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[TheSentinel]

Ballmer's biggest blunder ever? The mis-naming of Metro

Summary: Under Steve Ballmer, Microsoft has become a stagnant technology company, but until the Metro trademark fiasco I didn't think Ballmer was an incompetent business manager.

By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols for Between the Lines | August 3, 2012 -- 15:58 GMT (08:58)

I have a low opinion of Microsoft, but even I never saw Microsoft under Ballmer making such a basic blunder as not checking out the trademark for Metro, the most distinctive name attached to Windows 8. Just how dumb is Ballmer?

Seriously. This is business 101. Oh, Microsoft is claiming now that the ?Metro de-emphasis is not related to any litigation,? but they're refusing to answer on questions about the Windows 8 Metro name conflicting with the German company name Metro AG. Metro AG isn't talking either. Interesting, huh?

In addition, Microsoft, after years of pushing the Metro brand, is now claiming that Metro was always just a code name. Really? That's news to me; Mary Jo Foley, ZDNet's ace Microsoft reporter; and anyone else who's paid any attention whatsoever to Windows 8.

Complete article of Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols:
http://www.zdnet.com...tro-7000002111/

[TheSentinel]

Please read in addition:

Apple patent vindicates Microsoft's Surface design

Summary: Microsoft's idea for a keyboard case was right on the money.

By Suzanne Tindal | August 3, 2012 -- 02:36 GMT (19:36 PDT)

commentary It's interesting to see that Microsoft wasn't the only company thinking about the potential for cases to augment tablets.

Apple has lodged a patent on a smart case, which can double as a virtual keyboard. In my mind, this shows that Microsoft was right on the money with its case keyboards for the Surface tablet.

More about at:
http://www.zdnet.com...ign-7000002072/