Microsoft’s press release verbatim:
REDMOND, Wash. — June 15, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that effective July 2008 Bill Gates, chairman, will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The company announced a two-year transition process to ensure that there is a smooth and orderly transfer of Gates’ daily responsibilities, and said that after July 2008 Gates would continue to serve as the company’s chairman and an advisor on key development projects
The company announced that Chief Technical Officer Ray Ozzie will immediately assume the title of chief software architect and begin working side by side with Gates on all technical architecture and product oversight responsibilities, to ensure a smooth transition. Similarly, Chief Technical Officer Craig Mundie will immediately take the new title of chief research and strategy officer and will work closely with Gates to assume his responsibility for the company’s research and incubation efforts; Mundie also will partner with general counsel Brad Smith to guide Microsoft’s intellectual property and technology policy efforts.
“Our business and technical leadership has never been stronger, and Microsoft is well-positioned for success in the years ahead. I feel very fortunate to have such great technical leaders like Ray and Craig at the company,” Gates said. “I remain fully committed and full time at Microsoft through June 2008 and will be working side by side with Ray and Craig to ensure that a smooth transition occurs.”
“This was a hard decision for me,” Gates added. “I’m very lucky to have two passions that I feel are so important and so challenging. As I prepare for this change, I firmly believe the road ahead for Microsoft is as bright as ever.”
In September 2005 Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer organized the company into three divisions under presidents Jim Allchin, Kevin Johnson, Robbie Bach and Jeff Raikes, who were given much greater responsibility for product development and strategy decisions within their respective businesses. In August 2005 the company appointed Kevin Turner as chief operating officer.
“Bill and I are confident we’ve got a great team that can step up to fill his shoes and drive Microsoft innovation forward without missing a beat,” Ballmer said. “We will continue to hire the world’s best technical talent and give them the tools to do their best work, and we will continue to tackle the biggest challenges and opportunities for our customers by investing for the long term.”
Ballmer and Gates noted that Microsoft has been steadily expanding its senior leadership in recent years, and that today’s announcement continues a transition process that has been underway for several years. In January 2000, Gates assumed the role of chief software architect and Ballmer assumed the role of CEO, responsible for all day-to-day operations and company business strategy.
“This is a very sensible and thorough approach. A two-year transition will ensure that the company has a smooth transfer of strategy and knowledge from Bill to the next generation of leaders,” said James I. Cash, Ph.D., member of the Microsoft board of directors and former James E. Robison Professor, Harvard Business School. “Steve and his management team are very impressive, and I’m confident the company will not miss a step.”
Ozzie, 50, worked on the first electronic spreadsheet, VisiCalc, in the early 1980s, then joined Lotus Development Corp. in 1983 to develop Lotus Symphony, an MS-DOS-based integrated software management product that combined word processing, spreadsheet, business graphics, data management and communications capabilities. In 1984, Ozzie formed Iris Associates Inc. to develop Lotus Notes. In 1997 Ozzie founded Groove Networks, where he developed Groove Virtual Office. Microsoft acquired Groove Networks in April 2005 and named Ozzie chief technical officer.
Mundie, 56, joined Microsoft in 1992 to create and run the Consumer Platforms Division, which was responsible for developing non-PC platform and service offerings including the Microsoft® Windows CE operating system; software for handheld PCs, Pocket PCs and Auto PCs; and early telephony products. Mundie also started Microsoft’s digital TV efforts and acquired and managed the WebTV Networks Inc. subsidiary. Mundie is also the original champion of the Trustworthy Computing Initiative at Microsoft, which has influenced Microsoft’s software development strategy. His current responsibilities also include global technology policy and a variety of technical and business incubation activities.
Ozzie and Mundie will continue to report to Gates. At an appropriate time during the two-year transition period, they will shift to reporting to Ballmer.
MacDailyNews Take: Buh-bye, Bill. No sense sticking around for the decline and fall, of course. Bill’s lifting his helicopter off the Titanic just in time. Apple will thrive regardless of what happens, but having Ballmer left to captain the ship sure won’t hurt the Cupertino Mac- and iPod-maker. We believe it can only help.
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“Run away, run away.” Gates must think he is the lead in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” I can hardly wait for the time when he plays Brian in the “life of Brian” and gets his well earned finale.
Yeah, Hypocrite, we dislike ’em for absolutely no reason. No reason at all. Not a single reason whatsoever. Completely, utterly, non-reasonable no reason. I could go on and on, but that would be unreasonable.
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This sure looks like the story of Apple and Jobs having to leave the mothership in the 90’s… .
The new CEO killed the company slowly, and once Jobs got back, everything is getting (slowly) back on track. If Ballmer keeps fucking things up, history is going to repeat itself, but the other way around. Go Ballmer! Ballmer for president! :p
Why can’t you guys ever put up respectable pictures of Gates, Ballmer and that guy from Real? I mean damn we get the point that you hate them for no reason.
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Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa….. You mean why doesn’t MDN grow up and act like mature adults? Ha, Ha, LOL! you’re funny!
Here’s a comic strip about Uncle Fester being in charge of Microshaft: http://www.sissel.cc/smarmy/2006/06/15-june-2006.html
I prefer the picture of
” rel=”nofollow”>Bill’s mug shot.
Almost the same haircut today. Bill should think about opening a chain of cheap haircut salons. I’ve already picked out the perfect
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Gates ducks and the proverbial pie hits Ballmer square in the face.
Mac OS X meet world.
World meet your new operating system……
Ahahahaha!!!
Ampar – I am disappointed in you……….. read this section of the article:
</i>”Ozzie, 50, worked on the first electronic spreadsheet, VisiCalc, in the early 1980s, then joined Lotus Development Corp. in 1983 to develop Lotus Symphony, an MS-DOS-based integrated software management product that combined word processing, spreadsheet, business graphics, data management and communications capabilities. In 1984, Ozzie formed Iris Associates Inc. to develop Lotus Notes. In 1997 Ozzie founded Groove Networks, where he developed Groove Virtual Office. Microsoft acquired Groove Networks in April 2005 and named Ozzie chief technical officer.”</i>
—> And not a single reference to Ozzy Osbourne………It was a perfect oportunity and you blew it!
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“Disney just caught wind of this. They are are releasing a movie called ‘Freaky OS’. Jobs and Gates switch roles, and the ‘fun’ ensues.”
—> Will Jodie Foster be making a cameo?
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Can Ballmer be far behind?
No. Gates is the only one who could take Ballmer down (something Gates would never have the balls to do anyway). IIRC the MS billionaires hold enough stock to prevent a shareholder revolt, so unless Ballmy screws up bad enough to alienate even his fellow MSers, he’ll be running the circus.
MW: good, as in riddance.
©: Actually, I was thinking more like Ozzie Davis. But he was so cool.
O.K., ©. You’re right. This a “Crazy Train.”
Someone please cite me for verb abuse.
Disney just caught wind of this. They are are releasing a movie called ‘Freaky OS’. Jobs and Gates switch roles, and the ‘fun’ ensues.
Disney/Pixar needs to do a movie called “The Sales Guy”.
It’d be the life story of a frantic mutant maniac monkey. Normally such a freak wouldn’t get promoted past the night cleaning crew, yet through an awful twist of fate (and some chilling business tactics) this one makes it to the top of a major, clueless Dilbert-esque corporation. Hilarity ensues (and many chairs fly) as he desperately tries to prove he’s just as good as his ice-cool industry arch-rival.
Like all great stories, ultimately the bully loses and the good guy wins. We’ll see how this one plays out.
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It appears that Bill Gates may be going into an entirely different venture – alcohol fuel.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/05/15/gates_alcohol_factory/
Who knows, he may do for alternative fuels what he did for computing…which doesn’t sound good to me.
Call me cynical, suspicious, or just plan paranoid, but I think that there is more to Bill’s departure as “Head Honcho of Programming Stuff” than what has been advanced by himself and repeated Microsoft. Maybe we will finally witness something interesting emanating from Redmond, besides excuses, retractions, and unfulfilled promises.
Gates was a “One Trick Pony”, he saw a way to make a bazillion dollars, was successful, and is now trying to get off the sinking ship before it takes him down.
Gates: we want to make an insanely great amount of money.
Jobs: we want to make an insanely great computer.
I guess it’s hard to be passionate about Windows, hard to get up, drag your ass down to the office and TRY to get excited about a piece of shit OS or a lame-oh over-priced office suite.
Helping people have food and water, and maybe a hope, now seems like a good job for the worlds richest man.
After being a MS-free office for three years, I finally gave away my last two Windows based PCs yesterday. I can only imagine how good it would feel to put the whole MS Corporation behind you.
Get out Billy Boy while you’re still on top, because baby, MS is going all the way down… ahahahahahahah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha aaaaaa
HELLO VISTA! you sweet little sow, c’mere and let me carve you a new ass hole……
Ballmer should retire. He’s a frightening fellow and I don’t like him.
However 18,000 copies of Windows Vista Beta 2 was ordered in the first couple of days. Let’s face it, it may not be the most innovative OS, but it certainly will not be a “train wreck” for Microsoft. (If these numbers are any indication.)
It’s only my opinion, but saving lives is probably more important than arguing over which OS is better. On balance, making Explorer the default browser is a sin that’s probably more than compensated by spending billions on trying to eradicate third world diseases.
I love Bill – but hate MS. I hate Steve – but love Apple.
<Tardis materializes>
Sorry to interrupt the forum, gents. I was just looking for the last, final Slitheen. Have you seen him? He’s disguised as a large man. He will be sweating profusely due to having to maintain human form. He will aslo fart a lot. Has anyone seen him? Anyone? Anyone?
<scrolls up to top of page>
Oh, there he is! Thanks for the help.