Comment by kenjackson | Hacker News Reader

Comment by kenjackson | Hacker News Reader

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What I found most ludicrous? Ballmer relying on Gates' taste to select one device or another.

I know right? Why ask arguably the most successful businessman in history for his opinion? Stupid Ballmer.

But then how can a project go so bad (I am remembering the Kin) and nobody notices until there are 130 people working on it for a year? Here, when we have a stupid idea, it's usually killed at the 5-people-involved stage.

That happens quite easily. The story I've heard about the Kin (with no verifiable sources) is that they built the phone they planned on designing for the most part. And had the phone shipped as a feature phone it may have been a blockbuster. But Verizon changed their tune due to it being so late and made it a smartphone. But it was a great idea, up until it was a really bad idea -- with contractual obligations for marketing and delivery.

Oddly, the neutered Kin is one of Verizon's top selling feature phones now.

> Why ask arguably the most successful businessman in history for his opinion?

In this specific case, I side with the stated opinion of one of the most admired businessmen of all time, Steve Jobs. Bill Gates just has no taste.

After reading this description of the Courier, I don't know why even bothering Gates with this.

edit: another explanation could be blame shifting. Ballmer knows his tenure has not been exactly brilliant and canceling a project that could be (it would be portrayed as that, if convenient) the iPad killer Microsoft's board dreams about would end up being ammunition against Ballmer in any future conflict. By delegating this decision to Gates, Ballmer is safe. Killing the Courier was the right thing, but Ballmer needed bigger balls than his own to kill it.

There is something unique about tablets like iPad, which is tough to understand. When Steve Jobs released it, he emphasized that this was a major event. However at the time, it looked like a overblown iPhone. Personally for me, there are days when i never miss using my iPad, but without PC i cannot do even for few hours.

That said, i still feel that there is something i don't understand of this device. Something which old-guards like steve and gates, who have seen it happening once, feel about it and how its going to bring in some big changes in future. Hat's off to Ballmer to call in the right person for task.

Hallmark of a good leadership is often about understanding the gravity of situation, know your limitations and find the best person for task. No-wonder companies with leaders like that lead the industry for decades.

I'm not saying it would have outsold the Iphone or anything but there was nothing wrong with the Kin itself. The phone plan killed it.

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