Slashdot Mirror


Microsoft's Lost Decade

theodp writes "Newsweek's Daniel Lyons (that's Fake Steve to you) explains why Steve Ballmer is no Bill Gates, arguing that what most hurt Microsoft was BillG's decision to step down as CEO in January 2000: 'Gates was a software geek. He understood technology. Ballmer is a business guy.' And the problem with putting non-techies in charge of tech companies, concludes Lyons, is that they have blind spots. So while Microsoft's revenues nearly tripled from $23B to $58B on Ballmer's watch, says Lyons, the company became bureaucratic and lumbering, slowing down while the rest of the world — including Google, Apple and Amazon — sped up."

8 of 603 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Yeah but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, at least, according to his wikipedia page:

    Spouse(s)
              Melinda Gates (1994–present)

    Children
              Jennifer Katharine Gates (b.1996)
              Rory John Gates (b.1999)
              Phoebe Adele Gates (b.2002)

    He's had sex at least three more times than myself or the average Anonymous Coward. So those billions must have counted for something.

  2. Re:Yeah but by frozentier · · Score: 3, Funny

    Steve Balmer (whom I thought we were talking about) had sex three times with Bill Gates' wife, and has three kids with her? I'm surprised he still works for the company!

  3. Re:Yeah but by sopssa · · Score: 3, Funny

    So the conclusion is that because Bill doesn't have guts to do anything even after that, he really is a true geek!

  4. Re:The Worlds Lost Decade by gmuslera · · Score: 5, Funny

    You must give some credit to Microsoft. If weren't because of them, we would never knew the risks of botnets, trivial exploits and trusting by default in the network. Who knows, if they werent there probably some centuries from now, when we invade some primitive planet, natives would hack our mothership because we never got aware of those risks.

  5. Re:Yeah but by Rakshasa+Taisab · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm sorry, but what is that supposed to prove? Having children is not a proof that you've had sex...

    --
    - These characters were randomly selected.
  6. Re:There is little to suggest Gates knows technolo by recoiledsnake · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hey! Stop interfering with the revisionist history! Next you will complain about the Gates Borg Icon and the Broken Windows icon for stories.

    --
    This space for rent.
  7. Re:Doesn't really matter beeing a geek by syousef · · Score: 3, Funny

    One could say, bad bosses are not only just network hubs. They also corrupt the packets on the way, and lead them everywhere but where they belong. Making the results useless for all clients of the company.

    They don't just corrupt packets, they overload the circuits and blow up the network gear.

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
  8. Re:Bill Gates is a geek? by buchner.johannes · · Score: 3, Funny

    Now that he has resigned from Microsoft, there is no need to fight. He should get a /. account too, then we can all bash M$ together.

    --
    NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.