http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 3:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 2:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 3:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:09AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 3:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 5:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 8:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/04/archer-quinn-calls-it-quits-you-may-have-been-able-to-prevent/
]]>Jun 5th 2008 11:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 11:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 11:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 3:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 3:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 3:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:03AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
But this Ballmer, well he can go suck monkey balls.]]>Jun 5th 2008 4:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:10AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:33AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 4:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
No Gates, YOU SHOULD NOT change, THAT JACKASS should change and realized that he won't have his job if you do not build this company.

Now I know the root of the problems for the last few years that plagued Microsoft... It's the stupid Sweatman]]>Jun 5th 2008 4:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
Gee. And we wonder why there's nothing interesting whatsoever (I know, they're gonna make a table-sized mPhone) coming out of them.]]>Jun 5th 2008 5:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
why do i feel we will be screwed before we will reach 2018.....]]>Jun 5th 2008 3:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
Why in earth is Bill stepping down? It is very obvious he doesn't want to, yet for some reason he is.]]>Jun 5th 2008 5:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 5:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 5:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 5:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
From Gamespot.com

Microsoft's game division suffers $1.89B shortfall

Entertainment and Devices Division sees a 47 percent increase in its annual operating loss, thanks to $1.06 billion in warranty-extension costs and slowing 360 sales.

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot
Posted Jul 19, 2007

Last July, Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, promised that his department would be profitable during the company's 2008 fiscal year. However, he also warned that, like the years before it, the EDD—as the department is referred to in Microsoft's financial documentation—would suffer a loss during the software giant's 2007 fiscal year, which ended June 30.

Given Bach's warning, today's announcement that the EDD is still in the red didn't surprise anyone. For the year, the division suffered a $1.89 billion operating loss, a 47 percent increase from the $1.28 billion hit the division took the prior year. The shortfall came despite $6.08 billion in annual revenue, 28 percent above the $4.76 billion it took in the year prior.

Microsoft shipped—not sold—6.6 million 360s during its fiscal 2007, up from 5 million FY2006-—when it wasn't on sale for nearly half the year. Its current installed base stands 11.6 million strong, the most of any of the latest crop of consoles. However, the company only shipped 0.7 million units in the April-June quarter, versus 1.8 million during the same period in 2006.

Besides decreased Xbox 360 console sales, the EDD's fourth quarter suffered a catastrophic blow when then—Corporate Vice President Peter Moore announced a three-year extension of the Xbox 360 manufacturer's warranty. Today, the company confirmed it took a $1.06 billion charge as a result of the unprecedented move, causing operating losses for the quarter to tally a massive $1.2 billion—a staggering 183 percent year-on-year increase. The company said the loss was lessened somewhat by "decreased Xbox 360 console manufacturing costs" and "increased Xbox accessories and video game sales."

Among the grim financial figures were a few nuggets of interesting news. Apparently the EDD is beefing up its staff, since the company's report says that "headcount-related costs increased 15 percent [for the year], driven by a 9 percent increase in headcount and an increase in salaries and benefits for existing headcount, partially offset by a decrease in stock-based compensation expense." The company also said that for the year "Zune, consumer hardware and software, and TV platforms revenue increased $539 million, or 65 percent."

But while Microsoft's game-industry efforts proved costly, they were more than made up for by the company's other businesses. Despite the $1.06 billion 360 warranty charge, the company saw a $3.04 billion net income on $13.37 billion in revenue during its fourth fiscal quarter, 11 percent higher than the same period in 2006. For the full fiscal year, the company saw $14.7 billion of net income on revenues of $51.12 billion, a 15 percent increase over the prior fiscal year.

From Gamepro.com

"Microsoft has lost unthinkable amounts of money on its Xbox business. In the six short years it's been in the industry, the company hasn't made a dime. When adding the recently announced $1.9 billion losses incurred in fiscal 2007, total life-to-date Xbox losses are conservatively estimated at somewhere around $6 billion dollars."


You know what he'll do when he comes back? Beat my teeth out, then kick me in the stomach for mumbling—Philip Marlowe, Th Big Sleep

]]>Jun 5th 2008 9:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
Balmer on the other hand worries me. As someone mentioned above, the picture of him and Bill is worrying. He has that mad psychotic axe murderer stare his eyes and looks like he is about to start giggling manically. His antics all over the internet in various videos tend to in my opinion to corroborate the fact that he isn't wired up correctly.

It will be interesting to see how Microsoft fares after Bill stands down and Balmer takes over.]]>Jun 5th 2008 6:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/So even if he wasn't a programmer he'd have made a pretty good businessman IMHO.
Ballmer is also pretty smart, but I'm not sure if he has quite the same kinda vision like Gates had, and it seems like he's more of a CEO management kinda guy, except that might be a bad thing.
But then again Gates' would always be very aggressive about just about anything, and that is more or less what lead to the anti-trust problems that MS faced, whereas Ballmer has basically done the managerial work of cleaning up any messes and smoothing things over with other companies. ]]>Jun 6th 2008 7:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Even a little more scary.

Here is the the kind of "progress" MS makes:
Ballmer: you can buy Vista and downgrade to XP for free

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/06/04/ballmer_you_can_buy_vista_and_downgrade_to_xp_for_free.html

good thing they got that little Office thing kicking ass everywhere.


]]>Jun 5th 2008 6:25AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 7:07AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 7:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 8:18AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
OOh, hope I didn't sound too opinionated there...]]>Jun 5th 2008 9:06AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/And then, maybe when Bill's 62, he'll take up the company once again and bring it to new heights. That sounds familiar...]]>Jun 5th 2008 8:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 8:49AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
Except what woman would really do it with him.

I figure the children he mentions are adopted and he can only see them on weekends of about and hour and only if supervised with two or three SWAT teams in place.

I have never had a greater disrespect for another human being as I do him. @Duke 2 - you said it so well!]]>Jun 5th 2008 9:24AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 9:47AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
This guy should be managing a McDonalds.]]>Jun 5th 2008 9:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
It's sad that people actually like Microsoft. Look at the person that is running it. A company is its CEO and Balmer is two steps away from the devil. In fact when he goes to hell he will probably set up good ol satan and take his spot as king of the underworld. Then bust into the monkey dance.]]>Jun 5th 2008 11:37AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 6th 2008 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 9:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 9:58AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 10:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/
I wonder what his wife is like. You know she had to look at him before she accepted his proposal. Says something about her..]]>Jun 5th 2008 1:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/05/steve-ballmer-retirement-2018-if-bill-doesnt-get-in-the-way/Jun 5th 2008 6:39PM