“The man helming the world’s biggest software company runs life on Excel,” Christie Loh reports for TODAYonline.
“‘I actually have a spreadsheet that I use to manage my time,’ said Microsoft Corp’s zingy chief executive Steve Ballmer. Otherwise the 51-year-old overseeing subsidiaries in 100 countries would be chained to the office with no time for himself, his wife and three sons,” Loh reports.
“His discipline is impeccable,” Loh reports.
MacDailyNews Take: The rest of him, not so much.
Loh report, “No meetings take place before 8am: ‘I run every morning … I take my kids to the bus and then I’m promptly at work by about 8 o’clock.'”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Bizarro Ballmer” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: Either Ballmer’s running approximately 3 feet “every morning” or he’s running to Dunkin’ Donuts for a dozen. Hey, Steve, tell us the one about how “Windows is more secure than the Mac” or “all iPod owners are thieves” or “pirates are to blame for poor Vista sales” or how the “‘Zune halo effect’ will help Windows Vista” — just about anything would be more believable than “I run every morning.”
Does it seem to anyone else as if Ballmer’s trying to shore up a shaky position by emphasizing his penchant for being a workaholic? Regardless of whether Ballmer understands that amount of time spent at work doesn’t equal quality of work, let’s hope shareholders buy it and keep him at the wheel for as long as possible.
I want a video clip of Ballmer running!!!
You wouldn’t believe the magic word: miles! ROTFL
Has anyone EVER looked at him and thought him “zingy”???
I have a shit every morning and name it Ballmer.
He runs his life with a spreadsheet…..er life imitating art i.e. Ballmer is PC in the Mac ads.
What a stroker.
I can’t help but picture that Apple commercial where “PC” shows a pie chart of his family vacation.
@ Thorin
Good Call
runs to the toilet to save another zune
Ballmer is Raving Mad!!!
http://www.ladyofthecake.com/mel/frank/sounds/ravings.wav
I picture him running with a ham sandwich in his right hand and a 32 oz bottle of malt liquor in his left hand.
He is running scared because a Leopard is stalking him. And when the Leopard has him in a corner he won’t be able to cry for help because his Windows Mobile device won’t pick up a signal. He won’t even be able to calm his last moments with music because his feces brown Zune won’t squirt.
Hey Ballmer, when you say you run every morning, jumping on the back of one of your down-trodden ‘yes’ men while he runs around the back yard doesn’t count.
“His discipline is impeccable,” Loh reports.
Handcuffed and wrapped in chains, with a couple of Dells as weights.
Ballmer….LOL…ROTFLMAO! Ballmer! BWAAAaHAHAHA!
ROTFLMAO! Ballmer! Ohhh man you’re killing me!
“Trudge up this hill” (sweat, pant)
“Roll down the other side.”
MDN Magic Word: seen – As in “A pulsating, quivering pile of sweaty fat was seen on the side of the road near the Microsoft Headquarters today. Witnesses report “a large tongue-like object snaking from it toward a puddle of melted ice cream.”
Ballmer: ” I run every morning.”
Yeah, to the bathroom!
Looking at the “witty” comments posted here, I once again lament that these childish attitudes, hurt, rather than help, people on the fence considering switching.
Personal attacks on a guy are just tacky and immature.
You’ve all outdone yourselves this time! I haven’t read so many funny comments in one article in a LONG time!
And while I will sort of agree with those who say we’re too hard on old Stevie B. for politeness reasons, I have to say that we really need to lay off him because, as it’s been said so many times before, Ballmer is absolutely one of the BEST things to happen to Apple in ages (that is, one of the best things from OUTSIDE Apple). I, for one, pray every day that the shareholders DON’T wake up any time soon. Put someone half way competent in his position and M$ suddenly becomes a very real threat. Think about it…
Okay.. so he runs every morning..
Any word on if he’s working on his dancing skills?
Are we ever going to see an encore presentation of Dance, Dance Revolution Balmer?
Thorin: What you’ve said is right on the money, and I noticed you did not include the man’s appearance. I make no outcry for civility for anything the man has done or said. He deserves everything he gets for that. I just think MDN is hurting their argument more than helping it when they include his physical appearance in their take. That’s being childish.
@ Ronin: “Personal attacks on a guy are just tacky and immature.”
My gosh.. here, I just found the world’s smallest violin. Let me play it for you…
Geez, Woz uses a Segway and is still in better shape that Ballmer…
He has kids?
The things money can buy.
Can you imagine!? I think I’m going to hurl.
“I actually have a spreadsheet that I use to manage my time”
This makes me chuckle…
Years and years and years ago–back when the IBM PC first came out–There was a guy I worked with who used Lotus 1-2-3 for everything. He’d devoted so much time and effort to learning how to use Lotus 1-2-3 that he didn’t want to spend the time to learn how to use anything else. He’d use it for spreadsheets. He’d use it for memos. He’d use it to keep track of phone numbers. He’d use it for everything…
So, no, I’m not surprised that Ballmer uses Excel for managing his time. Knowing the bloatware that is Excel, I’m sure he uses it for everything else, too.
MDN Magic Word: “figures”
it’s good to know that Ballmer is in the belltower promptly at 8am every morning. I’m sure his kids are REAL happy that he brings them to the bus every morning.
@ twilightmoon: “My gosh.. here, I just found the world’s smallest violin. Let me play it for you…”
Uhhh, I’m not sure how violin music fits for people acting childish, but hey, whatever floats your boat.
There is a quote from Eric Schmidt of Google in a recent Wired magazine article that is appropriate in any Ballmerstance:
“I don’t think it makes sense for me to comment on the words and actions of Steve Ballmer.”