Silicon Valley Watcher has this tidbit that concludes that Ballmer may be “retiring” soon.
I agree that the Appearances of Bill have increased exponentially recently and that many stories have appeared of Microsoft’s lack of new “vision”. The question is whether Bill can provide the credibility and leadership that Steve Jobs return to Apple did.
I care less and less about “traditional” applications every day. The operating system is a way to get to the Internet. In that regard, can Microsoft really re-invent itself and move completely into a virtual world? Can Bill lead a company that has a great brand, but is increasingly not seen as innovative?
How will Bill Gates ensure that there is the internal leadership at Microsoft to allow him to truly walk away from the organization and be pleased with where the ship drifts? How is leadership developed in Microsoft today? Is it? Does Microsoft truly attract great leaders?