Summary: Now that VMware's COO and CEO positions are filled by former Softies, yet another Microsoft employee joins the management

VMWARE is an excellent example of how companies gets 'stolen' from the inside. The reason this is happening right now is because VMWare is pretty much an asset of EMC, which is a very close partner (and partner of the year) of Microsoft. As background to what has happened so far, see:

• How Microsoft (with Novell) Subverts the Virtualisation Space to Harm Red Hat
• Fortify, EMC and Microsoft's Coalitions Against GNU/Linux
• Microsoft Distorts the Linux and Virtualisation Markets
• Perspective on EMC and Microsoft (and what it means to GNU/Linux)
• Fake Charities, Microsoft-Lenovo, and Microsoft-VMware

Todd Bishop sees this VMware-Microsoft relationship tightening and as Mary Jo Foley puts it:

At the rate it’s going, VMware is going to be Microsoft’s alumni clubhouse No. 1.

On March 24, VMware announced it had hired former Softie Richard McAniff as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. McAniff will be responsible for R&D for VMware’s Serer and Desktop Business Units and will report to yet another former Microsoft exec, VMware CEO Paul Maritz.

The COO too is a Softie. What was VMware thinking? Or rather -- what is EMC thinking? This obviates the issue really. It's the 'new' VMware, going downhill since Tucci had demoted/sacked the CEO of the company and turned it into a 'client state' of his close partners at Microsoft.

Once the management of VMware is filled with enough Microsoft folks, it becomes hard to reverse this. They become decision makers. It's almost as though they tell their former colleagues: "come and join us at Microsoft's new home, VMware."

So, at the end of the day, the original management is permanently out. Tucci et al, boasting a strong alliance with Microsoft, have taken over the operations for the benefit of Tucci's close ally, Steve Ballmer, along with many of his former employees/peers. Those who cannot see how obvious it is probably have not been following the news. ⬆