is, everyone who uses his OS like Joe Sixpack.

    However, in response to your last question, how many companies use Windows Server? Maybe a lot more than Apples, but the number of *NIX servers still makes the above two look like dwarfs.
  • MoeB, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0"so... wheres Ballmer?? I haven't hear about him since the "I'm going to kill him" stuff.. MS send him to vacations?"

    u dont see him because u dont want to see him, maybe you should watch the CES keynote.
  • Ninjamonk, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0I preferred Bill Gates is speach because I am interested in what was said.

    Not really into Apple but it was ok.

    The point is neither cared what the other was going on about these guys are to rich to care.

    Did you see that cool monitor that gates had at his desk..... I want one
  • axemt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0mrbabyman , lollerskates : Ditto!

    I´ve been asking all along that since when is an iPod considered a computer!?
  • ElkAintMoose, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I dunno...I watch Gates's presentations and usually come away with a vague feeling of "Meh. Whatever. That'll be ok...I guess." Usually when Jobs presents, there's something that makes me go "WOW! I want that! Now!" And I gan usually *get* that within a matter of hours/days. (Xbox announcements aside, though. ;-)
  • AttroPheed, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0The author was hoping to hear about another iPod revision I guess. Must be depressing being a corporate tool.
  • Brewno, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Gate's CES speech was exactly the same as the same speech between 1995-today with the words jumbled round.
    Looking towards..future...tablet...PC.......
    Jobs has hard facts and definite dates.
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