[dba-Tech] So what does Forbes think?

What does Forbes Magazine think of Steve Ballmer? 

This recently published article may give us a hint.

<quote>
This year's, voted #1 worse CEO in North America, maybe in the world is:
"Steve Ballmer of Microsoft. Without a doubt, Mr. Ballmer is the worst CEO
of a large publicly traded American company today.  Not only has he
singlehandedly steered Microsoft out of some of the fastest growing and most
lucrative tech markets (mobile music, handsets and tablets) but in the
process he has sacrificed the growth and profits of not only his company but
"ecosystem" companies such as Dell, Hewlett Packard and even Nokia.  The
reach of his bad leadership has extended far beyond Microsoft when it comes
to destroying shareholder value - and jobs.

Microsoft peaked at $60/share in 2000, just as Mr. Ballmer took the reins.
By 2002 it had fallen into the $20s, and has only rarely made it back to its
current low $30s value.  And no wonder, since execution of new rollouts were
constantly delayed, and ended up with products so lacking in any enhanced
value that they left customers scrambling to find ways to avoid upgrades.
By Mr. Ballmer's own admission Vista had over 200 man-years too much cost,
and its launch, years late, met users avoiding upgrades.  Windows 7 and
Office 2010 did nothing to excite tech users, in corporations or at home, as
Apple took the leadership position in personal technology.

So today Microsoft, after dumping Zune, dumping its tablet, dumping Windows
CE and other mobile products, is still the same company Mr. Ballmer took
control over a decade ago.  Microsoft is  PC company, nothing more, as
demand for PCs shifts to mobile.  Years late to market, he has bet the
company on Windows 8 - as well as the future of Dell, HP, Nokia and others.
An insane bet for any CEO - and one that would have been avoided entirely
had the Microsoft Board replaced Mr. Ballmer years ago with a CEO that
understands the fast pace of technology shifts and would have kept Microsoft
current with market trends.

Although he's #19 on Forbes list of billionaires, Mr. Ballmer should not be
allowed to take such incredible risks with investor money and employee jobs.
Best he be retired to enjoy his fortune rather than deprive investors and
employees of building theirs.

There were a lot of notable CEO departures in 2012.  Research in Motion,
Best Buy and American Airlines are just three examples.  But the 5 CEOs in
this column are well on the way to leading their companies into the kind of
problems those 3 have already discovered.  Hopefully the Boards will start
to pay closer attention, and take action before things worsen."
</quote>

So it leaves me wondering what they really think about Steve Ballmer. Should
we all get our resumes up to date as I suspect a opening coming up soon and
given Ballmer's record, anyone of us here, on the list could more than
adequately fill his position.
 
Jim