Thank you for all your cloud first, mobile first. I think that cloud first, mobile first, but that cloud first, mobile first. If only cloud first, mobile first,then cloud first, mobile first. But I digress, because what is really important here is our cloud first, mobile first strategy, which will require much cloud first, mobile first along with cloud first, mobile first.<p>I reckon Ballmer's PR drone won this one though. More words.
The level of snark and juvenile responses in this thread is amazing. Technically, all Ballmer had to write was "I resign my board position effective immediately" and Nadella could have responded with "Acknowledged". But the letters aren't meant for us. They are meant for investors who may cast doubt onto Microsoft's future with such a key member of the board stepping down. They also serve to reinforce the company's new direction of mobile and cloud. Perhaps the letters are worded awkwardly, but let's not devolve HN into a Reddit joke thread.
>> I bleed Microsoft — have for 34 years and I always will.<p>No matter what you think about Ballmer you have to admit his passion for Microsoft is unrivalled.
TL;DR<p>Steve Ballmer<p><pre><code> Bye. I'm outta here.
People to teach. Basketball to watch. You know.
I'll write postcards and stuff.
Love you. SB
P.S - I've got all the shares.
</code></pre>
Satya Nadella<p><pre><code> Whatever. I've also got loads of shares too.
Keep your postcards.
L8r amigo.</code></pre>
two pr teams talking to each other.<p>I would have written:<p>Steve to Satya: I love Microsoft, and I feel like I can trust you to take on the world for me. Microsoft must live. Here, take some seasons tickets for the Clippers.<p>Satya to Steve: Hey dude, I need to make Microsoft faster, leaner, and stronger. I'm glad I passed the 1st date test with you and the rest of the board. I'll take those seasons tickets now.
Nobody actually communicates like that, in terms of company slogans like cloud-first mobile-first and describing each other as having boldness and innovation. Not even CEOs.<p>This is a crafted communication targeting information to Microsoft employees and investors. It is not a 'leaked memo'.<p>I've heard it said that Ballmer's retirement had much more to do with strategic board shuffling to prevent predatory dividend dumping from the vulture capitol firm ValueAct Capitol.
It's very difficult for the new CEO and old CEO to be on the board together for 100+ reasons. As stated this comes at the 6 month mark. I'm sure this was all part of a carefully crafted calendar going back to the transition.
It's amazing to see what Ballmer stepping down from Microsoft has done. Microsoft's stock has outperformed Google's in the past year: <a href="https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chfdeh=0&chdet=1408478400000&chddm=98923&cmpto=NASDAQ:GOOG;NASDAQ:MSFT&cmptdms=0;0&q=goog" rel="nofollow">https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chfdeh=0&chdet=140847...</a>, msft&ntsp=0&ei=qJbzU7D4JvLLiQLNuYCACg
Five years ago I joined Microsoft. I have been neutral to pro-Ballmer the whole time, but this chart explains why many people were unhappy with him.<p><a href="https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&chvs=maximized&chdeh=0&chfdeh=0&chdet=1408478400000&chddm=543131&chls=IntervalBasedLine&cmpto=NASDAQ:AAPL;NASDAQ:GOOG;NASDAQ:AMZN;NYSEARCA:SPY&cmptdms=0;0;0;0&q=NASDAQ:MSFT&ntsp=0&ei=9pfzU8iLHsSyiAKN7IGoCA" rel="nofollow">https://www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&...</a>
For those who don't speak corporate:
"
Under your leadership, we created an incredible foundation that we continue to build on — and Microsoft will thrive in the mobile-first, cloud-first world.
"
= your plan failed and here is what we are going to do now instead
Boldness aside, this sentence struck me:<p>> I have confidence in our approach of mobile-first, cloud-
> first, and in our primary innovation emphasis on platforms
> and productivity and the building of capability in devices
> and services as core business drivers.<p>That's a lot to have confidence in. Is this tangled web of nested lists Microsoft's idea of "focus"? cf. Apple, Google, and Amazon's mission statements.
Healthy thing for him to do. People should have two or three distinct careers, in my opinion, in their lives. I hope he has a blast owning the Clippers and teaching.<p>Off topic, but: I have been a bit negative on Microsoft since NT, which I liked and helped me get work done. However, I like their direction with Office 365 for all devices and their high end Surface Pro 3.
I'm surprised how short and to the point Satya's letter is to Steve. You would think in the 20+ years they worked together he would relate some kind of interesting or personal story. Instead it's pretty terse and reads like a termination letter. I wonder if it was really Steve's choice to step down off the board.
"success requires moving to monetization through enterprise subscriptions, hardware gross margins, and advertising revenues"<p>That's a big step for Microsoft. My opinion is that they are late on subscriptions and ad revenues.
"I continue to love discussing the company’s future. I love trying new products and sending feedback. I love reading about what is going on at the company. Count on me to keep ideas and inputs flowing."<p>This describes Ballmer's 34 years at the company. I used to think highly (or high-er) of him but it can't be clearer to me that him being appointed CEO was the worst decision in the history of msft, leading to the lost decade. I don't think he has any idea what he was doing - listen to his recent interview on Bloomberg.
This sounds a lot like a pro athlete that realizes its time to really retire and stop chasing his dreams from 10 years ago when he was able to play a really high level.
A lot of people here are calling most of the letter marketing speak, that may be true, but Satya has been talking about mobile-first cloud-based since he became CEO, like I haven't seen him do a single interview or public appearance where he doesn't mention <i>at least</i> one of the two things.
So funny Cloud first, Mobile first... Henry Mintzberg would say that this is an inward focus statement telling and reminding MS employees what their focus should be. Bottom line : no many great mobile apps on MS devices...
He's got bigger things to do: <a href="http://instagram.com/p/r2jjTdhQFx/" rel="nofollow">http://instagram.com/p/r2jjTdhQFx/</a>
Microsoft is a spent force these days. Yes, they missed the opportunity to jump onto phones, but destroying their entire business and alienating all their customers is a complete overreaction.<p>Shame though, I liked Windows before they tried to slap the UI from a mobile phone onto it.
some people are born without the ability to walk.<p>others, are born without the gift of hearing.<p>i was born with an incredibly low "cringe" threshold.<p>reading this "exchange" almost put me in a coma.
"Mobile-first, cloud-first"... I've used their cloud and even our .NET fanboys voted it off the island at our shop.<p>And mobile first? Do they even have a mobile offering? I mean, sure, the Slate is kind of cool. But doesn't your company need marketshare to say that you're "mobile-first"?
You know those extensions that replace 'cloud' with 'butt'? It might be worthwhile to replace the entire phrase 'mobile-first, cloud-first world' with 'butt':<p>>In the <i>butt</i>, software development is a key skill...<p>>Under your leadership, we created an incredible foundation that we continue to build on — and Microsoft will thrive in the <i>butt</i>.