You say this as if it is a bad thing. Let's look at Steve Jobs for a moment, since you choose to go that route:
1. Steve Jobs is ill, and came very close to death. Rather than make this even somewhat known, Apple did all they could to cover this up. Why? They were afraid the sharehodlers would get nervous, and sell their stock. Despite the fact that shareholders, who invest their money into a company, deserve to know when something could greatly impact the future of that company, Apple decided their own interests were more important than the interests of those who invested in them.
2. Since when is Steve Jobs an attractive person?
3. Apple bases its products on brand loyalty/recognition. People don't buy an iPod because it's the best MP3 player out there (it isn't, by the way). They buy it because that's what their friends have. That's the "cool" thing to have. When you go out for a run, are walking down the street, on the bus, or sitting in Starbucks, and you have any MP3 player other than an iPod, people give you strange looks, as though you have insulted their eyes with that second rate device of yours. The same goes for the Mac notebooks. People love to bring their MacBook (or Pro or Air) to a coffee shop, or other "trendy" place, and stare at the screen, as though they are preparing to write the next graet American novel, when, in reality, they are likely tweeting about a bunch of nonsense that could not possibly matter less in the grand scheme of things.
4. Apple has been around for a long time. It took it almost 20 years to ever matter in any industry, and suddenly we're impressed? Respect is not bought, or given, but earned, and Apple has not yet earned mine.
5. Apple is a trend company. And, in case you haven't noticed, the newest "thing" is Google, the Android platform, and the Chrome OS. The Droid and Nexus One are more popular in news today than the iPhone. This, of course, causes the Apple loyalists to lash out because being rendy is all they have. And, for the price of the Apple produt(s) you own, you expect to have the spotlight on YOU. Now, in contrast, Microsoft has been around quite a long time as well. And, it has not only developed itself into a household name in the compute rindustry, but it shows strong signs that it will continue to be in that position for a long time to come. Microsoft products are nto based off of trends, the "cool" factor, or what is hot TODAY. They are based off of quality, long-lasting, outstanding quality. Those who disagree with that statement do so because they are likely an Apple user, and, again, don't like to admit that there is something better out there. Those who are extremists on the Linux front do so out of spite. When you use an operating system that 2% of all PC users are using, and there is another operating system out that which makes up more than 90% of tha tmarket, you lash out because you like to think, again, that your operating system is the best, and most people obviously do not agree with you.
So, Steve Balmer isn't Steve Jobs, and never will be? I think that's a pretty high compliment to Mr. Balmer, and that he would appreciate knowing it. I personally can't say that I have a very high opinion of Balmer, but I also don't dislike the guy either. As for Jobs, someone should make a pair of boots out of that snake, and then he would finally be where he belongs.
--Master Joe
