How Satya Nadella Has Completely Changed Microsoft In Just 3 Months

Business Insider ^ | 05/15/2014 | Julie Bort

[SeekAndFind]

Three months ago Microsoft announced that long-time Microsoftie Satya Nadella would become the company's third-ever CEO.

That has turned out to be a very smart choice.

In a few short weeks, the company has a fresh outlook and a more respectful attitude toward all of its constituents, its customers, developers and, most especially, its competitors.

The sunny outlook is infectious. Microsoft's stock is trading at a 14-year high, hovering around $40 share.

A quick tour of what's been going on at Microsoft shows the company making changes at a feverish pace.

Within the past few days ...

Nadella proved that Microsoft's war with Apple is over. Microsoft has been using Apple's iPad and iPhones with Microsoft software and cloud services in public demos all over the place: at its developer's conference, at its big customer conference. We expect Apple's products to appear on stage at its big partner conference in July, too.

Under Nadella, Microsoft ended "one of the most egregious price gouging experiences in personal technology," as blogger Paul Thurrott at Supersite for Windows, called it. Microsoft said it would end the tactic of making Xbox users pay for an upgraded Live Gold subscription just to use the entertainment features included in the console.

He, himself, talked to Wall Street analysts at the quarterly conference call. That's something that Ballmer didn't do. He struck the right tone between confidence and humility, telling the Street that Microsoft's new attitude is "courage in the face of reality."

He launched Microsoft into the hottest new market, called the Internet of Things (IoT), which will become a $1.6 trillion market within four years, Microsoft says, and a $19 trillion market in a decade, Cisco says. Microsoft launched a new database, a new cloud service and a new big data analysis service for IoT apps.

[John O]

Now he can get to the really important stuff. Releasing HALO 3 for the PC

[Mannaggia l'America]

Nadella may deserve some, perhaps a lot, of the credit, but, most of the software and technology developments were well underway and even ready for deployment, before Ballmer had even declared that he was leaving.

I was speaking with a MS guy today who is involved closely with Office 365 product management and their previous BPOS product, and he said that Office for the iPad had been done for a year and they sat on it, because Ballmer would never have released it.

[USNBandit]

Right after they release the Zune II.

[adorno]

Office for the iPad had been done for a year and they sat on it, because Ballmer would never have released it

Well, there you go. Office for iPad had been done for a year, and that occurred under Ballmer's direction.

Then, when it comes to Ballmer not wanting to release it, that's pure speculation and hearsay. I understand that there's another source inside MS that says that, Office for the iPad wasn't released earlier, because MS was waiting for the release of iOS 7, which removed some of the problems and issues that Office would have had with iOS 6. Isn't it interesting that soon after iOS 7 came out, that Office for iPad was also released?

Still, all development work occurred while Ballmer was still the head at MS, and the idea to support other platforms had also been decided under Ballmer.

[Organic Panic]

In the manufacturing world almost all my software is subscription. Many people find it a ripoff, and at times so do I, but I appreciate the new 365 subscription.

They still have A LOT of work to get it straightened out with their stupid integration with outlook but it’s a good choice for my small business.

[usconservative]

focus on making the best software for all platforms. That’s the way to go.

Exactly correct. Ballmer for whatever reason was about locking customers into their OS platform. Completely lost customer focus.

I think this Satya Nadella (SP?) guy is going to do some really good things with MS. Get them back to truly innovating. Seen their stock price lately? Tickling $40/share. Hasn't done that since I don't know when. True leadership will do that.

[catnipman]

“I think you may be misunderstanding what they are saying. You said everyone has to update Windows 8.1 Update 1 for security patches. That is inaccurate. I’m using Windows 7, and I don’t need to upgrade. They are just saying if you are using WIndows 8.1, you need update to 8.1 Update 1. That is totally reasonable”

I’m not misunderstanding at all. And stopping ALL patches for Windows 8.x users with two weeks notice that such patch-halting will happen if you don’t install Update 1 just a couple of weeks after it was released is completely unreasonable.

This announcement has created havoc amongst tens of thousands of enterprise businesses that take months and months before they can roll out a patch to thousands on inhouse PCs and/or to test software products they deliver into the marketplace.

If the enterprise had pretty much decided to skip 8.x, this little gem of a decision has pretty much iced the cake on that decision.

[catnipman]

“Actually, that deadline has (for now) been extended to 30 June 2014—but I expect the deadline to be extended until 31 August 2014 so corporate customers can properly test Windows 8.1 Update 1.”

I’m aware of the extension, but only after MAJOR screaming by major corporations. This simply reinforces my point that nothing has changed with Microsoft so far: they’re still totally arrogant, tone-deaf, and make product decisions totally based on what they think is good for Microsoft because they still think the have a captive customer base that has no other options and is at the mercy of whatever Microsoft decides.

[RayChuang88]

Unfortunately, the same applies for that beloved company, Apple. We're finding out that Steve Jobs' reality distortion field has disguised some shortcomings of Apple hardware, like too-small touchscreens for the iPhone 5 series.

[Wayne07]

OK, I thought you misunderstood, now I know you misunderstood. But Microsoft is at fault for not clearly communicating the plan.

To be clear, users of Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista will continue to get security patches. The update requirement only applies to Windows 8.1 users

[catnipman]

“Unfortunately, the same applies for that beloved company, Apple. We’re finding out that Steve Jobs’ reality distortion field has disguised some shortcomings of Apple hardware, like too-small touchscreens for the iPhone 5 series. “

I’m not an Apple fan and really could care less what Apple does. Still, Apple’s finally started its drain-circling post Job’s demise. They’re coasting on his genius, but the gravy train has finally come to a halt. Apple is extremely unlikely to ever again to produce another block-buster product that alters the world like it did multiple times when Jobs invented all of that stuff for them.

[Delta Dawn]

Hey everyone, this guy got an apple tattoo on his butt, that is why he wants MS to go away.

Trolls usually do...

[catnipman]

“OK, I thought you misunderstood, now I know you misunderstood. “

I’ve provided this google search so even YOU might be able to understand what the issue is:

https://www.google.com/search?q=windows+8.1+update+or+no+patchs&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[Wayne07]

Did you look at your own search? It only applies to 8.1. Not 8.x like you said in your last post, and not everyone: like you said in the post before. I was trying to give an out by saying Microsoft was communicating poorly, now you are acting willfully ignorant..

[catnipman]

“8.1. Not 8.x”

ROTFLOL!

[SamAdams76]

Steve Ballmer was a clueless buffoon. A classic case of one who overachieved far beyond his ability due to being in the right place at the right time. Namely being a classmate of Bill Gates at Harvard and proceeding to kiss his butt and riding his coattails at Microsoft.

Just one example of his cluelessness: He scoffed at the iPhone when it came out and declared that it would get zero market share.

But he'll always be remembered for his ridiculous over-the-top presentations in which he barrels around the stage like a giraffe that just OD'd on cocaine. If he never met Gates at Harvard and achieved to his actual ability, he'd be doing that nonsense at Amway conventions or maybe selling time-shares at some dumpy Florida resort.

[Wayne07]

OK, I still think you are confused. There are two separate versions of Windows 8, 8, and 8.1. The 8.x notation means both. 8 gets security patches, 8.1 needs to be updated to 8.1 update 1 to get security patches.

So what you have so far is:

"Microsoft just announced everyone has two weeks to upgrade to Windows 8.1 Update 1 or they can no longer receive ANY security patches!"

Wrong, not everyone. Not WIndow Vista, not windows 7, and not Windows 8. Only 8.1.

Then you said:

And stopping ALL patches for Windows 8.x users with two weeks notice that such patch-halting will happen

Wrong. Patching doesn't stop for Windows 8 users, only unupdated 8.1 users

It isn't a big deal that you have been wrong. Just be a man and say Oops, I misread or misheard. Stop doing a disservice to the Free Republic community by spreading misinformation.

[catnipman]

You’re funny!

“OK, I still think you are confused. There are two separate versions of Windows 8, 8, and 8.1. The 8.x notation means both. 8 gets security patches, 8.1 needs to be updated to 8.1 update 1 to get security patches.

So what you have so far is:

“Microsoft just announced everyone has two weeks to upgrade to Windows 8.1 Update 1 or they can no longer receive ANY security patches!”

Wrong, not everyone. Not WIndow Vista, not windows 7, and not Windows 8. Only 8.1.

Then you said:

And stopping ALL patches for Windows 8.x users with two weeks notice that such patch-halting will happen

Wrong. Patching doesn’t stop for Windows 8 users, only unupdated 8.1 users

It isn’t a big deal that you have been wrong. Just be a man and say Oops, I misread or misheard. Stop doing a disservice to the Free Republic community by spreading misinformation. “