Microsoft Executive Steps Down after
Embarrassing Gaffe
2003.05.27
REDMOND, WA. Steve "Dancin' Fool" Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft
Corporation, stepped down today to put to rest a growing rebellion
within Microsoft's Business Leadership Team over Ballmer's
discredited policy of crushing or purchasing competing companies. The
latest controversy surrounds a lawsuit by British company Sendo,
in which Sendo alleges that Microsoft stole its expertise and
technology and made it available to competing companies without
permission.
Several weeks ago, addressing a routine corporate briefing in
Redmond, Washington, Ballmer offhandedly made a comment that led to
his downfall. During the briefing, which was attended by
representatives of the press and several Microsoft board members,
Ballmer referred to a past Microsoft policy of "improving" innovative
ideas and calling them Microsoft's original work, a policy which has
long been disavowed by Chief Software Architect Bill Gates.
Echoing, at first, Microsoft's party line about its mission,
Ballmer began the meeting by stating, "We will continue expanding
platform innovation, benefits, and opportunities for customers and
partners, openness in discussing our future directions, getting
feedback, and working with others to ensure that their products and
our platforms work well together."
Later in the meeting, Ballmer addressed a question about a pending
lawsuit.
"The unfortunate lawsuit brought against us by Sendo will be dealt
with quickly. Let's face it, this isn't the first time we've had to
respond to a lawsuit claiming our innovation was generated somewhere
else."
He then make a small offhand comment for which no one present -
especially Ballmer - could have predicted the consequences.
"You know," he is reported to have said, "If we had just
countersued Apple all those years ago, we wouldn't have had all these
problems today. Who would have ever heard of Macintosh?"
Ballmer's statement was greeted by laughter and light applause by
those present. None of the persons we interviewed today would admit
to being amused, however.
"I thought it was a pretty retro statement," according to Jay
Allchin, who has since moved on to host a late-night talk show. "I
thought we left that kind of politically incorrect thinking behind
three, maybe four years ago," he continued.
"I have declared that feature appropriation has no place in our
corporation," said Bill Gates. "Those kinds of innovation strategies
are not effective, and, furthermore, they are just wrong." Gates did
not go so far as to call for Ballmer's ouster, however.
Ballmer attempted to put the matter to rest, spending several
minutes apologizing for the embarrassing gaffe. "I never was an
advocate of feature appropriation," he said. "I have many friends who
use Macs. Heck, there are people on my staff who use Macs."
Ballmer even went so far as to appear on the popular Mac talk show
Your Mac Life, where
he was grilled mercilessly by host Shawn King. "I've always liked
Macs," said Ballmer.
"Didn't you once advocate dropping Microsoft Office from the Mac?"
countered King.
"Well, I didn't know about how well Office for the Mac would help
us design new interfaces then," replied a red-faced and sweating
Ballmer. "Besides, you say a lot of things in brainstorming sessions
that you don't really mean. I mean, everyone where I grew up used a
PC, I've always used a PC, and it's part of what you're used to
growing up," he continued.
"You mean it's okay to take the Office out of the Mac, but not the
PC out of the Office," said King.
In response, Ballmer jumped out of his chair and began running
around King's studio, screaming, "Developers, developers,
developers!"
Ballmer's abdication means that Microsoft needs to establish new
leadership for the Business Leadership Team. An announcement is
expected at any time. Ballmer will continue with the company as a
junior software engineer and will check U.S. to metric conversions on
software architectural blueprints.
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