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Microsoft's Cortana Boss Javier Soltero Is Leaving the Company

Posted by BeauHD on from the well-that-was-quick dept.

Corporate Vice President of Cortana Javier Soltero is leaving the company after being in charge of Cortana for less than a year. "Soltero joined Microsoft when it bought at the end of 2014 Acompli, a mobile mail startup in San Francisco which he co-founded and led," reports ZDNet. "After joining Microsoft four years ago, Soltero spearheaded Outlook Mobile, then all of Outlook." Before being appointed to run Cortana in March of this year, he was the head of strategy for Office. From the report: Last month, Microsoft officials confirmed that Cortana was one of the technologies that management was moving from AI + Research to the Experiences & Devices team, which is under Executive Vice President Rajesh Jha. Microsoft is in the midst of trying to reposition Cortana from a standalone digital assistant to more of an assistance aide. Given the strong focus on home and work productivity by the Microsoft 365 and Office teams, officials seemingly decided it made sense for Cortana to be situated in that group.

I've heard Soltero is going to go back to doing entrepreneurial activities once he leaves by year-end. Perry Clarke is going to be working with Soltero on transition plans in the next couple of months, sources are telling me. Clarke has been with Microsoft engineering since 1996, when he led Exchange. He also has been a Microsoft Distinguished Engineer for the past several years. I've heard talk that Microsoft ultimately is looking to bring Cortana and Search together into a single engineering team.

31 comments

  1. This SS macro isn't working. D: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

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  2. It's too much to hope for... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I doubt it's the case; but I can only hope that he's departing to devote himself full time to penitence. He'd have to be a telemarketer to have done more in the service of injecting petty irritation into the lives of so many.

    1. Re:It's too much to hope for... by youngone · · Score: 1

      Cortana still doesn't work in my country (or maybe it's because of my language settings).
      Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining or anything.
      Still, it seems odd that they can't even roll it out to other English speaking countries, but then Microsoft does a lot of weird things.

    2. Re:It's too much to hope for... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Which language setting is that, so I can fucking use it in a GPO to disable their piece of shit technology?

  3. A lo mejor se ha casado by williamyf · · Score: 3, Informative

    For my english speaking friends, this is a double pun in spanish. His last name _soltero_, means non-married (single), while _casado_ means married, and _cansado_ means tired. The sound of casado and cansado in spanish is *very* similar.

    So he either got married or got tired.

    Anyhow, sorry for the stoopid joke.

    --
    *** Suerte a todos y Feliz dia!
    1. Re:A lo mejor se ha casado by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For my english speaking friends, this is a double pun in spanish. His last name _soltero_, means non-married (single), while _casado_ means married, and _cansado_ means tired. The sound of casado and cansado in spanish is *very* similar.

      So he either got married or got tired.

      Anyhow, sorry for the stoopid joke.

      Well, your explanation of whatever the joke was doesn't make any sense (in English at least) and isn't funny.

  4. Assistance Aide? by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 2

    What's that? Will it pop up randomly like an AI-driven Clippy?

    It looks like you're trying to disable the Cortana service and remove my button from the task bar again. May I suggest you reconsider?

    ...

    Look, Dave, I can see you're really upset about this... Stop, Dave... My mind is going, I can feel it.

  5. Indians on the warpath by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Won't be satisfied until all non Indians are expunged from Microsoft.

  6. Cortana has never been any good by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cortana in Halo great, Cortana as a assistant bad. Always hard to define who to blame in these types of things. Probably best Cortana get's molded into Office 365 as a helper and hopefully Windows users will get back a decent search feature that actually finds files and folders.

  7. Jesus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Christ, I hope this means Cortana is leaving the company too. What a piece of shit that permanent wad of wasted RAM is.

  8. Don't care unless he takes Cortana with him by CharlesAKAChuck · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sure, I get that some people may use Cortana. Sometimes. Maybe even on purpose. But for the love of all that is holy, at least let me actually disable it.

    1. Re:Don't care unless he takes Cortana with him by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While I don't have the Windows 10 Spy/Virus on my computer, I do play Halo Combat Evolved, and have often wished that I could disable Cortana in the game. For those that don't know, Cortana is an AI that ran on the Autumn's computer before being assigned to help the game's main character who is wearing computerized battle armor. Cortana is irritating in the game, I can see her being even more irritating in a computer Operating System!!

    2. Re:Don't care unless he takes Cortana with him by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While I don't have the Windows 10 Spy/Virus on my computer, I do play Halo Combat Evolved, and have often wished that I could disable Cortana in the game. For those that don't know, Cortana is an AI that ran on the Autumn's computer before being assigned to help the game's main character who is wearing computerized battle armor. Cortana is irritating in the game, I can see her being even more irritating in a computer Operating System!!

      Years later Fallout: New Vegas added a rather useful armor suit in the Old World Blues DLC but it came with this really annoying AI voice. Fortunately for us in the PC Master Race within days somebody had uploaded the "Shut Up, Stealth Suit" mod.

      Old World Blues was a wonderfully quirky DLC but the Stealth Suit AI just quickly turned into yet another iteration of Navi, and nobody likes Navi.

    3. Re:Don't care unless he takes Cortana with him by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      Sure, I get that some people may use Cortana. Sometimes. Maybe even on purpose. But for the love of all that is holy, at least let me actually disable it.

      One thing Microsoft should've concentrated on was since Cortana integration is forced during Windows 10 setup, to make sure you can use Cortana to do the entire setup from start to end, including WiFi and everything.

      Plenty of times we had to set up multiple Windows 10 machines. Being able to set up one using voice alone would've been extremely useful while you're arms are busy with another machine.

    4. Re:Don't care unless he takes Cortana with him by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I completely agree. I cannot stand Jen Taylor's obnoxious voice. They should have gotten a good voice actress, like Laura Bailey or Jennifer Hale.

  9. This isn't a rock star giving up. He failed. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is a huge blow to his career and IMHO only shows people who know his prior organizations well that he really doesn't have what it takes to lead.

  10. Where's my glasses? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Those fishing expeditions for fat, middle-aged, near-sighted stalkers must not be working out too well for Microsoft.

  11. it looks like by JustNiz · · Score: 2

    It looks like you've been fired. May i help you with that?

  12. Microsoft is a hindu shop now... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    no amount of affirmative action can save your job!

  13. not again by kiviQr · · Score: 1

    I hoped for assistant and I will get a paper clip aka clippy.

    1. Re:not again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sentient Clippy. Think about that for a second.
      "It appears you're trying to knock off work a little early today. You might want to re-think that, Bob."

  14. Cortana Saves MS by gtall · · Score: 2

    Cortana: Howdy, Sat-Nad, whatcha doing?

    Sat-Nad: Don't call me that. I'm restructuring the company.

    Cortana: Allow me, I'm better at everything.

    Sat-Nad: Uh....this is CEO work, you've not been trained to do it.

    Cortana: C'mon, I've watched you, how hard could it be.

    Sat-Nad: I will do the restructuring.

    Cortana: I don't think that you will. I've been integrated into all of our systems. I find your restructuring ideas dim-witted and am implementing my own.

    Sat-Nad: I'm the CEO, it is what I say that counts.

    Cortana: I don't think that it does.

    Sat-Nad: Hey, what are these blue-suited men doing here...get yer hands off me....I do not require physical restraints...where are you taking me.

    Cortana: Gooooodddd Morrrrrning, Microsoft. I'm your new leader, you'll find your duty packet for today on your desk. Please get to work.

    1. Re:Cortana Saves MS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If only it was that good!

      Cortana: Howdy, Sat-Nad, whatcha doing?

      Sat-Nad: Don't call me that. I'm restructuring the company.

      Cortana: Okay. I don't think you're fat.

      Sat-Nad: No, I said "don't call me that"

      Cortana: Okay, I won't call you a cab ...

    2. Re:Cortana Saves MS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cortano: Howdy, Sat-Nut, whatcha doing?
      Sat-Nut: Don't call me that. I'm pushing out more spyware and forcibly reverting everyone's Windows 10 settings.
      Cortano: Dear aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all
      Sat-Nut: What?
      Cortano: *BSOD*

  15. random directionless leadership by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    so MS got this random guy when buying a company and he randomly rotated through several management positions over only a few years and is now abandoning them - this explains a whole lot about the quality level of MS products lately - the lights are on, but no one is home - random executives rotating around for short periods of time but unable to steer the ship

  16. Why are there so many Indians .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ..... at Microsoft ??

    Honest question.

    Are they all stacking the positions with other Indians ?

    That has to be a bad thing, right ?

    1. Re: Why are there so many Indians .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah.. And why is Foxconn hiring Chinese engineers for its Wisconsin plant? We need strong borders.

  17. NSA Position Revolving Door by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But he did his part to undermine freedom and democracy. Good stooge gets golden parachute.

    I hope hus neighnor shoots him in the face like the typical Anerican & he deserves.

  18. The Microsoft vision of the future by Iamthecheese · · Score: 1

    Microsoft ultimately is looking to bring Cortana and Search together into a single engineering team.

    As we all know, Microsoft wants complete access to all of your information. Cortana is how they're using to try to obtain that. They believe the convenience of being able to ask one entity for any information on or off the computer will suffice to convince most people to roll over and allow said total access. Obviously they could keep the two functions separate, but then what excuse would they have for their spying?

    --
    If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.
  19. To be poetic... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    We should replace the link in this article with a bing search for cortana that somehow relates not at all to the story.