Has Ballmer outlived his usefulness?

  Don't get me wrong, I admire S. Ballmer...kinda like I admire the beauty and stealth of a Mako shark... but perhaps his approach to dominance in software markets has outlived it's usefullness. Historically Microsoft has attempted to crush their competitors, and done quite well at doing so. I believe one of his favorite words is 'annihilate'.  Maybe a better approach would be that of Cisco's John Chambers in buying and incorporating competitors and others that are best in their field.

  My point is that the perception that Microsoft prefers to steal technology from and then destroy competitors has led to more ill-will in the market than could ever be offset by profits. Time for a kinder, gentler Microsoft.

shooby wrote:

Kindler, gentler Microsoft?

How about we all just boycot them and put them out of business, kindly and gently of course.

I love you too!

xx00

shooby

Great idea, how about you starting by boycoting channel 9.

I think you'll find that they are doing that at the moment and have always done it, of the top of my head Sybrai and GAINT come to mind.

Though once you have brought the best, it's always a good move to annihilate the rest, just to be sure

Stephen.

How is that capitalism or even a good business model, though?  Being nice and gentle and kind doesn't really elevate the bottom line, which is if you're going to do something, don't do it half-***   If you're gonna go into x field, do the best you can in x field and don't stop until the work's done.  It's not "I'm gonna try to enter this particular market, but I really want to make sure we don't hurt anyone else's business."

I don't think you can have your cake and eat it too when the name of the game is "Beat the competition."

no - ms needs ballmer - but as Chief Sales Architect

the question is - who is the new idea guy - he should be ceo

* and i still think the person most known as the communicator to customers - aka scoble should be president

Steve (to Bill): "Is it possible that we two, you and I, have grown so old, so... inflexible, that we have outlived our usefulness? Would that constitute a joke?"

Give yourself a cookie if you get the reference.

Sven Groot wrote:

Steve (to Bill): "Is it possible that we two, you and I, have grown so old, so... inflexible, that we have outlived our usefulness? Would that constitute a joke?"

Give yourself a cookie if you get the reference.

Star Trek

Give him the title Chief Hardware Architect In Residence - see if he throws himself.

W3bbo wrote:

Sven Groot wrote: Steve (to Bill): "Is it possible that we two, you and I, have grown so old, so... inflexible, that we have outlived our usefulness? Would that constitute a joke?" Give yourself a cookie if you get the reference.

Star Trek

Specifically?

Sven Groot wrote:

W3bbo wrote: Sven Groot wrote: Steve (to Bill): "Is it possible that we two, you and I, have grown so old, so... inflexible, that we have outlived our usefulness? Would that constitute a joke?" Give yourself a cookie if you get the reference. Star Trek

Specifically?

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

manickernel wrote:

 [...] My point is that the perception that Microsoft prefers to steal technology from and then destroy competitors has led to more ill-will in the market than could ever be offset by profits. Time for a kinder, gentler Microsoft.

You may want to read this two blog posts...

Charles' blog at Carmine's kernel, Lenn Pryor's blog and The Cluetrain Manifesto

And integrate such concepts into your own perception.

Tonatiúh

W3bbo wrote:

Sven Groot wrote: W3bbo wrote: Sven Groot wrote: Steve (to Bill): "Is it possible that we two, you and I, have grown so old, so... inflexible, that we have outlived our usefulness? Would that constitute a joke?" Give yourself a cookie if you get the reference. Star Trek Specifically?

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

McCoy and Kirk..

That's what I was about to put.. I have the DVD...

MisterDonut wrote:

McCoy and Kirk..

That's what I was about to put.. I have the DVD...

Tsk, tsk. It's Spock and Kirk. Spock is saying it to Kirk, specifically.

No cookie for you.

Do CEOs even matter?

JChung2006 wrote:

Do CEOs even matter?

No... But the good umbrella sheltering a CEO does.

Tonatiúh

Kental wrote:

How is that capitalism or even a good business model, though?  Being nice and gentle and kind doesn't really elevate the bottom line, which is if you're going to do something, don't do it half-***   If you're gonna go into x field, do the best you can in x field and don't stop until the work's done. 

Or as a wise man once put it,

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might....

  -- Ecclesiastes 9:10

Save the kindness and gentleness for the poor and suffering people in the world.  Not for the kids who are picking out colors for their interior of their personal 767.

Karim wrote:

[...] Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might....

  -- Ecclesiastes 9:10

Save the kindness and gentleness for the poor and suffering people in the world.  Not for the kids who are picking out colors for their interior of their personal 767.

Have you ever felt in your own flesh and bones how painful poberty could be and still be able to kept your self staring like a child in awe at a grocery's show-case?

The problem is not between poverty and whealth, but between communication and indiference, which only requires to be solved, amongst time, richness of the very soul.

Tonatiúh

manickernel wrote:

Has Ballmer outlived his usefulness?    

He had a usefulness? I mean other than making projectiles out of furniture, threatening deadly force against business rivals and yelling out catch phrases in a repetitive like manner?

Your topic shocked me, but not for the reason it was intended to.