Eric Schmitt Quotations

We're going to see a longer PC lifespan,

One of the threats to PC companies is how the demographics and behaviors of users are changing, ... People are half as likely to use a spreadsheet as they were a few years ago, half as likely to use financial management software, and about two-thirds as likely to use a word processor. The PC is becoming very much an entertainment device.

Really, we won't be on every corner like some concepts. The competition that's out there now, which is not even close to what we are doing now, is doing fantastic. Our typical customer is a white collar worker who wants something decent for lunch and is trying to stay away from the fast food.

Microsoft has to figure out a way to use the network to enhance their software. They can link to dictionary.com or thesaurus.com instead of bundling those features into Microsoft Word.

The database management companies have a tremendous asset in that they are hosting the customer data, which answer a lot of the questions of where and how to advertise. I think that's why this industry is growing as quickly as it is.

These companies suffer from a lack of distribution. The challenge is who is going to introduce these companies to users.

The thinking is that the regular Iraqi army, the ones ... sitting out there in the desert, would fold pretty quickly. But as you move up the echelons within the Iraqi military, it becomes more difficult to predict exactly what and where things are going to break.

Detroit, when it comes to the quick casual restaurant business, has done extremely well. When you look at the volume compared to other cities, Detroit is always on the top tier. You have a very strong workforce that tends to eat out every day.

This is not going to be the re-fight of the Gulf War, with tanks rolling through the desert and ... the war being declared over well before you ever get to Baghdad. Baghdad is the prize of this campaign.

It's going to be interesting to see what, if any, PC manufacturers will take a stand and say they're not going to promote the heck out of the Pentium III, ... Some are already saying, off the record, that consumers don't need the P-III.

The folks who can win are the people who control distribution. If they can do a good job of finding Web applications, they clearly stand to gain.