Ballmer and the downward spiral of Microsoft

Don't chase him out when he hasn't lived up to his full potential yet. Who else would you want running M$?

But it is taking him too long! Some one else might do it sooner.

I don't see the problem -- Ballmer's running the company pretty much the way it's been run for the last two or three decades.

But times have been changing faster than MS management has, so I figure, best to leave him in there... his replacement might actually keep up with the times.

The way I see it, the downfall of MS as a software company is inevitable no matter who is at the helm, it is a matter of time. But the sooner the better.

Thus demonstrates the pointlessness of anti-trust prosecution. Given a little time, and the innovation that made Microsoft such a giant company passes them by, while they wallow in bureaucracy.

All empires fall.

> The way I see it, the downfall of MS as a software company is inevitable no matter who is at the helm...

That would depend on whether they started developing new innovative programs that people were willing to pay for, wouldn't it? If they would start doing that, things could turn around very quickly for them.

Alternatively, they could just fire everyone except the lawyers and get by on their patent stream income. Which looks to be the way they're going.

Quoting:That would depend on whether they started developing new innovative programs that people were willing to pay for, wouldn't it?

MS is way too busy protecting its current products and turf to innovate.

Bob_Robertson wrote:the innovation that made Microsoft such a giant company

*snerk*

*giggle*

BWAHAHAHAHA!

Sure, Microsoft has a number of innovations to its credit: Starting with the whole idea of selling Operating Systems as a business model. And the registry. But most of its innovations have been in the area of Licensing. (Does the Windows Registry count as an innovation?)

The Registry centralized Windows' failure mode, thereby simplifying the MCSE exam.

MS never had anything but ruthlessness and inside connections. They've always had sizable revenues from things unrelated to selling actual product, like their wizards investment managers. These days I expect their big money-maker is their protection and extortion racket division. It wouldn't surprise me if they were the biggest Linux company in revenues, from all their patent tollgates.

Apotheker and Elop in a dual-throne role!!! Those two can bring down a business faster than Paul Bunyan can bring down trees...

If it weren't for Steve Ballmer, we would not have this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGvHNNOLnCk

Or the Monkey Dance