Meet the new boss, same as the old boss?

In looking up a reference to something I'd written some years ago, I came across an article from the Jan. 17, 2000, issue of Network World. It began: "Microsoft last week began what could be the most dramatic metamorphosis of its 25-year history."

Yes, it was five years ago this month that Bill Gates handed over the title of Microsoft CEO to Steve Ballmer, while retaining the title of chairman of the board, and writing chief software architect on his business cards. Because Gates had been the company's only CEO up until that time, many were poised to see what changes the new CEO might bring.

In the Wired Windows column for Feb. 1 that year, I wrote, "Does anyone really believe that installing Steve Ballmer as CEO of Microsoft will actually change anything that happens in Redmond?" Surprisingly, some people did. Not so surprising, though, it didn't actually come to pass.

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In looking up a reference to something I'd written some years ago, I came across an article from the Jan. 17, 2000, issue of Network World. It began: "Microsoft last week began what could be the most dramatic metamorphosis of its 25-year history."

Yes, it was five years ago this month that Bill Gates handed over the title of Microsoft CEO to Steve Ballmer, while retaining the title of chairman of the board, and writing chief software architect on his business cards. Because Gates had been the company's only CEO up until that time, many were poised to see what changes the new CEO might bring.

In the Wired Windows column for Feb. 1 that year, I wrote, "Does anyone really believe that installing Steve Ballmer as CEO of Microsoft will actually change anything that happens in Redmond?" Surprisingly, some people did. Not so surprising, though, it didn't actually come to pass.

Gates said the move would give him more time to focus on technologies. But it wasn't being tied to the office as CEO that kept Gates from dabbling in technology but his worldwide gallivanting from trade show to government meeting to school room to disaster site as the chief banner-waver for Microsoft technology. And that hasn't changed at all.

Some speculated at the time that the move was more in response to the then-ongoing anti-trust lawsuit rather than to any business need. Events over the past five years seem to have proven this correct.

Gates still is setting a peripatetic pace as a globe-trotter, and Microsoft technological advancement still can cause him acute embarrassment as the computer crashes during his Consumer Electronic Show keynote address demonstrate.

More telling, though, is the fact that Gates remains the chief (some might say the sole) spokesperson for Microsoft. Ballmer has made his mark on the internal organization of the company, and the business unit structure largely reflects his thinking and style. But that reorganization is something he already was charged with doing as COO, I'd expect, and anyone who thinks it happened without Gates' imprimatur is sadly mistaken.

As the French have said for many years, "plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose" - "the more things change, the more they stay the same." Very little has changed in Redmond, but we'll check back in five years down the road.

Tip of the Week

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