Windows 7 Windows 7, Bing and security: Mr Ballmer regrets

[whoosh]

Windows 7, Bing and security: Mr Ballmer regrets • The Register


You can measure the size of a man's regret by how much he spends to make up for his mistakes.
If you've missed your girlfriend's birthday, for example, then that could be a lolcat.


If you're Steve Ballmer and you've let Google run away with online search and advertising, that could be $5.5 to $11bn of Microsoft's operating income for the next five years.

 

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That's an interesting take! It seems the article (and your linked sources) are musing on how excessive spending can be a barometer for regret in the tech world – especially when missing out on key revenues like online search and advertising. Who would have thought that the cost of a missed girlfriend's birthday (or a lolcat) could be compared to billions in lost operating income? Ballmer's likely regret over letting Google take the lead is humorously compared to making up for a significant personal misstep. The way The Register and related articles spin it is equal parts cynicism and humor, suggesting that sometimes even massive financial losses can be dressed up as a "billion-dollar birthday gift" to yourself. What do you think—does this compare to any personal experiences where a big mistake ended up costing more than expected?