Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer calls it quits, to retire within a year

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  • Reply 81 of 330

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post





    Not if you go by the comments from both Ballmer and the Microsoft Board. They both claim Microsoft is transitioning to a devices and services company, and they've only just started.




    I remember when MS made the mistake of ignoring the internet and then Gates finally woke up and went after Netscape, killing it in very short order.


     


    It's not going to be that easy this time. Damn near impossible, I'd say.


     


    Windows is a dead end road if it can't be morphed into a mobile platform.


     


    Microsoft is in big trouble. It might not look like it today... but looking out to the horizon, it must be looking rather dim for anyone with a vision at MS.

  • Reply 82 of 330
    philboogie wrote: »
    philboogie wrote: »
    Thanks for ruining the weekend Baller ¡

    Ok, I decided to not let this ruin my weekend, so I made a nice collage of him. Here it is in digital form, but I can't respond to any comments as I'm off to the print shop so I can hang it on a wall, somewhere nice, maybe replace a mirror or something. Just so I won't forget. Yeah Baller, we won't ever forget.

    1000

    Did you use "Pages" for the collage"
  • Reply 83 of 330
    nikiloknikilok Posts: 383member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post





    What are you talking about? Microsoft is the 3rd or 4th most valuable company in the world. They basically own the enterprise. Microsoft is FAR from being run in to the ground.


     


    They tend to be showing signs of the Dino ! Waiting to become the old and being taken out of those Elite league of Companies the worlds known.


    They wont go out of business for sure, coz they have diversified in many areas. So that's not going to happen.

  • Reply 84 of 330
    solomansoloman Posts: 228member
    rogifan wrote: »
    I see that as a mistake. Trying to mimick the Apple model won't work. We've already seen with the write down of Surface inventory that the public isn't clamoring for Microsoft devices.

    Ok, so what will work?
  • Reply 85 of 330
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    “The board is committed to the effective transformation of Microsoft to a successful devices and services company,” (MS Director) Thompson said.



    Not really sure what that means. I'm guessing that the Surface was simply a first effort and MS is committing to a lot more Microsoft-produced and sold hardware, and by extension less reliance on licensed OS manufacturers?


     


    I think this means more ... "We are now going to start stealing from Google instead of Apple."  


     


    Microsoft's strengths are enterprise computing and cloud.  When a CEO is fired by the board and they are looking at putting a board member in his place, generally they are talking about a re-think, and a re-organisation of everything they do on a strictly business basis.  To me this seems to mean that XBox will be gone, and trying to compete with Apple in the consumer sphere will also be gone.  


     


    Think of a Microsoft laptop (which is really what Surface is let's face it), that competes with a Chromebook and runs all Microsoft services.  


     


    I think they actually have a pretty good shot at this because Google is still currently too busy trying to be Apple, and hasn't yet realised that Android is a boat anchor and Chrome is the more likely future for them. 

  • Reply 86 of 330
    nikiloknikilok Posts: 383member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jessi View Post



    Terrible news. Nothing better for Apple than Ballmer at the helm.



    On the other hand, given the culture at Microsoft (I worked there in the past) we can be assured that if they hire from within, we're guaranteed to get someone worse for the company. (and thus good for Apple.)



    On the other hand, maybe they'll hire Scott Forstall!


     


    Scott's not an option. That would tarnish Microsoft's image.. We get a CEO that was fired by Apple ?


    No kidding !


    Plus I'm guessing Scott has signed enough NDA's to prevent him from working with companies that are in the same line of business anyways.


    NDA's are common in mid level companies, so obviously the giants have them in place :)

  • Reply 87 of 330
    philboogiephilboogie Posts: 7,675member
    Did you use "Pages" for the collage"

    Nope; MS Style - Quick 'n Dirty:

    -DuckDuckGo > Steve Ballmer !Bi
    - Drag thumbnails to Finder
    - Arange icons so filenames are covered
    - Cmd-Shift-4
    - Upload .png

    Anyhoo, has anyone seen the sequel to that terrible MS Nokia phone ad, The Wedding?

    http://blogs.windows.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2013/08/22/if-you-thought-the-wedding-ad-was-funny-wait-until-you-see-the-recital.aspx
  • Reply 88 of 330
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    soloman wrote: »
    Ok, so what will work?
    Sell off Xbox and focus on enterprise and cloud.
  • Reply 89 of 330
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member


     


    I think those are great ads but they're really ads for a camera.  


     


    If Apple can make a better camera for the iPhone (and you know they are working on it), then all of a sudden Nokia has nothing.  

  • Reply 90 of 330
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    gazoobee wrote: »
    I think this means more ... "We are now going to start stealing from Google instead of Apple."  

    Microsoft's strengths are enterprise computing and cloud.  When a CEO is fired by the board and they are looking at putting a board member in his place, generally they are talking about a re-think, and a re-organisation of everything they do on a strictly business basis.  To me this seems to mean that XBox will be gone, and trying to compete with Apple in the consumer sphere will also be gone.  

    Think of a Microsoft laptop (which is really what Surface is let's face it), that competes with a Chromebook and runs all Microsoft services.  

    I think they actually have a pretty good shot at this because Google is still currently too busy trying to be Apple, and hasn't yet realised that Android is a boat anchor and Chrome is the more likely future for them. 
    Android was a defense against Microsoft and Apple in the mobile space. I free that Chrome is really the future for Google. That's what Microsoft needs to be worried about.
  • Reply 91 of 330
    rogifan wrote: »
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Not if you go by the comments from both Ballmer and the Microsoft Board. They both claim Microsoft is transitioning to a devices and services company, and they've only just started.
    I see that as a mistake. Trying to mimick the Apple model won't work. We've already seen with the write down of Surface inventory that the public isn't clamoring for Microsoft devices.

    MS's mistake is thinking that they should make hardware to help sell their software.
  • Reply 92 of 330
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    gazoobee wrote: »
    I think those are great ads but they're really ads for a camera.  

    If Apple can make a better camera for the iPhone (and you know they are working on it), then all of a sudden Nokia has nothing.  
    And what does Microsoft have if Apple adds side by side app multitaksking in iOS and makes iWork suite of apps free?
  • Reply 93 of 330
    applguyapplguy Posts: 235member
    And with news of his departure MSFT is up 2%. What does that tell you? Know one believes in Ballmer and the future is brother with him gone.
  • Reply 94 of 330
    dnd0psdnd0ps Posts: 253member


    Well, Redmond will get another Gorilla in its city zoo =D

  • Reply 95 of 330

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by APPLGUY View Post



    And with news of his departure MSFT is up 2%. What does that tell you? Know one believes in Ballmer and the future is brother with him gone.




    Up 6.5% at this point.

  • Reply 96 of 330

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post





    In fact he could redo all of Windows with lots of skeuomorphism … images from land fills and dung heaps would be a good source for images …. image


    So... in other words, just images of lots of Surface tablets?

  • Reply 97 of 330
    rogifan wrote: »
    Why are people seriously throwing out Scott Forstall's name? What is his experience with running a large multinational? My guess is it will be someone internal or someone who previously worked at Microsoft like Ray Ozzie.

    That was the furthest choice from my mind.
  • Reply 98 of 330
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Not if you go by the comments from both Ballmer and the Microsoft Board. They both claim Microsoft is transitioning to a [SIZE=16px]devices[/SIZE] and services company, and they've only just started.


    I remember when MS made the mistake of ignoring the internet and then Gates finally woke up and went after Netscape, killing it in very short order.

    It's not going to be that easy this time. Damn near impossible, I'd say.

    Windows is a dead end road if it can't be morphed into a mobile platform.

    Microsoft is in big trouble. It might not look like it today... but looking out to the horizon, it must be looking rather dim for anyone with a vision at MS.

    You nailed it!

    Wintel machines will still be around (the trucks) but will become niche players.

    MS Office, too, will be on a steady decline.

    Apple's iWork apps on the desktop, mobile, touch and the web will disrupt MS Office (finally) for the masses.
  • Reply 99 of 330
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member


    Interesting points being made by the financial talking heads on CNBC and Fox Business. Bill Gates is still the largest MSFT shareholder and is Chairman of the Board. Therefore Steve Ballmer is gone ONLY if Gates wants him gone. No argument, no discussion.


     


    So it would appear that Bill Gates has in effect lost confidence in his old buddy.

  • Reply 100 of 330


    Let's be serious for a moment.  Yes, Microsoft in the last dozen years has made a pile of money.  A big pile of money.  And Ballmer has been there from the early days of the company as he reminds everyone when they just had 30 employees.  His involvement in the company has enriched his own personal fortune to well over $20 billion, making him one of the richest men in the world.  Most of us would kill for that kind of success.


     


    But history will not be kind for his legacy to the events of the last seven years.  Just like Microsoft completely owned the PC market in the early 90's and completely disrupted how businesses used computers (away from the established players of IBM, Burroughs/Sperry now Unisys, Digital Equipment, etc), Apple disrupted the PC business to mobile touch based devices.  The fact that Microsoft got caught flat footed by Apple when they owned a significant share of the mobile market in 2007 was bad enough.  But then Microsoft didn't take the threat seriously and allowed Google to be the "fast follower" and completely ceded what eventually ended up being the dominate position in phones and competitive in tablets.


     


    The other things that Microsoft hasn't done relates to the Enterprise.  Most of you think that Microsoft "owns" the Enterprise, but in reality, they are only one player in a market where they are being consistently squeezed.  Linux systems replaced the need for a lot of Microsoft servers in the last decade.  Microsoft never made big plays into Enterprise software, choosing instead to make bets in small to midmarket players.  They allowed Oracle to pretty much absorb a lot of important companies without a fight despite having the cash to compete.  And Amazon has quietly become the biggest player in Infrastructure-As-A-Service (IaaS), hosting much of the business Internet which Microsoft could have certainly competed in given their deep pockets and experience.


     


    Yes, Microsoft still makes a lot of money, largely on inertia from decisions made back in the '90s and of course, Xbox.  But Microsoft investors see how much money they left on the table in the largest expansion of the tech market since the 90's and the stock has languished.  CEOs are ultimately measured on their return of investment to shareholders.  And Microsoft stock has returned handsome dividends in the last decade.  But they could have seen startup growth all over again and that's what Ballmer's reign will be judged upon.

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