Author Topic: Ballmer Stepping Down (Read 19,060 times)

wraith808 · « **on:** August 23, 2013, 02:55 PM »

Surprised this hasn't already been mentioned:

Microsoft: Steve Ballmer stepping down within a year

Between Windows 8 and XBox One, I knew that there would be heads to roll at a very high level. I even hoped for this. But now, I have to wonder... will this mean that things will get better... or worse?

As a C# developer, I particularly wonder, even as I start to look at Ruby, Clojure, and other technologies.

Tuxman · « **Reply #1 on:** August 23, 2013, 03:14 PM »

While Windows 8 is a pain in the ass, Ballmer made a lot of good decisions. A pity.

Vurbal · « **Reply #2 on:** August 23, 2013, 03:21 PM »

Regardless of who is making the official decision about his successor, as long as Bill Gates is on the board of directors I'm betting he has a significant say in the matter if not an unofficial veto. It's no secret Steve Ballmer consulted closely with him on some key decisions like killing the Courier tablet. Unless his power has greatly diminished that's probably not a good sign. OTOH whoever they pick is unlikely to be as clueless as Ballmer so it almost has to be an improvement.

I suspect this is probably more about damage control over the surveillance leaks, especially the new leak from the Germans about Windows 8 and TPM, than the business problems anyway.

joiwind · « **Reply #3 on:** August 23, 2013, 03:23 PM »

Shares in Microsoft jump 9% after the software giant announces that chief executive Steve Ballmer will retire within the next 12 months. (BBC)

Vurbal · « **Reply #4 on:** August 23, 2013, 03:24 PM »

Quote from: Tuxman on August 23, 2013, 03:14 PM

While Windows 8 is a pain in the ass, Ballmer made a lot of good decisions. A pity.

Ballmer made a good corporate salesman. In fact let's give him some credit. He did a great job on that side of the business. I can't think of any good decisions he made WRT running the company.

40hz · « **Reply #5 on:** August 23, 2013, 03:31 PM »

Welcome news. However, I'll believe it when I see it. Still I wouldn't want to be the man at the helm when it finally becomes obvious to even the most fervent Windows 8 fanboy that the last six or seven years have been one complete disaster for Microsoft. And furthermore, that this is directly attributable to the miscalls and hubris of the topmost layer of management.

What I really wanted to say...

[attach]

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #6 on:** August 23, 2013, 03:50 PM »

This thread wouldn't be complete without this piece of musical genius:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMU0tzLwhbE

"Developers Developers Developers Developers" (Starring Steve Ballmer)
Catchy as **** too! Everyone join me in a round!

But it feels weird, there have only been two chief honchos of MS, so I dunno what the "mood" will be with a third CEO when he moves on.

Vurbal · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2013, 04:18 PM »

If we're reminiscing about Steve Ballmer's greatest hits it would be a mistake to leave out this gem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qycUOENFIBs

rgdot · « **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2013, 04:55 PM »

Just because hype and fashion won doesn't mean he was wrong about that one

40hz · « **Reply #9 on:** August 23, 2013, 05:02 PM »

I know it's "the thing" to sing the praises of powerful men...but seriously, what has Ballmer brought to the table in concrete terms besides a lot of spleen and bluster? I mean sure, if Microsoft was a power company, and they sat him in front facing one of their wind turbine farms, yeah that would be something. But just spreading FUD and bully-threatening Linux and FOSS developers isn't much of an accomplishment in my book. At least Gates could code. Doing little more than being a major instigator of legal attacks (by proxy no less) for bogus IP and patent claims isn't much to be proud of. Not in my book anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tols2yYjnv0

Vurbal · « **Reply #10 on:** August 23, 2013, 06:10 PM »

Quote from: rgdot on August 23, 2013, 04:55 PM

Just because hype and fashion won doesn't mean he was wrong about that one

Actually it does. The people he said it doesn't appeal to are using it for exactly what he said they wouldn't. It took me less than half an hour using an iOS device to see that coming and I've never bought an Apple product in my life. Nor do I plan to.

Also he got the basics wrong. The virtual keyboard on a multitouch smartphone, even the earlier cruder ones, are a lot less clumsy than the physical keyboards on the Windows Mobile devices he was bragging about. That's without even getting into the multitude of other problems in Microsoft's earlier mobile operating systems.

rgdot · « **Reply #11 on:** August 23, 2013, 10:43 PM »

Quote from: Vurbal on August 23, 2013, 06:10 PM

Quote from: rgdot on August 23, 2013, 04:55 PM
Just because hype and fashion won doesn't mean he was wrong about that one

Actually it does. The people he said it doesn't appeal to are using it for exactly what he said they wouldn't. It took me less than half an hour using an iOS device to see that coming and I've never bought an Apple product in my life. Nor do I plan to.

Also he got the basics wrong. The virtual keyboard on a multitouch smartphone, even the earlier cruder ones, are a lot less clumsy than the physical keyboards on the Windows Mobile devices he was bragging about. That's without even getting into the multitude of other problems in Microsoft's earlier mobile operating systems.

I disagree and in a way you allude to it too. When I first saw the iPod I felt the shiny feel and saw the potential appeal too but ... paying that much for the shininess is a whole different issue. To me what Ballmer was saying is true in principle, that shininess can be had for less, especially when the price point is dictated by more than just cost.

Renegade · « **Reply #12 on:** August 23, 2013, 11:26 PM »

When I read the title, my first thought was, well, this:

Quote from: joiwind on August 23, 2013, 03:23 PM

Shares in Microsoft jump 9% after the software giant announces that chief executive Steve Ballmer will retire within the next 12 months. (BBC)

I had to read it to believe it!

Vurbal · « **Reply #13 on:** August 24, 2013, 02:25 AM »

Quote from: rgdot on August 23, 2013, 10:43 PM

Quote from: Vurbal on August 23, 2013, 06:10 PM
Quote from: rgdot on August 23, 2013, 04:55 PM
Just because hype and fashion won doesn't mean he was wrong about that one

Actually it does. The people he said it doesn't appeal to are using it for exactly what he said they wouldn't. It took me less than half an hour using an iOS device to see that coming and I've never bought an Apple product in my life. Nor do I plan to.

Also he got the basics wrong. The virtual keyboard on a multitouch smartphone, even the earlier cruder ones, are a lot less clumsy than the physical keyboards on the Windows Mobile devices he was bragging about. That's without even getting into the multitude of other problems in Microsoft's earlier mobile operating systems.

I disagree and in a way you allude to it too. When I first saw the iPod I felt the shiny feel and saw the potential appeal too but ... paying that much for the shininess is a whole different issue. To me what Ballmer was saying is true in principle, that shininess can be had for less, especially when the price point is dictated by more than just cost.

Except his bigger point had nothing to do with cost. He wasn't saying we can make something like that cheaper. He was saying we don't need to make something like that because it's not what business customers want. But it was what business customers wanted. That's why Microsoft fell off the map in smartphones and eventually had to cobble together the first Windows Phone OS in just a few months from retread software they had lying around.

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #14 on:** August 24, 2013, 06:19 AM »

Quote from: Vurbal on August 24, 2013, 02:25 AM

That's why Microsoft fell off the map in smartphones and eventually had to cobble together the first Windows Phone OS in just a few months from retread software they had lying around.

Just a quibble, but I think I recall that Windows Phone wasn't "lying around" - it was an entire second attempt at a phone OS built from scratch. Cobbled together to be sure, but just a different version of the MS demise in phones - "Windows Mobile" was getting stuck and Windows Phone was desperation.

I'm no fanboy of Apple, but my iPhone *is* better than the Win Mobile 6.1 phone brick I had.

Renegade · « **Reply #15 on:** August 24, 2013, 10:22 AM »

Holy crap... Ballmer made over $800 million from announcing his retirement!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb0Ht1vgDuE

40hz · « **Reply #16 on:** August 24, 2013, 11:54 AM »

Quote from: Renegade on August 23, 2013, 11:26 PM

When I read the title, my first thought was, well, this:

Quote from: joiwind on August 23, 2013, 03:23 PM
Shares in Microsoft jump 9% after the software giant announces that chief executive Steve Ballmer will retire within the next 12 months. (BBC)

I had to read it to believe it!

"Truth is a little bird singing in a tree. And it smells awful."

Apparently Wall Street and the analysts have spoken. Let Ballmer try to browbeat and bully those guys.

40hz · « **Reply #17 on:** August 24, 2013, 11:58 AM »

Quote from: Renegade on August 24, 2013, 10:22 AM

Holy crap... Ballmer made over $800 million from announcing his retirement!

Oh well. I guess what comes around goes around - even when it's not deserved. $:-\$

Renegade · « **Reply #18 on:** August 24, 2013, 01:22 PM »

Seems WilliamBanzai7 has a tribute to ol' Ballmer.

MICORSOFT TITANIC by WilliamBanzai7/Colonel Flick, on Flickr

(via)

rgdot · « **Reply #19 on:** August 24, 2013, 01:35 PM »

The next guy will make Windows 9 open source

wraith808 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 25, 2013, 04:17 PM »

Was Ballmer Forced out over the Surface?

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9241867/Ballmer_forced_out_after_900M_Surface_RT_debacle

40hz · « **Reply #21 on:** August 25, 2013, 04:25 PM »

Quote from: wraith808 on August 25, 2013, 04:17 PM

Was Ballmer Forced out over the Surface?

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9241867/Ballmer_forced_out_after_900M_Surface_RT_debacle

Probably.

If he was in disagreement with the board, but went ahead anyway, and it set the company back $900 million so far - yeah, I'd think so.

To allow Ballmer to remain in the wake of that debacle would raise questions about the board shirking its fiduciary responsibilities. And that could lead to legal action by the shareholders against the board.

Renegade · « **Reply #22 on:** August 25, 2013, 04:38 PM »

^ Seems like the BoD is really on the ball there!

40hz · « **Reply #23 on:** August 25, 2013, 05:03 PM »

^No worse than most the way they're set up these days.

Especially if the CEO has a big say in who gets on the board - as CEOs with major stock holdings like Ballmer usually have.

The whole issue of corporate governance is a joke these days since very few boards are sufficiently independent - or (in real terms) empowered to take action in advance of a major crisis like Windows 8 and the Surface are turning out to be.

We also don't know what Gates is doing in the background. Most people in the know have said he feels an extreme amount of loyalty towards early Microsoft employees. And Ballmer was #30 - so that should put him firmly in the "old guard."

Of course, it could also be as simple as Big Bill himself making a phone call and saying "Hey Steve, y'know what?, I really think it's time we oldsters get out of running Microsoft and start doing something else with the rest of our lives - don't you?"

Vurbal · « **Reply #24 on:** August 25, 2013, 06:07 PM »

Quote from: TaoPhoenix on August 24, 2013, 06:19 AM

Quote from: Vurbal on August 24, 2013, 02:25 AM
That's why Microsoft fell off the map in smartphones and eventually had to cobble together the first Windows Phone OS in just a few months from retread software they had lying around.

Just a quibble, but I think I recall that Windows Phone wasn't "lying around" - it was an entire second attempt at a phone OS built from scratch. Cobbled together to be sure, but just a different version of the MS demise in phones - "Windows Mobile" was getting stuck and Windows Phone was desperation.

I'm no fanboy of Apple, but my iPhone *is* better than the Win Mobile 6.1 phone brick I had.

Since I don't feel like going back to find my sources for this I'll understand if everyone takes this with a huge grain of salt.

Windows Phone 7 was essentially a fusion of the Kin OS and Zune interface with some PC and Xbox related features added on top. It was an entirely new attempt only in the sense that the Sidekick software they bought along with Danger had to be rewritten around Windows CE 6 due to internal MS politics.