Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

talk.maemo.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 69 posts

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#31

Post by Geee »

jeswin wrote: post #27
bergie wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It looks like even the previous gen (Maemo) of the next gen (MeeGo) has sold better than WP7

That talks more about Nokia's brand than about Maemo or Meego. I was among the first to buy a Maemo device, the hardware rocked but the software was average. As Nokia said, it is a war of eco-systems now; not devices. Even a low-end Android beats a better spec'ed Nokia because the software is so much better. The quality of apps on Ovi store says it all.

Yup, and now they totally gave up in the ecosystem wars giving their portion to Microsoft. Dumb move considering the market leader position (still over 30% with Symbian), brand loyalty, and huge mass of devoted developers. Technology pieces were falling in place with the newly announced Qt support on Ovi Store apps. There's no way someone thinks this deal was good for Nokia.

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#32

Post by angstrom »

bvi wrote: post #8

Given that he has been a Microsoft veteran, it's hardly surprising that (1) he's a big shareholder, and (2) whatever decision he makes as Nokia chief, his position as one of the largest individual shareholders of Microsoft will come into scrutiny. I think it's naive to say that he chose to go down the Microsoft route because he is one of its largest individual shareholders. It is equally as likely that Elop would hav…

It's still something that has to be cleared by Nokia's board. He can't make a unilateral decision like this and have everyone go along for the ride.

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#33

Post by mryall »

ahrens wrote: post #3

That is just f*cked up but hardly surprising. How can anybody be elected CEO when it's pretty clear he will see to his own interests rather than the companys interests?

CEOs aren't "elected", they're appointed by the board of directors. Elop's background and shareholdings would be well understood by Nokia's board.

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#34

Post by saturdaysaint »

mtw wrote: post #19
saturdaysaint wrote: post #11

Do we really need a deep conspiracy theory angle to explain the deprecation of a horribly lagging OS (Symbian) and a next-gen OS whose development was severely lagging even behind WP7? The board brought on Elop to do precisely what he did - any ire should be directed squarely at them. Say what you will about RIMM, at least they aren't striking at the prospect of QNX replacing their OS.

The partnership is still suspicious; any reasonable person would tell you Nokia should have picked Android instead. There's no competitive advantage picking up WP7, unless microsoft wanted to subsidize every nokia handset

"Any reasonable person" Careful - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisoning_the_well

There are serious competitive considerations for Nokia not choosing Android. I think Elop outlines them pretty intelligently here - http://video.allthingsd.com/video/nokia-ceo-on-choosing-wind...

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#35

Post by powertower »

So now Nokia's decision to replace Symbian has nothing to do with a careful analysis of the situation, but everything to do with keeping $3 million dollars worth of Microsoft stock on the up for 1 man?

I have not seen 1 insightful post since this FUD has been spreading. It's amazing how much petty hatred is out there towards Microsoft...

I don't even think this has anything to do with Microsoft itself, but rather with people's psychological need to create conspiracies, to see themselves as the little guy fighting the big guy, and pretend that they have knowledge / can see what other's can't.

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#36

Post by jeswin »

Geee wrote: post #31
jeswin wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That talks more about Nokia's brand than about Maemo or Meego. I was among the first to buy a Maemo device, the hardware rocked but the software was average. As Nokia said, it is a war of eco-systems now; not devices. Even a low-end Android beats a better spec'ed Nokia because the software is so much better. The quality of apps on Ovi store says it all.

Yup, and now they totally gave up in the ecosystem wars giving their portion to Microsoft. Dumb move considering the market leader position (still over 30% with Symbian), brand loyalty, and huge mass of devoted developers. Technology pieces were falling in place with the newly announced Qt support on Ovi Store apps. There's no way someone thinks this deal was good for Nokia.

Technology pieces were falling in place with the newly announced Qt support on Ovi Store apps?

Really? The Ovi Store is pathetic, and even though they have improved a bit recently it comes nowhere close to the other platforms. Casual games are very important, Ovi has less to offer than the nascent Windows Marketplace.

I am among the few who think this is better for Nokia, given the alternative. Nokia is a hardware company. They don't do great software, and they just accepted that fact.

Btw, they might have a gotten a good deal with Microsoft too, given the situation MS itself is in. WP7 is a great OS, and the collaboration with Nokia could see it appearing on cheaper devices. Nokia is famous for making affordable devices that can survive a drop or two. In fact, I know many people who WANT a Nokia with a decent OS.

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#38

Post by saturdaysaint »

callumjones wrote: post #17
saturdaysaint wrote: post #11

Do we really need a deep conspiracy theory angle to explain the deprecation of a horribly lagging OS (Symbian) and a next-gen OS whose development was severely lagging even behind WP7? The board brought on Elop to do precisely what he did - any ire should be directed squarely at them. Say what you will about RIMM, at least they aren't striking at the prospect of QNX replacing their OS.

Probably because QNX is a lot more mature. MeeGo seemed like a side project/hobby.

I'm comparing QNX more to WP7 (both OSes being brought in from the outside when internal development couldn't keep up with the competition).

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#39

Post by jarek »

mtw wrote: post #19
saturdaysaint wrote: post #11

Do we really need a deep conspiracy theory angle to explain the deprecation of a horribly lagging OS (Symbian) and a next-gen OS whose development was severely lagging even behind WP7? The board brought on Elop to do precisely what he did - any ire should be directed squarely at them. Say what you will about RIMM, at least they aren't striking at the prospect of QNX replacing their OS.

The partnership is still suspicious; any reasonable person would tell you Nokia should have picked Android instead. There's no competitive advantage picking up WP7, unless microsoft wanted to subsidize every nokia handset

It's funny how people pick on Windows Desktop and Android for setting off a race to the bottom among manufacturers and then say there is no competitive advantage when one manufacturer chooses something else.

Re: Stephen Elop is the 7th biggest individual shareholder of Microsoft

#40

Post by rbanffy »

mtw wrote: post #19
saturdaysaint wrote: post #11

Do we really need a deep conspiracy theory angle to explain the deprecation of a horribly lagging OS (Symbian) and a next-gen OS whose development was severely lagging even behind WP7? The board brought on Elop to do precisely what he did - any ire should be directed squarely at them. Say what you will about RIMM, at least they aren't striking at the prospect of QNX replacing their OS.

The partnership is still suspicious; any reasonable person would tell you Nokia should have picked Android instead. There's no competitive advantage picking up WP7, unless microsoft wanted to subsidize every nokia handset

> unless microsoft wanted to subsidize every nokia handset

I wouldn't discard that possibility. Phone makers have to pay to call their Android sets Android and to have the Gmail, Google Maps and other Google properties on their phones. Maybe Microsoft is giving them a boatload of money and saying "spend this money to make WP7 suck less, for we can't to it ourselves" on the condition they sell only WP7 phones.

We don't know what's in the package. This could give Nokia time enough so it can be carved into smaller sellable pieces before the whole thing collapses.

The whole thing would collapse anyway without an aggressive course correction. MeeGo isn't going anywhere and Symbian is doomed. They could have gone Android, but I guess the board thinks the company is doomed no matter what is done and that WP7 is what brings it more time.

Post reply on HN