Ron Schenone

Ballmer – No Printed Newspaper Or Magazines In 10 Years

Posted by on Jun 7, 2008 | 7 Comments

Steve Ballmer, the new spokes person for the mighty software empire from Redmond aka Microsoft, is now making predictions about the future of newspapers and magazines. In his wisdom he believes that within 10 years we will no longer be able to view newspapers or magazines in print form. But in an article over at the San Jose Mercury news, this one statement[s] expressed my feelings when I read what Stevie had to say:

Technology has yet to deliver a replacement for the convenience of having a paper product to take along on the subway, to the bathroom (insert joke here), to the doctor’s office and to read at the checkout stand.

We are all aware that one can read the latest news on your iPhone or other gadget, but the one word that sticks out is convenience.  Putting the issues of being ‘green’ and saving a tree aside, tossing out printed material may be harder than one might think.

But what do you think? Is Ballmer onto something? Or should he stick to computers and his quest of Yahoo?

Share your thoughts.

Comments welcome.

Source.

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  • Ryan

    And this means that you’ll no longer be able to view them unless you’re using Windows 2018, or Windows 2018 Mobile, doctor’s offices, hospitals, etc. won’t be able to print them out for their patients to read in the lobby because that violates the licensing agreement and the DRM won’t leat you do it anyway, and since it’s in electronic, Microsoft only format, instead of just buying a newspaper for 50 cents or a magazine for $30, now you need an expensive computer or handheld device, oh yeah internet connection is mandatory, and if something has been published that the government, Microsoft, etc doesn’t like, the information can just be silently erased without your consent.

    Sorry, but that doesn’t sound like anything I wish to be involved in, I guess Orwell was right, there will be those that can’t read, and those that can read, but only what “The Party” allows them to. Doubleplusungood indeed.

  • Ryan

    Spelling mistakes are a biznatch I should go get the party to send you a DMCA order to take that down.

  • GreatDane

    My response to Steve Balmer’s digital prediction is also digital… ;-)

  • T. O’Connell

    Yeah, and the paperless office is arriving when?

  • http://profiles.google.com/bryce.watana Bryce Watanasoponwong

    Great written article. I am sure that other social media marketers can benefit from this. I will be one of them to start measuring my brand’s influence and success rates. Our brand have not been actively monitoring these measurements but I think it is important for us to start looking this seriously so that we will be able to figure if our social media strategy is effectively.

  • http://www.jasonmkey.com Jason mKey

    It’s important to keep in mind that a Facebook campaign also generates benefits that can’t be measured in ROI (a financial calculation).

    Measure ROI when you can, but also know that there are some limits.