

Why Microsoft Partners Like Steve Ballmer - msredmond
http://rcpmag.com/blogs/scott-bekker/2011/07/why-partners-like-steve-ballmer.aspx

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pedalpete
I don't think it matters if he gets 'partners' or if they get him.

Partners dropped Windows Mobile for Android and quickly because that was what
would sell. The 'partners' are about selling products, and will go with what
they can sell to consumers.

Microsoft needs to be leading and providing their partners with the best
technology, not getting ideas and feedback from their partners of what the
market wants. The reason is that by the time Microsoft gets the feedback from
partners and implements whatever the partner wants and gets it to market,
they've already missed the boat.

Microsoft needs somebody who is going to the partners saying 'in a year, this
is what the market will want, and we'll have a beta version for you to build
prototype hardware in 4 months, which gives you 5 months to design and test
and 3 months to ramp up manufacturing so we're the first to market with the
newest and best technology.

I love my WP7, but there is no question they were late to the party, and it
may continue to cost them in the coming 5 years.

