If you were the next Microsoft CEO...what would you do?

[ruel24]

If you were to replace Ballmer as CEO of Microsoft, what would you do to save the company? Remember, this is a for-profit corporation, and you have to answer to the stockholders. Simply replying "turn everyone on to Linux" is not in the best interest of Microsoft. What would you really do to save the company?

If it was my money to spend, I'd make the jump to FreeBSD as the core, just as Apple did. I'd take FreeBSD and put the Windows API on top of that core and in doing so, leverage FOSS development for my own platform. Then I would push the UI guys to take a good hard look at OS X, and both the Cinnamon and particularly the KDE desktop and figure out what we could do to really make Windows rock. I'd also look hard at what makes Android so popular, which I suspect is the configurability of it.

I would also look at what KDE has done with Plasma Active and emulate something like that, where I could use the Windows core architecture on much less hardware and make everything work smoothly and partner with hardware manufacturers to release this tablet and possibly phone software. This is something that needs to be done fast! Android and iOS are so far ahead, it's something that needs to be fixed immediately. I would cancel the Surface and it's upcoming derivatives and rely on partners to execute the platform from a reference platform that Microsoft would develop in cooperation with someone like Asus.

Then, I would change Office to squash its complexity and get it working on the new FreeBSD Windows platform. I really like what Apple has done with iWorks, and that's how I'd like to see Office modeled, only with Office's power. The outcome would have to be a game changing Office platform.

Then, I'd make it so PC gamers can play against Xbox gamers on Xbox Live. Gaming on the PC would have to make a comeback to help move the Windows platform along. Xbox Live could be a big money maker if done correctly. It's through Xbox Live that I'd setup an app store to sell software for Windows, the mobile architecture, and Xbox itself.

Lastly, I'd revamp Bing. It's simply not competitive.

So, what would you do if you replaced Ballmer?

[chilly]

Give you the job

[Nok]

What are you doing? Don't give them free advice. They may break the habits of a lifetime and listen for once.

[Just17]

I would - on the surface - do things that should work, but as a mole I would ensure they all failed spectacularly and bring MS to its knees and its grave.

I would thus be immortalised as the one to bring them down. 

[chilly]

I would - on the surface - do things that should work, but as a mole I would ensure they all failed spectacularly and bring MS to its knees and its grave.

I would thus be immortalised as the one to bring them down. 

I think someones already done that with win8

[joechimp]

Give you the job

Yeah , pretty much exactly that. When do you start your new job?.

[zerocool]

MS would need to stop following and start leading.

The desktop market will never do it alone anymore.
I think if I were CEO MS I would fire my RD dept
hire all new young hotshots (steal them from Google)
and dump a ton money on em and pray.

[Crow]

The points outlined by ruel24 are very good if you want to change everything but it needs to be gradually because people won't accept anything at once, compatibility will be broken at very high levels.

zerocool has some good points, you can't change a company leaving the same people because there is a culture now that you have to change.

I think if I were a CEO I would hire both as my first decision   

[YouCanToo]

Apologize for how the company has been in the past and tell everyone that a new better MS has arrived. I would do a sweeping review of the current setup. I would open up a hotline to gather users comments and actually listen to what they have to say. I would start on a redevelopment of the underlying structure of windows to make it more stable. I would axe this stupid UEFI and beef up the security of the OS. Start looking and working with others for interoperability. I would work with my vendors and 3rd party developers to build better hardware and software. I would change how updates were done and put out patches much quicker and more often. I think I would separate the desktop OS from the phone and tablet OS, one size DOES NOT fit all. I would look at reducing the hardware requirements for a better end user experience. I would stop the FUD spreading. Perhaps not in this order, but I would certainly would have my work cut out for me.