07.23.09
Live Blogging: Un-Spinning Microsoft’s Bad Results for This Quarter
Microsoft Operating Income Down 30%, Income Down 29%, and Earnings Down 26%
AS we showed before, Microsoft is about to announce disappointing results [1, 2, 3], but it will artistically try to spin its way out of this one, with the help of the press (or “mass media”). To avoid deception from this mass media and a Microsoft press release, as soon as information arrives, we shall append it below with explanations, references, and supporting reports. GNU/Linux and Free software are a major factor in the sharp decline of their most formidable suppressor and a general aggressor in the technology sector. █
Update #1 (3:58PM Eastern Time):
Wall Street Journal (ahead of the report): Microsoft Expected To Post Fiscal 4Q Pft, Sales Declines
Update #2 (4:03PM Eastern Time):
As expected, some of the press uses the strategic timing of Vista 7 news to distract from bad results.
Reuters: Microsoft deal talk, optimism overshadow results
Update #3 (4:13PM Eastern Time):
According to the press release (made public minutes ago), “Operating income, net income and diluted earnings per share for the quarter were $3.99 billion, $3.05 billion and $0.34 per share, which represented declines of 30%, 29% and 26%, respectively, when compared with the prior year period.” That’s the second consecutive sharp drop of this scale and revenue is down very sharply as well.
In reality, it might be a lot worse due to habits of fraud. Microsoft is said to have lost $18bn in 1998.
Update #4 (4:54PM Eastern Time):
Coverage from the mainstream press is starting to trickle in.
AP: Microsoft fiscal 4Q profit falls 29 percent
WSJ: Microsoft’s Profit, Sales Tumble
Bloomberg: Microsoft Profit Falls 29% as Slowdown Hurts Sales
AFP: Microsoft profit down 29 pct in weak computer market
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DiamondWakizashi said,
July 23, 2009 at 4:13 pm
“Microsoft Operating Income Down 30%, Income Down 29%, and Earnings Down 26%”
YAY!!!
zatoichi said,
July 23, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Are you laboring under the impression that Microsoft is liable to go out of business anytime in, say, the next decade? You know what this bad quarter means?
A terrific year-over-year quarter next year, more than likely, and then you’ll (I suppose) be weeping tears the size of cabbages…
I bet you watch a lot of anime, doncha, Mr. Wakizashi…?
Did you hear that Linus thinks that folks who hate Microsoft the way you do have “a disease”?
DiamondWakizashi Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Linux is destroying Microsoft’s margins, it’s much more difficult for them to charge absurd prices for their garbage products. As the worldwide transition to superior open source products continues, Microsoft’s problems will get even worse.
Also, Linus fails to understand the Microsoft threat to Linux, he should read this guide to GPL3 and change the Linux kernel license.
A Quick Guide to GPLv3: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/quick-guide-gplv3.html
zatoichi Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Linus fails to understand the Microsoft threat to Linux…
So.
I see.
Mr. Wakizashi is prepared to explain to Linus just how confused he is about these matters, is that right? His email address isn’t hard to find, maybe you ought to write him and tell him.
I’d strongly suggest that you select some sort of sobriquet which doesn’t have quite so effulgent an aura of, shall we say, a bit of a Nihon-mono fetish, hm?
I personally suspect that Linus might possibly take such advice coming from a “Diamond Wakizashi” with something less that the full seriousness it so clearly deserves. Try something a bit more pedestrian, something like, oh…Mark Fink, say.
I just dropped him a line to thank him for calling you folks what you are: extremists; haters.
zatoichi Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:15 pm
I’m certain he’s going to appreciate your email, by the way.
He really loves it when people instruct him.
本当だよ！Linusさんはそれが大好きだよ。君はそれを信じられない！君はLinusさんととてもいい友達になるだろう。君は若すぎる日本人の女の子が大好きだろう、ね？倒錯者。
maxstirner said,
July 23, 2009 at 6:05 pm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8166262.stm
the way theyre desperately rushing win 7 out, it’s bound to be another load of rubbish..
zatoichi Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:28 pm
“The way Roy’s desperately rushing stories on Boycott Novell out…”
Hey, Max, Linus says that hating Microsoft is “a disease”; he won’t refer to what he does as “free software” because he doesn’t want to be linked to “haters” and “extremists”. I guess that makes him a definitive non-supporter of FOSS (although he’s a strong supporter of OSS, like me…)
What do you think? Is Linus a Novell shill? He does draw his pay from the Linux Foundation, and Novell is a member.
David Gerard said,
July 23, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Microsoft has reported spectacular results for the April to June quarter, say completely independent tech journalists.
“With profits down by almost a third,” said Rob Enderle, “Microsoft is absolutely poised to make a brilliant recovery next quarter. Windows 7, man!”
Revenue came in at $13.1 billion, down 17% from the same quarter last year. Net profit on this revenue was $3.1 billion, down 29% from a year earlier. Microsoft shares fell 7% in after-hours trading.
“Wall Street analysts claim these numbers don’t match their expectations,” said Mary Jo Foley. “What do they know about business? They should be grateful that Microsoft made their so-called numbers twenty-two years running, and not whine because they haven’t made any of them in the last year. It’s their patriotic duty to raise Microsoft’s stock price. Wall Street are a pack of un-American communists.”
zatoichi Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:50 pm
“LALALALALALALALALALALALAICANTHEARLINUSICANTHEARLINUSLALALALALALALALALALALALALA…”
He says, it’s a disease, Mr. Gerard. Linus believes you are ill.
twitter Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Well, people actually did say things like that about Intel recently. They said it was good that Intel’s losses were not bigger and claimed that it signaled an economic turn around. This fueled a couple of weeks of stock market pumping as housewives ventured to stick more of their money into black holes like M$.
zatoichi Reply:
July 23rd, 2009 at 8:34 pm
How’s that dossier coming along, Willy? Anything I can help you out with?
Alex said,
July 24, 2009 at 11:40 am
Roy, I would suggest you set up the thread to hide the comments with a rating less than -2. Such posts could have a link next to them so one can open them if one so desires.
Thank you.
Roy Schestowitz Reply:
July 24th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Thanks, Alex.
Do you know a general-purpose WordPress plugin that can achieve this?
zatoichi Reply:
July 24th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Can’t be that hard to program, Roy.
Want a hand?