Ballmer's Retirement Was Earlier Than Originally Planned

[Guest]

First off, Windows 8 is faster than Windows 7 and I noticed that from the first day.


And as for the people who are afraid to move on, that's just the nature of technology. You don't have to buy it, but if you work with anything long enough you'll get used to it. Then they change something. You still don't have to buy it, but technology keeps moving on.

 

[Nspace]

I agree with Alidan focus:
Ballmer main efforts were the "transformation to a devices and services company".
Which might had been a wrong direction, or not so...much.

Yes, it does depend on implementation, but I hint the problem lies deeper
Ballmer vision, mission and strategy appears as trying to bring Microsoft as the frontrunner of a race, that is increasingly starting to fade out.
Yes, for starters to have a central CEO that eclipses/fires everyone else that shines or that has a taste of difficulties is a no-go for teamwork and stops renewal and ideas right at where should be boiling.
More importantly trying to transform its customer base into a service renting one instead of owners of their software, is a dumb move more attuned to the 90s or 00s than 10s or beyond.
Nowadays you want to empower your customers, you want them to feel comfortable in THEIR environment, not suspicious of next iteration pricings, feature reduction schemes or what else? That said, Office 360 works because it gives options, particularly for temporary users, but trying to replace its main business into such, precisely where W8 and Xbox where heading... is just dumb.

//Therefore the question now is not who is going to run Microsoft? but what strategy is actually going to take?.. A blood leecher or a features, software, products, services provider that is actually wanting to improve customers satisfaction and thus, corporate revenue.
Realize both sides are in this for the long term.

PS: Do have to mention that only a few weeks ago we are starting to realize that W8 has completely scratched off the whole sector of musicians, performers, studios, etc. that have been using MIDI, because Microsoft fired or reassigned the people in charge a couple of years ago! W8 modern UI has zero MIDI capabilities. Those in the field understand this gross error.

 

[boytitan2]

That image of Ballmer is much more fitting. Not as good as not see his face ever again once he retires but much better.

 

[beverlysquare]

When I bought Win 8.0 for the desktop pc late last year I was so disappointed by the simplicity and lack of customisation. The desktop OS gave me no desire to venture into the platform any further on any other device. I have learned to live with this disappointment, but have also keenly since watched the progress of the different mobile OS options with relief.
Hopefully new updated Win 8 releases will release me from this disappointment but the damage to perception takes some undoing.
Then there is the hardware controls on OEMs which has left them as mobile laggards.
Nokia shareholders should feel burned by the recent Lumia buyout.
Thank goodness the competition is vibrant on the mobile device front.
Microsoft's position in the mobile market and the retracting desktop market is to my eye, an obvious reflection of what Microsoft have created.