Steve Ballmer's Big-Time Error: Not Resigning Years Ago 357
Nerval's Lobster writes "Any number of executives could take Ballmer's place, including a few he unceremoniously kicked to the curb over the years. Whoever steps into that CEO role, however, faces a much greater challenge than if Ballmer had quietly resigned several years ago. Ballmer famously missed the boat on tablets and smartphones; Windows 8 isn't selling as well as Microsoft expected; and on Websites and blogs such as Mini-Microsoft (which had a brilliant posting about Ballmer's departure), employees complain bitterly about the company's much-maligned stack-ranking system, its layers of bureaucracy, and its inability to innovate. Had Ballmer left years ago, replaced by someone with the ability to more keenly anticipate markets, the company would probably be in much better shape to face its coming challenges. In its current form, Microsoft often feels like it's struggling in the wake of Amazon, Google, Apple, and Facebook."
In an interview with ZDNet, Ballmer said his biggest regret as CEO was in how Windows Vista was developed. Opinions are divided on both the nature of his resignation and what it will mean for Microsoft. While the stock price is up, BusinessWeek and others suggest the purpose of the transition is to find somebody better able to anticipate future trends. That would certainly lead to more organizational changes within Microsoft, something employees suffered through just last month. Ben Kuchera at the Penny Arcade Report points out that this could mean Microsoft will try to re-enter markets it has abandoned. He asks the company to "stay the hell away from PC gaming."
Gotta get RMS as CEO (Score:5, Funny)
At last (Score:5, Funny)
.
They should appoint Elops (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Vista (Score:5, Funny)
This. Ballmer had one job: don't fuck up Windows.
He failed at the modest task which was his charge.
Ballmer could have been in a coma and done better.
Re:Ballmer was fired (Score:4, Funny)
Continuing in this direction, I wonder if the timeliness of his announcement was based on the need to begin production of Surface 2.0. Board of directors wasn't willing to throw good $billions after bad. They got rid of the guy who was signing the checks for more Surface investment and are about to follow HP's example and bring in a CEO that will shut down tablet development and the mobile OS.
By no means am I agreeing with HP pulling plug on WebOS, but I do think Microsoft might be gearing up for more staggering losses than HP suffered if they continue with these products (Surface & WindowsRT). I expect to see WindowsRT open-sourced and tossed on the side of the road within weeks.
Re:$20B the value of Steve Ballmer leaving (Score:3, Funny)
When change happens the market does not always react the way that it did.
FIFY. I know most of us are used to the perfect grammer and sintax of the vast majority of Slashdot postings, but sometimes the unwashed masses manage to sneak pst the gatehouse.
Why do you have to bring Outlook into this conversation? What did Outlook ever do to you, anyway?
Re:Microsoft needs to be loved again (Score:2, Funny)