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

Is Steve Ballmer the Most Underrated CEO of the 21st Century?

blog.jovono.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 116 posts

Re: Is Steve Ballmer the Most Underrated CEO of the 21st Century?

#11

Post by giancarlostoro »

ko_pivot wrote: post #8

The latest Acquired episode makes a pretty strong case for Ballmer, implying that he led the Microsoft move to own all enterprise software, not Gates.

I think the current CEO is definitely a good one. I just wish one CEO would finally focus on making Windows less awful for power users. Let us turn off all the useless garbage and have offline accounts. I'll personally pay more to do so. Give power users the OS they want.

Curious why Ballmer is coming up lately, did something happen with him?

Re: Is Steve Ballmer the Most Underrated CEO of the 21st Century?

#15

Post by shrubble »

It's easy to look like a genius when your company engages in sleazy, underhanded business practices and becomes a near-monopoly as a result. Stac, the paying off of Ziff-Davis publications, etc.

Ever since Bill Gates snookered Ed Roberts , Microsoft has had 'flexible' business ethics.

Re: Is Steve Ballmer the Most Underrated CEO of the 21st Century?

#16

Post by andrewstuart »

Steve Ballmer is basically the co founder of Microsoft.

He came on a little later but Bill moved heaven and earth to bring him on to run the company with him.

He was given and incredible deal so he could be effectively an equity partner.

Steve Ballmer is underrated and did an incredible job and is to be credited with the success of Microsoft as much as anyone.

He’s one of my computing heroes.

Re: Is Steve Ballmer the Most Underrated CEO of the 21st Century?

#17

Post by Zr01 »

rbanffy wrote: post #10
AlexandrB wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd love to have Ballmer back. The Microsoft products I use (Windows) have become increasingly crappified under current leadership.

Ballmer was there when Longhorn/Vista happened.

He was there when 7 happened as well.

Re: Is Steve Ballmer the Most Underrated CEO of the 21st Century?

#18

Post by anticorporate »

I guess it depends on your measure. Personally, the Ballmer era represents Microsoft going from being "the" software company to just another dying giant that wasn't relevant to me. I used fewer Microsoft products in 2014 than I did in 2000 when Ballmer took over. Sure, they expanded the product categories they competed in, but any company with that kind of capitalization could have chosen to do the same.

Re: Is Steve Ballmer the Most Underrated CEO of the 21st Century?

#19

Post by throw0101c »

apwell23 wrote: post #4
FrankWilhoit wrote: post #3

We need to be asking who the most overrated are. They are the ones who can exploit their positions to do real harm. (Lookin' at you, Sloe Mnuk.)

jack welch ?

> jack welch ?

Perhaps when he was actually still at GE, but after his retirement, it is now know that GE did all sorts of 'sideways accounting':

* https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/litigation-releas...

So he is no longer viewed as highly as he once was:

* https://old.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/vqr30e/jack_...

Re: Is Steve Ballmer the Most Underrated CEO of the 21st Century?

#20

Post by geodel »

shrubble wrote: post #15

It's easy to look like a genius when your company engages in sleazy, underhanded business practices and becomes a near-monopoly as a result. Stac, the paying off of Ziff-Davis publications, etc. Ever since Bill Gates snookered Ed Roberts , Microsoft has had 'flexible' business ethics.

Maybe 3 orders of magnitude more people have tried same techniques but couldn't succeed. So yes, it is still genius.
Post reply on HN