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Another Microsoft Exec Steps Down

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the another-one-bites-the-dust dept.

Arcanimus writes "On Tuesday, the corporate vice president of Windows Live and MSN marketing, Martin Taylor, announced that he is leaving Microsoft. Just three months ago, Taylor was appointed to his new position to manage the marketing of Windows Live. In his 13 years with the company, Taylor even worked directly with CEO Steve Ballmer."

25 of 315 comments (clear)

  1. What did he take when he left by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hope he took his chair!

    1. Re:What did he take when he left by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Funny

      If he worked with Ballmer, he's probably taken a chair, one way or another...

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. sinking ship? by EggyToast · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Either there's simply more focus on MS this year, or something is up -- why would they all be leaving prior to Vista's launch? Especially all of these "no comment" departures. Gates' reduction in responsibility makes sense, but these other guys seem to be in rather important roles ("head blogger," "exec responsible for Google competition," etc) and are bailing out. I could understand if they had people lined up for these positions, but it seems like they're just leaving.

    1. Re:sinking ship? by slashflood · · Score: 5, Informative

      Xbox Veteran Adds to Microsoft Departure Toll...

    2. Re:sinking ship? by EraserMouseMan · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "no comment departures" are a result of the HR department giving you a nice sevrance package and, in return, making you sign a document that says you won't comment.

    3. Re:sinking ship? by joshier · · Score: 5, Funny

      They must have been honest in a meeting... *bill gates stands up*.. I'm sorry guys, we decided to face the truth.. vista is a pile of shit, and I for one am leaving.. thank you *bill gates walks out of room crying*

    4. Re:sinking ship? by jcr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      why would they all be leaving prior to Vista's launch?

      Same reason so many people bailed out of Apple once the scope of the Copland disaster was realized. This was before Apple started talking to NeXT or Be, and it was pretty clear that having Apple on your resume would Not Be a Good Thing once it all hit the fan.

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    5. Re:sinking ship? by BasilBrush · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Or in this case fired. Monday morning being quoted in press releases, scheduled to be in a press briefing ion the afternoon. Monday afternoon escorted from the building. A senior exec with 13 years service. Must have been a very sudden decision, Friday is the traditional day for premeditated firing.

  3. Is this good or bad? by Theovon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As evil as Microsoft is, I've never been able to decide whether or not Bill Gates himself is evil. My suspect, even, that Microsoft's evil behavior is an emergent property of their corporate culture. No one individual person in Microsoft (well, actually, I think Balmer is a nutball) is truly evil. It's like how one termite is insignificant, but a colony of them can destroy an entire neighborhood. :)

    Still, a lot of corporate culture comes down from the top. Gates' ambition to have "microsoft products on every computer in every home" turns into overly aggressive business behavior. With him and others going, are things going to improve for the rest of us? Or have any of these guys been keeping others in check, and they're about to get worse?

    1. Re:Is this good or bad? by Spiked_Three · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The evil was from the marketing guy jeff raikes (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/jeff/defa ult.mspx). He was from apple. The marketing people (and to some extent the HR people) were the most evil people I have ever worked for or with in my life. No holes barred get the sale no matter who you have to kill attitude.

      Raikes perfected the pre-canned answer to every question that gates and balmer soon adopted. Talking to anyone of them is like pressing buttons on a child's speak and spell toy - there is absolutely no thought behind what they say, just pr department approved pre-canned responses.

      Gates was a good guy. Balmer is a hot head that is out of his league but because of his friendship with bill and bill's desire to get out of it, balmer has had the lead for a while.

      But again, i reiterate, the evil is from the ruthless marketing leadership. Unfortunately they got the job done.

      --
      slashdot troll = you make a compelling argument I do not like the implications of.
    2. Re:Is this good or bad? by SenseiLeNoir · · Score: 5, Insightful

      He is a good businesman, and he has done a lot. Microsoft has become the leading Software company and OS. And made himself a lot of money. Yes he may have had monopoly advantage. Yes things are not cut and straight. But Micrsoft is not Enron. Rememeber that.

      When Microsoft started, our current "friend", IBM, was considered evil.

      Microsoft has done some strange businness practices, but has also helped spawn Linux, Opensource, Firefox, etc. I dont think Opensource would have got even half the amount of exposure had Microsoft not attacked it so vigorously.

      SO in the future, in hindsight, we may even THANK Microsoft.

      Finally Bill Gates may have gotten most of his fortune through Monopolistic Practises, but hhe has already pledges to give away 90% or more to charity, and as funds. If he does indeed do that, well woudlnt that be equal to the amount of money that he gained from being monopolistic?

      If Microsoft were more "fair" as we wish, his fortune would be probably 10% of what it is. So in a way, he is giving away for good causes, exactly what he got through ill gotten gains?

      Points to consider

      --
      Have a nice day!
    3. Re:Is this good or bad? by jcr · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Bill Gates may have gotten most of his fortune through Monopolistic Practises, but hhe has already pledges to give away 90% or more to charity,

      Giving away his ill-gotten gains is a great thing, but it doesn't really make him less of a crook. Carnegie built a university and a lot of libraries, but he still had blood on his hands from the people his Pinkerton thugs murdered.

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    4. Re:Is this good or bad? by Tony · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Gates was a good guy.

      For some definition of "good," perhaps. Everything I've heard and observed about the guy inidicates he hasn't been a good guy since about 7th grade, when the girls made fun of him for being a pussy.

      Gates cheated Paul Allen out of 1/6 stake in Microsoft. Later, when Allen was dying of cancer and overwork on MS-DOS, Gates and Ballmer discussed how to get Allen's stock back if he were to die.

      Gates gave almost nothing to charity until he married Melinda, and was publicly ridiculed for being selfish with his money.

      There are thousands of little examples like this that indicate he is not a "good" guy, and perhaps never was. Jeff Raikes may have been the most evil guy at Microsoft, but the Gates-worship that went on at Microsoft provided an environment in which Raikes' practices were acceptable.

      --
      Microsoft is to software what Budweiser is to beer.
    5. Re:Is this good or bad? by StormReaver · · Score: 5, Informative

      ..."but [Microsoft] also helped spawn Linux"....

      Microsoft had exactly zero to do with spawning Linux. Linus and RMS did not start Linux and GNU, respectively, for any reason that involved Microsoft. Linus started Linux to access his school account, and RMS started GNU in moral opposition to being otherwise not allowed to share software Freely.

    6. Re:Is this good or bad? by spot · · Score: 5, Interesting
      a recent damning example, Gates quoted in the NYTimes:
      "When they invented radial tires, they should have shot the guy," he said. "The whole industry went through a crisis, because it took nine years to squeeze out the extra factory capacity, because the tires lasted longer."
      ok let's ignore his overtly violent metaphor. focus instead on how he values innovation that saves lives and money.
      --

      Scott Draves

  4. Windows Live by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Its obvious why he left. Check his picture - he is quite obviously a vampire, and one of the undead. Putting him at the wheel for something called "Windows Live" means there is quite obviously a conflict of interest.

  5. Jumping Ship? by ironring2006 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Is it just me or does it seem like a lot of people are jumping ship now? Has Microsoft finally spread themselves too thin? Have they become so huge now that they don't even know what to do with themselves under the multiple multiple layers of complexity? Anyone else forsee a large implosion in the foreseeable future? Maybe those that are smart enough realize that they are fighting a losing battle against Google, Linux, and OSS. Then again, they may just to enjoy their million$.

    1. Re:Jumping Ship? by mqj · · Score: 5, Interesting


      You are not the only one who thinks that lots of people are leaving.

      "...look for several dozen of his closest and oldest associates to leave the company in the next four to six weeks, and look for Steve Ballmer to leave, too, within a year."

      http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20060615. html

  6. Microsoft should spin-out branches by boxlight · · Score: 5, Interesting
    The best thing that Microsoft could do for itself is spin-out their products into separate spin off companies.


    Windows, Inc.

    Office, Inc.

    MSN, Inc.

    Visual Studio, Inc.

    XBox, Inc.


    The smaller companies would be more nimble and would have to be more competative. They'd be better performers as they wouldn't have the mother organization as a cruch.


    boxlight

  7. Sounds more like he was canned than resigned by Bartman_279 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    FTFA...

    "We have made the difficult decision to part ways with Martin, but we don't comment on personnel matters," the company said. "We appreciate Martin's contributions at Microsoft over the past 13 years."

    That doesn't sound like he resigned to go elsewhere, but more like "There's the door, someone grab his badge and escort him out."

    We'll probably never know why, but this is Slashdot, so speculation is almost as good as fact.

  8. Tune of the day by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    (Music is Yesterday, by the Beatles)

    Yesterday
    All my competitors seemed so far away
    Now it looks as though they're here to stay
    Oh I believe in yesterday
    Suddenly, my head has half the hair that used to be
    There's an office chair hanging over me
    Oh yesterday, came sudlenly
    Why Linux had to come
    It wouldn't say
    We did Netscape wrong
    Now I long for yesterday
    Yesterday
    Monopoly was such an easy game to play
    Now I need to catch up with IP
    Now I long for yesterday
    Yesterday

  9. Re:No HOLES barred? by spun · · Score: 5, Funny

    I like his version better, 'any hole is fair game, no bars on these holes!' That's dirty. I like it. Anyway, the point is moo. You know, like the opinion of a cow. It's "moo."

    In other news, noted playwright William Shakespeare was at the beach when he bent over and heard a ripping sound. Convinced he had torn his swim trunks, he asked a companion to look behind and report. "No holes, Bard" was the reply.

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  10. Re:Interesting... by Dionysos+Taltos · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Yes. I think it's safe to say a change in direction is at hand.

    Wired had an article last October which spoke to this.

    http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,69161,00 .html?tw=wn_tophead_7

    As Microsoft hits 30, critics reel off a list of complaints that sounds like, well, a Microsoft commercial: stifling bureaucracy, frustrating miscommunication, different units working on overlapping technology without adequate cooperation. In short, the very ills Microsoft promises to cure with its software.

    ...

    As it gears up to release a slew of new products, Microsoft is trying to untangle bureaucratic snags with a corporate shakeup meant to get the best ideas to market faster and increase the company's push toward over-the-Internet software and services.

    ...

    Microsoft is facing the classic dilemma that befalls a company that grows from a small startup to a major corporation, said the analyst Garrity. There's really no way to manage thousands of employees without a strong corporate structure, but that structure will inevitably alienate some workers who remember the freewheeling early days.

  11. While it would be comparing apples and oranges... by expro · · Score: 5, Insightful

    these people truly think they are doing the right thing. They are not inherently evil, even if their actions end up seeming that way. In the end it is a skewed view of the individual, not someone being actively evil.

    At the risk of calling out the Godwin Nazis, Hitler and Sadaam also truly thought they were doing the right thing for their respective countries and were honestly not trying to be evil, but were trying to be a savior for their respective peoples. Anyone who knew them personally knows that.

    It is amazing how many people don't understand this basic thing, that no successful leader considers himself evil, but sincerely considers his opponents evil, i.e. the caricatures of the Jews in the case of Hitler, etc., as the source of all evil. And there is some logic that can be used to justify any such demonization. It is spin leading to polarization, which is what makes the world go around and often becomes the excuse for ignoring one's own supposed ethics and morals.

    One of Gate's villified enemies (I can name a series of others) was so-called software piracy, which he more than anyone else has made into a crime more than it ever was before. As much credit as the uninformed give him for progress in computers, this has destroyed growth and freedom that would have come otherwise. Could Unix have emerged under the current copyright regime? Operating systems would have been built for commodotized hardware one way or the other, but it was one more degree of freedom lost that is now hard to recover from under his shadow.

  12. Microsoft Has Improved by ThinkFr33ly · · Score: 5, Interesting

    At one time, IIS 5 looked hopeless. It was completely riddled with security holes and was basically the joke of the industry. People who used it did so with either ignorance or extreme caution.

    Microsoft realized they needed to fix this but it took Code Red and various other major worms that took advantage of IIS to really kick the company into gear.

    What was the result of this? IIS 6. IIS 6 is an excellent web server and is one of the most secure web servers you can use. It's certainly the most secure application server you can use. It's had a total of 2 vulnerabilities since its release about 4 years ago. (See: http://secunia.com/product/1438/) Add to that the fact that IIS 6 is extremely performant, easily configurable and maintainable, and is very robust, you have to conclude that Microsoft improved. A great deal in fact.

    I see the work on Windows Vista and IE 7 being very similar in nature to the work done on IIS. They've completely revamped their development methodologies to focus on security.

    IE 7+ (the one that comes with Vista) has a feature that essentially runs the browser as a very low privs user. Any operations that need high privs (such as writing to the user's desktop or other directories) are done by a broker. This broker has only a few thousand lines of code (and is therefore FAR easier to audit for security issues) and runs with the privs of the current user. This is actually fairly innovative and will undoubtedly make it far more difficult to exploit and holes in IE.

    Obviously we'll have to wait and see if Microsoft has done with Vista and IE what they did with IIS, but it's hard to deny that Microsoft has proven they can take a product people view as a hopeless security mess and turn it into one of the most secure products on the market.