Microsoft CEO Signs Student's Mac Laptop

Liz Str8 writes "When Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, spoke at a Nashville Technology Council event held at Trevecca Nazarene University, he participated in a 'meet and greet' session with students from local colleges and universities. At that event, a Trevecca student asked Ballmer to sign his Mac laptop. In an action that Tech Flash blogger Todd Bishop described as 'a scene that will make Mac fans feel like they're watching Thomas Kinkade scribble on a Van Gogh,' Ballmer graciously agreed to do so — right across the Mac logo."

Why do people like to write MAC in ALL CAPITALS?

[Anonymous Coward]

I've seen this a few times, so let's clear the air:
Mac = The brand-name for a line of computers that Apple, Inc. develops, markets, and sells.
MAC = Media Access Control (Ethernet, etc.), or Mandatory Access Control (SELnux, etc.)

Re:Why do people like to write MAC in ALL CAPITALS

[brxndxn]

You're pushing the nerd envelope - even for Slashdot..

Re:

[muphin]

Because its an acronym for Machintosh Apple Computer

Re:

[aliquis]

It's Macintosh.

And is that really a fact or something made up just because it happened to work?

I for sure use it as a short for macintosh.

Re:

[MrShaggy]

MAC'liness = GOD'liness

Re:

[StripedCow]

Media Access Control, now that exactly covers what Apple has been doing with its app-store and its DRM'ed iTunes.

Two things I don't understand:

[GNUALMAFUERTE]

1st: How can someone be in the same room as Ballmer and control the impulse to insult, hurt and humiliate him.
2nd: How can someone destroy a laptop like that. Now it needs to burn to be purified :)

Re:

[_merlin]

Ballmer's actually a good guy when you're having a beer with him. I've never had to work for him - he might be a total dick as a boss - but I wouldn't mind meeting him again for another beer.

Re:

[_merlin]

No, I'm serious. I met him at an IEEE 802.11 working group conference once. He was a cool guy when he had a beer in his hand.

Re:

[yurtinus]

So... you're in the same room as the guy and your biggest worry is about *you* not humiliating *him* ??

Shouldn't you have more pressing issues on your mind? Like ducking that incoming chair?

Re:

[aliquis]

Now it needs to burn to be purified :)

Hey, it was an Apple product*. I don't know which one is worst but it's not like it wasn't doomed in the first place.

* Rewrote mac into Apple product just because macs used to be nice and was (together with the OS) one of the interesting products from Apple. Nowadays I wouldn't give the hardware any merits but I still don't want to pretend like macs have always sucked or that I have anything against them by default.

I wonder what he wrote on it.

[ModernGeek]

It looks like he wrote a note or something on it. I love how he looks away from the crowd and towards the ground a lot. For being such a big guy with a large personality, he doesn't carry himself with a lot of confidence.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

It looks like he wrote a note or something on it.

As far as I can read it, he wrote "Need a new one?"

Re:

[clone53421]

Obviously neither of you read TFA, because it already stated that:

And the Microsoft CEO eagerly obliged, signing his name directly on top of the Apple logo and then adding the note, "Need a new one?"

(TFA? Who reads that?)

Re:

[llvllatrix]

Laptops, laptops, laptops?

Re:

[NSN A392-99-964-5927]

that Steve-O has a sense of humor and can be a good guy? I errrrrrr..... he also is balding on purpose, works out daily and has tons to cash!

If you are a cyber criminal and zoom in on the photogragh, you have his signature. Silly man. talk about signing your life away. This is why I have two signatures. One is not good enough nowadays. Anyone want to order a blow up doll in his name! *chuckle*

Re:

[MrShaggy]

As long as the doll can look like Bill Gates.

Re:

[NSN A392-99-964-5927]

As long as the doll can look like Bill Gates.

Shaggy! Scooby doobie doooooooo!

Re:

[aliquis]

As long as the doll can look like Bill Gates.

A very surprised Bill Gates.

What's the big deal?

[Locke2005]

All modern Macs are perfectly capable of running Windows, or even running both MacOS and Windows at the same time using Boot Camp, Parallels, etc. Furthermore, Microsoft Office has been available for Macs forever; Microsoft is a major Mac software provider. Unlike his comments about Google, Ballmer has never said "I'm gonna kill mother fucking Apple!" I just don't see why Ballmer signing a Mac has any significance at all.

Re:

[Actually, I do RTFA]

Microsoft Office has been available for Macs forever; Microsoft is a major Mac software provider

And a large shareholder of Apple.

I just don't see why Ballmer signing a Mac has any significance at all.

Umm... it's a slashdot holy war? No signifcance at all.

Re:

[ArundelCastle]

I just don't see why Ballmer signing a Mac has any significance at all.

Because people, including myself, like to forget that Microsoft helped Apple out in 1997 [wired.com] to the tune of $150 Million.
So that we don't have to entertain the thought of thanking MS that Apple survived long enough for the product to exist.

This story is far less significant than Bill Gates face on the big screen [youtube.com] at an Apple keynote.
Boos, then cheers. Classic. Say hi to the new Apple.

$$ Anyone?

[SeeSp0tRun]

Sell that on eBay, and there's a year of student loans paid off.

Missed opportunity

[DarthBling]

Meh.

I would of had him sign a chair instead.

Pilgrims in an unholy land...

[jrister]

This reminds me of the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Indy gets pushed into the crowd and Hitler takes the Grail Diary and autographs it. I should make clear that I dont care for Mac or Micro$haft either one. Just the imagery and irony of it all...

My laptop is cooler :)

[llvllatrix]

http://rishiramraj.deviantart.com/art/Gnu-Linux-Autographed-Laptop-64546718 [deviantart.com]