Michael Dell: "I'd be glad to take on Steve Ballmer any time"

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Angus Kidman14 August 2008, 7:57 AM

Dell is getting into the operating system business, and Michael Dell is unashamed about taking on one his biggest suppliers, Microsoft.

Dell's push to enable faster notebook boot times is placing it in near-direct competition with Microsoft, its main OS supplier, but CEO Michael Dell appears unconcerned, boasting "I'd be glad to take on Steve Ballmer any time".

One of the key selling points for Dell's new range of Latitude business notebooks is its Latitude ON feature, which provides a near-instant boot and access to email and Web browsing. Latitude ON (codenamed BlackTop in its original form) works by using a separate, Linux-based software system and dedicated sub-processor and flash memory for speedy performance. Initially, it will be offered on the Latitude E4200 and E4300, with commercial launch planned for the fourth quarter.

"It's a Dell developed operating environment that's sub-processor and that uses all the major system ingredients that you'd want to use for something like this," Dell said at a media event for the new Latitude range in Delhi. "We see this as another mode of the computer."

As a strategy, the move represents something of a vote of no confidence in Microsoft's Windows Vista, which has been heavily promoted as providing a fast and efficient mobile experience. Presented with that scenario by APC's roaming reporter and asked if he was worried that Dell's move into developing operating environments might lead Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who is notorious for displays of public emotion, to drop around and kick his head in, Dell appeared unconcerned. "I'd be glad to take on Steve Ballmer any time," Dell said.

Both Dell and Ballmer are well-known as fitness enthusiasts, so picking a winner might prove difficult. Dell also indicated that he had no plans to quickly exit from his role as CEO, which he resumed in January 2007, in the near future. "I'm still a relatively young guy so I think I can keep doing this for a while."

Disclosure: Angus Kidman travelled to Delhi as a guest of Dell.

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Me In Oz (Senior member):

Gentlemen ..... Grab your chairs !
My money's on Ballmer, he's got the (chair throwing) runs on the board :P

14 August 2008, 8:26 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Tin (Advanced Forumologist):

My analysis of the situation:
Ballmer's chairs are very heavy due to the classiness. They are also known to randomly fall over... but they do look pretty these days.

Dell's chairs on the other hand are cheap, plastic and mass produced. They aren't very solid, but they are generally reliable enough. And because they are cheap and flimsy, that gives Dell a massive weight advantage. He should be able to throw plenty while Ballmer's still trying to get his to stand up straight.

14 August 2008, 9:34 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Me In Oz (Senior member):

LOL, Tin :D
Dell has to land many blows while Ballmer just has to land one !

14 August 2008, 9:36 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Aubrey (Frequent poster):

Not really. In the time between Ballmer threatening to throw the chair and it actually arriving at Michael Dell, a whole lot of promised features will have fallen off. Ballmer's chairs defy the laws of physics because despite loosing features through the process, they actually become heavier and slower by the time they hit the target. Some of his recent chairs have actually glanced off the target without doing much at all. His strategy is then to threaten to throw a much better chair "very soon".

14 August 2008, 10:12 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Hemma (Cornerstone member):

With a claim like that.... they'd better make this one work... otherwise it's going to be the most embarassing thing to happen to dell... ever.

14 August 2008, 10:00 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

thepumpboy (New user):

wasn't it Mr Dell who said if he was running Apple, he would close it down and give the money back to the shareholders? Just a thought...

14 August 2008, 3:25 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Jeff (User):

I think the idea is a good one, but I'd like to see it possible to use both at once and be able to switch between the two. Then you could use the Latitude On part for emails and web browsing, and then switch over to the power side to do any heavy lifting that needs to be done.

14 August 2008, 3:46 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Advanced Forumologist):

Quoting Jeff:
and then switch over to the power side to do any heavy lifting that needs to be done.

Wouldn't you think a well evolved operating system would have been able to achieve this? It's a sad indictment on Microsoft that for every gain they have achieved with Windows there are as many detract ions.

Microsoft has tried and tried with power management and failed dismally. Firing up Windows 3.1 on some museum piece 386 is actually faster to the get go than anything current.

That Dell has resorted to embedded OS chip sets to achieve some basic functionality, shows the failure in current OS's to deliver real improvements in usability. Something for the & development team to have a long look at, and something I doubt they will even consider.

18 August 2008, 9:08 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Me In Oz (Senior member):

Quoting Raindog:
Firing up Windows 3.1 on some museum piece 386 is actually faster to the get go than anything current.

And DOS6 started up quicker on a 286 too !
So your solution would be to go back to typewriters for quicker access to word processing ?
You are incapable of posting a comment without a dig at MS. Maybe that typewriter is all that will satiate your luddite type mentality !

21 August 2008, 10:15 AM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Advanced Forumologist):

Quoting Me In Oz:
And DOS6 started up quicker on a 286 too !

exactly. So it looks like MS is no longer capable of optimal code.

Quoting Me In Oz:
So your solution would be to go back to typewriters for quicker access to word processing ?

No. That is your flawed solution. Do you suggest that improvement could not have been made in these areas?

Quoting Me In Oz:
You are incapable of posting a comment without a dig at MS.

No I am capable of critically analysing the kind of products we are being delivered an pointing out weaknesses that successive new versions have failed to address.

Quoting Me In Oz:
Maybe that typewriter is all that will satiate your luddite type mentality !

Maybe I am just less prepared to accept what is dished up, and even less likely to become exited about what is nothing more than a reworked GUI passed off as innovation.

25 August 2008, 7:47 PM (2 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Fungyo (New user):

Sounds like SplashTop developed by DeviceVM which can be found on Asus motherboards called Express Gate.
Currently SplashTop can't be run simultaneously with your other main OS but I'm sure it will be worked out.

14 August 2008, 9:26 PM (3 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend