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Comment by msoad | Hacker News Reader

Steve Ballmer enters the chat

Steve Ballmer joining Apple would do for Microsoft's stock price what Steve Ballmer leaving Microsoft did for Microsoft's stock price.

i think that was more the function of the macro market. much of the foundation for microsoft’s second coming was laid by balmer. basically, i think he gets somewhat of an unfair rap ;-)

It's certainly true that he was instrumental in their success. If someone else had been in post, it would've happened ten years earlier.

No one who worked at Microsoft under Ballmer & Satya believes this. I’m curious as to why people believe that Ballmer who missed every major tech trend, threw good money after chasing competitors and had zero idea how to build build good products “laid the foundation” versus acknowledging Satya’s significant success?

Balmer extracted profits out of the established businesses while failing at everything else.

i never said satya wasn’t an incredible leader. i’ve heard as much from friends who work at microsoft.

i just don’t think it’s fair to look at the stock price of microsoft during ballers tenure at microsoft without applying the lens of the broader market.

Do you think Microsoft stock would be even near what it is today if it was led by Ballmer?

This is an extremely hard to imagine scenario...

I interned at Microsoft when he was CEO and he gave us a lunch q&a.

The man is the most charismatic person I've ever seen speak in person. Given just how badly he ran Microsoft, I really think his ability to convince people of stuff is some kind of superpower.

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