“Last time CEO Steve Ballmer offered a tentative timeframe as to when he might retire from Microsoft, he put the date at ten years or so from now (around the time his youngest goes to college),” Mary-Jo Foley reports for ZDNet.
MacDailyNews Note: Related article: Microsoft CEO Ballmer: I’m outta here in 9 or 10 years; as soon as my last kid goes away to college – June 05, 2008
Foley continues, “But now there’s a new date. And Ballmer may be sticking around a lot longer than many are thinking, or, in some cases, hoping.”
Foley reports, “According to scuttlebutt from Microsoft’s annual employee meeting, which was held in Seattle on September 18, Ballmer told attendees that he is going to stay on at Microsoft until Microsoft’s search share exceeds Google’s.”
“In August, Google’s U.S. search share rose 1.1 percent over the previous month’s. Yahoo’s dropped .9 percent to 20.5 percent and Microsoft’s dropped .6 percent, to 8.9 percent,” Foley reports.
MacDailyNews Note: FYI: Google’s share rose 1.1% from 61.9% to 63%. We’re sure that Microsoft sycophant Foley just made an honest mistake, but using the link Foley herself provided, Microsoft dropped 0.6% from 8.9% to 8.3%. Likewise, Yahoo dropped 0.9% from 20.5% to 19.6%. So, for Microsoft and Yahoo, it’s even worse than Foley describes.
Foley continues, “Unless Microsoft can somehow reverse this trend, Ballmer may be around a long, long time…”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Sketchtrain” for the heads up.]
Ballmer’s going to need an embalmer long before Microsoft’s search share exceeds Google’s (ie. never).
FANTASTIC NEWS FOR THE CHAIR INDUSTRY!!!!!
Even better news for Apple!
He will be removed long before he decides to retire himself, so the date at which he thinks he will retire is essentially irrelevant.
Balmer, as the CEO, is the guy who is ultimately responsible for Vista, for Zune, and for X-Box. Vista in particular was “his baby” as they say.
I would wager that if “Vista 1.5” (Windows 7), is not a success, and especially if the new round of ads doesn’t do anything for them, that he will be out soon after. It’s expected that a CEO fall on his sword for failures like this and he has been given more of a “pass” in that regard than many other execs at other companies.
Ineffectual CEOs normally wouldn’t last this long, but he is a founding exec, and a friend of Bill’s.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s retirement date: Never!
Better than good – excellent!
its all about profits…
So was SJ
The shareholders will be heard.
Even over Ballmer’s shouting/crying
10.6% Mac laptop sales certainly aren’t helping his cause…
At least he didn’t say until Zune’s market share exceeds iPod’s.
Well, doesn’t this finally prove he’s a vampire (basically a large bloodsucking leech that is difficult to kill)? Which is remarkably similar to the company that he runs.
Has this guy ever even had a real job? If he left M$ would he be qualified to do anything at all?
until MS has more search share than google?!?
my god the man is immortal!
MDN, where <u>DO</u> you did up those SB photos? Google Image search??
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@nomatta
PROFITS!!! WE DONT NEED NO STINKING PROFITS WE NEED…
Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers
Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers
Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers
Developers, Developers, Developers, Developers
Sweet!
I think most of use agree… Steve Ballmer should remain CEO of Microsoft -for as long as it takes-
I guess when he is dead, they will just embalm him and stand him up by the Television. That way his image will still be looking for the percentage to pass Googles.
Poor Monkey Boy!
Wow! And my birthday is still a month away. Thanks Steve!
The longer he stays, the longer Microsoft continues to suck. And that’s a very good thing for all concerned.
Apple FTW!
M$FT’s emBallmer?
Or until he’s one of the winning contestants in “Dancing With the Stars.”
Ballmer; MY Ninja!
Please pretty please do everything you must to stay the CEO of M$
I bet SJ sends your sorry ass a xmas card every year.
Good new for Apple, bad news for the stockholders.
Unfortunately, that is most of us, through our retirement plans and similar investments.
I fear Microsoft will do for my retirement plan what Enron did.
basically a large bloodsucking leech that is difficult to kill
Sprinkling ordinary table salt on them will kill leeches.
I doubt that will work on Ballmer.
But now there’s a new date (…) around a lot longer than many are thinking, or, in some cases, hoping.
Sounds like a Windows release schedule.