balmer

I mean, sure, Balmer had no idea about any of this is, but that doesn't mean that Microsoft isn't responsible...

As opposed to the post-Gates Balmer era that drove all their products (sans XBox) into the ground.

If Gates radically changes his vision and business model to the new web world and gets Balmer to agree, they could dominate again.

I've been hearing about this'new microsoft' for the better part of a decade (yep, even when Balmer was still around).

Using code is very distinct from using software (which Balmer referred to).

Where it not for Balmer deciding to play search engine, google would be known to be a 95+% monopoly in the US as well.

Triumph of the Nerds has some first person accounts from Jack Sams of IBM and Bill Gates and Balmer (of the whole IBM/ Digital Research negotiation (or lack thereoff).

If Apple must learn anything if it doesn't want to alleviate its most valuable partners (by which I mean developers), it's that posturing is not an acceptable communication practice and should be left people like Steve Balmer who have not much else to propose.

The "Great Purge" by Nadella to get rid of all of Balmer era old guards so Nadella & Co can reign supreme in Microsoft.

For all Balmer's thing of dancing on a stage and chanting "developers", there was no point under Gates or he at which Microsoft felt like a pro-developer company.

I expect the next year will be a good one for the "ruffians from Redmond." And I just can't stress enough how important it was for Balmer to yield when he did.

Under Gates and Balmer, the commercial MS products were less headaches and delivered a fair amount of value.

Thats it (according to Balmer, and Jack Sams who is the IBM exec that went to Digital Research to license it).

Balmer was clearly in that position and as someone who deeply cared about Microsoft he stepped down and gave Nadela the reigns.