Bonum Certa Men Certa

Does Microsoft Struggle to Find Leaders for Vista 7?

Mad Windows 7



Summary: Microsoft promotes Sinofsky from the bottom in order to fill in a gap of presidencies (Windows leadership)

Microsoft's Sinofsky is one interesting figure and probably not as inherently malicious as Brad Silverberg for example. To give just a sample of his deeds, here is Sinofsky's role in the discussion about software patents versus rivals to Office, as thoroughly covered last month [1, 2]. Here he is telling Bill Gates about Netscape and Corel, leading to a discussion about "attack groups" against Microsoft rivals.



For whatever it's worth, Sinofsky is now becoming the man who will lead the sequel to Vista, of which he was a critic. Many Windows managers like Allchin, Poole and Valentine quit Microsoft, so this basically shows a man approaching a seat that others seemingly refuse to take and even abandoned. They too understand that Windows is a mess and adding some new layers to Vista will not work. It's an immense marketing challenge because the reality behind Vista 7 is too darn scary, never mind the effect of the current economy. If the press was to be accurate back in 2005-2006, Windows Vista would be on almost everyone's PC these days and GNU/Linux would be "dead" ("last nail on the coffin" is a phrase AstroTurfers truly love). The hype behind Vista 7 nicely resembles what Microsoft did for Vista 3 years ago in order to propel perception. It evokes fear in the minds of rivals, leading to defeatism, surrender, lack or morale, and absence of popular support. Remember what Microsoft's evangelism philosophy [PDF] was admittedly based on.

“The hype behind Vista 7 nicely resembles what Microsoft did for Vista 3 years ago in order to propel perception.”Mary Jo Foley seems hopeful that Sinofsky's promotion will save Windows, whose market share keeps eroding (losing mostly to Apple in developed countries and primarily to GNU/Linux in developing countries) and price keeps dropping to almost $0, if not negative pricing (kickbacks). The very fact that he is promoted from the bottom -- combined with his scarce involvement at Microsoft in the past -- is indicative of the observation that Microsoft is running out of people sufficiently senior (in this specific company) and capable enough to hold down this type of job. Top executives keep fleeing on an almost weekly basis (very recent examples in [1, 2, 3]).

One reader explains to us by mail: "Following Windows Vista's troubles, Sinofsky has pushed the Windows team it to be more selective and deliberate in its work on the PC operating system. Writing to Ballmer in February 2007, Sinofsky analyzed Windows Vista's problems and provided what would amount to a blueprint for the company's approach to Windows 7 development."

"There's a link [here] to the memo to Ballmer," adds the reader.

Comments

Recent Techrights' Posts

Microsoft-Sponsored Xenophobia and Nationalism
IBM is very similar in this regard
Tentative Summary of Things to Publish in Project 2030
I'll still be in my forties by then
 
Google's Software is Malware and Malware in Mobile Devices
Originally posted by Rob Musial
Links 20/09/2025: Hegemony Coming to a Close, Luigi Mangione Ruled Not Terrorist
Links for the day
Gemini Links 21/09/2025: "Charlie Kirk Was a Hateful Piece of Shit" and Slop Code Attempted by Microsofter
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, September 20, 2025
IRC logs for Saturday, September 20, 2025
Gemini Links 20/09/2025: Snowy Photos and utism is a Spectrum
Links for the day
Vintage is Sometimes Better
Why can't we get back to "simple" if (or where) "simple" means better?
Climate Breakdown Means We'll be Publishing More, Not Less
Press freedom will be a common, recurring theme
Our 5-Year Geminispace Anniversary is Coming Up
I still remember when Gemini Protocol was quite new
It's Right to Point Out Violence From the Right
Violence is a recurring theme
Web Browsers That "Do Hey Hi" (AI)
State-of-the-art plagiarism or "autocomplete on steroids" (not coined by us, nevertheless a nice description) don't have much/any prospect
Links 20/09/2025: Hardware Projects in View, Some Independent Publishers About Russia Prosper After Cheeto Cuts Funding
Links for the day
Gemini Links 20/09/2025: Options and TV Time Machine
Links for the day
Links 20/09/2025: Retrocomputer, Antique Phone Experience, and More
Links for the day
Links 20/09/2025: Internet Shutdowns, Media Censorship, and Climate Worries
Links for the day
About 700 New Gemini Capsules in 13 Months (or 54 Per Month)
4.8K would represent a 20% increase
Rust People: Drain the Swap, You're Holding It Wrong
Does Rust make sense?
Techrights the Name Turns 15
About 6 weeks from now we turn 19
Microsoft is Running Out of Time and Floating Fake Figures, Fake Projects, Fake Narratives, Fake Excuses
Also, a lot of Microsoft's "revenue" claims are circular financing (i.e. Microsoft buying from itself, which means Ponzi-like fraud)
Slopwatch: LinuxSecurity, linuxconfig.org, and Plagiarised Phoronix
Many articles out there are nowadays fake
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, September 19, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, September 19, 2025
Gemini Links 20/09/2025: Navigating the Pressures of Modern Life and SpellBinding Accidentally Wrote Another Gemini Server
Links for the day
Links 19/09/2025: Press Freedom Dying in US, Anti-Austerity Strikes in France, and Alan Rusbridger to Leave 'Prospect'
Links for the day
European Patent Office Illegally Gutting and Outsourcing Its Functions, Acting Like an Above-the-Law Commercial Business (It Won't Stop at Formalities Officers (FOs) and Classification Slop at the EPO)
breaking/violating laws and conventions
Offloading to the Sister Site
In the interest of not overwhelming readers
Links 19/09/2025: Coffee Club and "SpellBinding is Now Absurdly Fast"
Links for the day
Links 19/09/2025: Lobbyist of American GAFAM Becomes Data Protection Commissioner in Europe
Links for the day
Links 19/09/2025: Media Freedom Ceases to Exist in US, "Consider Dropping Twitter/X"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 19/09/2025: Thinking and Insect Bites
Links for the day
Microsoft E.E.E.: Git Will Now (or Very Soon) Fully Depend on Rust, Which is Controlled by Microsoft
Microsoft now makes Git dependent on Rust, or making Git dependent on GitHub, which is proprietary
The Right to Punch People (Apparently)
At Brett Wilson, Brett's job title is "Head of Crime" and Wilson normalises calls for violence
Slop or Fake Articles Have Turned Linux Journal From a Pioneering/Trailblazing "Linux" Magazine Into a Nuisance
some sites with former reputation - good reputation - turn into cesspools
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, September 18, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, September 18, 2025