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Five Years of Ballmer -- the Effect on Microsoft

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the oh-captain-my-captain dept.

An anonymous reader writes "In the five years since Bill Gates surprised the technology world by announcing he would give up his title as chief executive at Microsoft to Steve Ballmer, the company has changed significantly. Ballmer is largely credited for tripling the company's cash balance, with sales growing from less than $23 billion in 2000 to $36.8 billion last year. Critics claim that today, we see a much 'gentler' side of Microsoft and Ballmer seems to have received an "A" in Wall Street's eyes."

7 of 324 comments (clear)

  1. A confession by skinfitz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This really isn't a troll, it's an honest statement when I sat that it was the "Monkey Boy" video that really put me off Microsoft. I remember thinking "this idiot is in charge of what happens to our Windows PC's?".

    It was shortly after that I decided to switch to Macintosh for my primary platform. Obviously I still have a PC but I only use that for games now.

    1. Re:A confession by Anonymous+Writer · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I can't honestly imagine that he really has that much of an influence over what happens to Windows on a software level.

      FTA; Gates created a new position for himself entitled "Chief Software Architect", so you've most likely hit the nail on the head. It seems like Gates now focuses on what happens on the software level, leaving all the other things like antitrust lawsuits to Ballmer. That's also probably why Microsoft has been patenting so many frivolous things lately. He seems to have a knack for the legalese side of things, and rather than coming up with exclusionary contracts for business dealings, he is now working on controlling intellectual property.

  2. Ballmer, FUD, and patents... by sebFlyte · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Five years of FUD, but financial success... He is feeling rattled by Linux though, as the recent FUD he's been spreading about patents shows. One imagines this will continue for some time to come, since his style may not be popular, but it's certainly effective.

    --
    "Nothing can shake my belief that this world is the fruit of a dark god whose shadow I extend." - Emil Michel Cioran
  3. Re:I notice they don't advertise as much by dsginter · · Score: 3, Interesting

    You'd think Microsoft would/could advertise more. What's up with that?

    Everyone thinks that they're a monopoly. Isn't that the best advertising?

    You'd think that they could innovate with their $65 billion in cash. Instead, we get a grand total of - not one, not two - but THREE color schemes for Windows XP. It is arrogance like this that will eventually displace Microsoft. Not that color schemes matter, but the company hasn't come up with anything original in a long time. This is just a good example.

    And they spend billions on R&D every year. It is like there is some law that prevents them from coming up with something both useful and non-evil. I have about a hundred ideas that they could use right now.

    --
    More
  4. Interesting by Pan+T.+Hose · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It is interesting to see how this $23 to $36 billion growth compares to the drop of the USD value during those very years. Do the math.

    --
    Sincerely,
    Pan Tarhei Hosé, PhD.
    "Homo sum et cogito ergo odi profanum vulgus et libido."
  5. Gentler?! Who's kidding who. by freshBlueO2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Come on, Bill made comment that would make you laugh and think "get real", "whatever" (One day hardware will be free and people will pay for software). Steve, on the other hand, just pisses people off to the point of demonstrating the bird.

    What's the deal with Asia's Windows XP watered-down edition. With a continent that doesn't care to much about thier pirate mafias, that is sure going to move the governments away from open source.

    Oh yeah, and since it didn't work your going to sue an entire continent over patent infirgements? How about trying that in our country first. Oh, right, you can't becuase you know you'll lose. But I guess Steve must think he can bully those he thinks are ignorant. (If I were you, I won't mess with a peoples that know kung fu).

    And how about comparing a copy of $1000+ CD vs a bottle of cognac? I'm sorry Steve, but people paid for the software, not the medium the software was bought on. And since a backup is like less than a dollar, your comment doesn't justify.

    So, what does that say about the people who seem to think Steve created a gentler M$? (RLOL) In my opinion, I think Steve is having it REAL lucky right now, or pulling an Enron. The way I see it, more and more people are moving to linux open source. Apple did it. Novell did it. IBM and Walmart are using it. Companies and government agencies are moving to it. Pretty soon the gaming industry, the only driving force that is keeping MS afloat, is going to switch over faster than you can say bubblelusicous. Then we will see a slow horrible death to MS (and their BS).

  6. Re:A from wall street, F from developers. by popeyethesailor · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Well, my experience has been completely different. The last 5 years have been the "Open"-nest period for MS. XP and 2003 are solid systems, working with Office files are actually possible(with XML exports), IIS 6 is reasonably secure, and .NET is a productive development platform for millions of developers. If you dont understand it, its not their fault!

    More importantly, is the feedback you can directly provide to MS devs- most of the key people blog a lot. Lots of commentators have influenced decisions made by MS in the past 5 years.

    The parent comment is just irrational blather.