Besttechie Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 I got this from a newsletter I subscribe to and thought it was quite interesting so I'm going to share it with all of you. What do you think? I think that is NO way for a CEO of a company to act. Especially one like Microsoft. Enjoy. Microsoft CEO Threatens to Kill Google While being deposed in a Microsoft lawsuit against Google, former Microsoft executive and Windows NT architect Mark Lucovsky stated that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer threatened to "kill" Google when he learned that Lucovsky was leaving Microsoft to join Google. Ballmer allegedly made the threat during a chair-throwing tirade in which he also threatened Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Ballmer denies that it happened that way, however. According to Lucovsky, when he informed Ballmer last year that he was leaving Microsoft, Ballmer asked him whether he was leaving to join Google. When Lucovsky said that he was, the famously volatile Ballmer picked up a chair in his office and hurled it at the wall. "I'm going to [expletive deleted] bury [schmidt]," Ballmer said. "I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to [expletive deleted] kill Google." Schmidt was formerly an executive at Novell and Sun Microsystems--two companies that were, indeed, adversely affected by Microsoft's market success. Ballmer has categorized Lucovsky's recollection of the meeting as "a gross exaggeration of what actually took place. Mark's decision to leave was disappointing, and I urged him strongly to change his mind," Ballmer said. "But his characterization of that meeting is not accurate." Lucovsky was a Distinguished Engineer and Windows Server Architect at Microsoft. As I noted in "Windows Server 2003: The Road To Gold Part One: The Early Years" (see the URL below), he joined Microsoft with the original wave of ex-Digital Equipment employees who accompanied NT architect Dave Cutler. Lucovsky was widely regarded at Microsoft for his technical acumen and is one of the most impressive people I've ever met. http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=12B6E:2DD8D The deposition came to light because of a recent lawsuit over ex-Microsoft researcher Kai-Fu Lee, who left the software giant earlier this year to join Google. Microsoft sued Google over the hire, citing Lee's employment agreement, which specified that he couldn't work for a direct Microsoft competitor for at least 1 year after leaving the company. Despite Google's posturing, recently revealed documents indicate that the company was aware of the agreement and, in the event of a Microsoft lawsuit, had made contingency plans to keep Lee on paid leave until he could begin working for Google. Microsoft also alleges that Lee sent Google some confidential Microsoft information before he left the company. Ballmer's alleged behavior harkens back to Microsoft's US antitrust lawsuit, during which similar exchanges between various Microsoft executives were detailed. However, it's important to point out that Ballmer never threatened to actually break the law to "bury" or "kill" Schmidt or Google. Microsoft shareholders should be happy that the company's CEO is that aggressively competitive. Arguably, they should expect no less. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Sounds like what takes place in the conference rooms of every type of industry across the nation. Executives blow off steam due to valued employee leaving all the time. MicroSoft would be no different, but they ARE more public than most so we get to hear about it. Ha-ha! Ballmer blew a gasket! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martymas Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 isnt it funny, people help you to get to the top,and when you get there, they revesed the process, by trying to bring you back down.yes i thought the statement was a bit over the top.i saw that on our local chanel.isnt belmer going to google. is it true google is going for a browser?i saw that on the bbc.uk.not sure why because they are involved in all the browsers apart from .IE ff. moz.all linux .you name it they are there .i had a look at advanced browser and i see google is there also.my they have there hands fullmarty Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 You brought up a point I had meant to address: The employment contract stated he couldn't work for a competitor for a set period of time (I don't remember if that's truly enforceable anyway) but ... In what way does Google compete with MS? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jcl Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 (edited) You brought up a point I had meant to address: The employment contract stated he couldn't work for a competitor for a set period of time (I don't remember if that's truly enforceable anyway) but ... In what way does Google compete with MS?<{POST_SNAPBACK}>MSN Search - Google SearchMSN Maps - Google MapsMSN Messenger - Google TalkMSN Groups - Google GroupsHotmail - GMailMSNBC (via MSN portal) - Google NewsMSN Toolbar - Google ToolbarVarious Windows features - Google DesktopVirtual Earth - Google Earthand so on. Edited September 6, 2005 by jcl Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marko_tomas13 Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Google is taking over the world Anyone think we can make some money off executive tyrades? Who wants to design a rage chamber with me that could be interactive? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macmarauder Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Google is taking over the world Anyone think we can make some money off executive tyrades? Who wants to design a rage chamber with me that could be interactive? <{POST_SNAPBACK}>?????? to quote Bakaru Bonzi "i don't know how i feel about that."BTW a million bonus points if you can tell were exactly that quote is from. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Well, Macmarauder, I CAN tell you that neither Google or MSN Search knew who Bakaru Bonzi is (gave each a chance!) Liz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 MSN Search - Google SearchMSN Maps - Google MapsMSN Messenger - Google TalkMSN Groups - Google GroupsHotmail - GMailMSNBC (via MSN portal) - Google NewsMSN Toolbar - Google ToolbarVarious Windows features - Google DesktopVirtual Earth - Google Earthand so on.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh right, I forgot MS has content. Does anybody use it? Like, ever? Anybody? Hello? OK; Hotmail is probably still used by some people (I used mine so rarely they kept cancelling it just before I needed it again), and their satellite imaging used to be cool (but I use the competition now), I no longer use an IM program, MSNBC leans too far left for me, Groups I know nothing about, Earthlink has a toolbar so I don't need either MS or Google's, I'm not familar with GDesktop but likely wouldn't use it (and it won't be compatible with '9x anyway I betcha). I do have one friend who used MSN as his ISP but he no longer does. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 to quote Bakaru Bonzi "i don't know how i feel about that."BTW a million bonus points if you can tell were exactly that quote is from.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, it's not in here :Buckaroo Banzai Shooting Script - 3rd Draft Where does: "I have no opinion," used to respond to questions such as "Do these jeans make my butt look fat?" Come from? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
macmarauder Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 Well, Macmarauder, I CAN tell you that neither Google or MSN Search knew who Bakaru Bonzi is (gave each a chance!) Liz<{POST_SNAPBACK}>ooppss sorry blim, i misspelled it. it's "Buckaroo Banzai" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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