Zur Microsoft-Entwickler-Konferenz MIX08 in Las Vegas wurde Marketing-Guru Guy Kawasaki eingeladen, Microsoft-CEO Steve Ballmer zu interviewen. Einige brave Fragen zu Silverlight waren wohl Teil des Deals. Kawasaki nutzte aber vor allem die Gelegenheit, Ballmer aus der Reserve zu locken. Unter anderem entspann sich folgender Dialog zu Windows Vista und den möglichen Alternativen, beispielsweise dem MacBook Air von Kawasaki:
GUY KAWASAKI: Okay. Another not so softball, what’s the deal with Vista? Seriously, I mean
STEVE BALLMER: Seriously?
GUY KAWASAKI: Yes, I mean seriously. Shall I say I read a very funny blog
STEVE BALLMER: Vista, the second most popular operating system in history?
GUY KAWASAKI: The one that you get no choice in getting. (Laughter.)
STEVE BALLMER: Let me see that thing, have you got Vista on that thing?
GUY KAWASAKI: No, why would I do that?
STEVE BALLMER: See, you have a choice. You are one of the few who made the wrong choise.
GUY KAWASAKI: What if you like to use a computer like this, you can just take out of a little envelope and
STEVE BALLMER: This is heavier than my PC. (Laughter.) It’s true. That thing is heavier than the Toshiba I carry.
GUY KAWASAKI: But, this is more powerful than the Toshiba.
STEVE BALLMER: No, that thing is missing half the features of a PC. Where is your DVD drive, let me look for that. (Laughter and applause.) I’ll have a bake-off with my Tosh versus that thing backstage.
GUY KAWASAKI: Yes, but DVDs are passe.
STEVE BALLMER: Tell that to your kids on a long flight, pal.
GUY KAWASAKI: I can’t help it if you don’t sell any movies. What do you want from us. Where were we, you kind of threw me here. I thought I was
STEVE BALLMER: It’s a two-way street.
GUY KAWASAKI: I thought I was controlling this.
STEVE BALLMER: You are.
GUY KAWASAKI: I’m never going to invite you back to MIX. (Laughter and applause.)
Die komplette Mitschrift der Q&A steht bei Microsoft Presspass:
Steve Ballmer: MIX08 Conversation with Guy Kawasaki
Das ganze Gespräch steht außerdem als Video zum Download bereit (wmv und mp4)