Microsoft Windows Chief Steven Sinofsky Out Following Windows 8 and Surface Launches

[MacRumors]

Late yesterday, Microsoft announced its own management shakeup, with Windows and Windows Live President Steven Sinofsky stepping down from the role he had held for over three years. Sinofsky's position is now being split, with Windows executive Julie Larson-Green taking on oversight of engineering and Windows chief financial officer and chief marketing officer Tami Reller adding responsibility for the remainder of the business aspects of the Windows business unit.

"I am grateful for the many years of work that Steven has contributed to the company," [Microsoft CEO Steve] Ballmer said. "The products and services we have delivered to the market in the past few months mark the launch of a new era at Microsoft. We've built an incredible foundation with new releases of Microsoft Office, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, Microsoft Surface, Windows Server 2012 and 'Halo 4,' and great integration of services such as Bing, Skype and Xbox across all our products. To continue this success it is imperative that we continue to drive alignment across all Microsoft teams, and have more integrated and rapid development cycles for our offerings."

The move is being seen by some as a parallel to the impending departure of iOS chief Scott Forstall at Apple, with AllThingsD reporting that executive tensions involving Sinofsky had simply reached a breaking point.

Sources have said the move came amid growing tension between Sinofsky and other top executives. Sinofsky, though seen as highly talented, was viewed at the top levels as not the kind of team player that the company was looking for.

Sinofsky's departure comes just weeks after several high-profile product introductions for Microsoft's Windows division, with the company launching Windows 8 and its Surface tablet late last month.

Article Link: Microsoft Windows Chief Steven Sinofsky Out Following Windows 8 and Surface Launches

[arunim]

Expected this.. Windows 8 is a fail for desktop, but very good innovation for tablet.

[gmanist1000]

Apple hires Steven Sinofsky.
Microsoft hires Scott Forstall.

[MMOTotal]

Shame, didn't see anything wrong with what he was doing.

[likemyorbs]

If Microsoft really wants to help themselves, the only Steve they need to get rid of is Ballmer.

[FloatingBones]

Originally Posted by likemyorbs

If Microsoft really wants to help themselves, the only Steve they need to get rid of is Ballmer.

Bingo. The current Microsoft is like the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

[Medic311]

Originally Posted by likemyorbs

if microsoft really wants to help themselves, the only steve they need to get rid of is ballmer.

^ that

[ChristianJapan]

Originally Posted by MMOTotal

Shame, didn't see anything wrong with what he was doing.

Seems to be a problem with how he was the tasks doing ...

[BRLawyer]

Originally Posted by gmanist1000

Apple hires Steven Sinofsky.
Microsoft hires Scott Forstall.

It would be a great thing actually - Sinofsky was one of the few bright executive minds at Microsoft.

[nikhsub1]

Originally Posted by arunim

...Windows 8 is a fail for desktop, but very good innovation for tablet.

100% on point. I will go so far as to say that it is almost unusable as desktop software.

[tigres]

He doesn't look intimidating, but windows 8 for desktops does.

[IJ Reilly]

Sinofsky seemed like one of the best people in Microsoft's leadership. Usually, "not a team player" really means "doesn't agree with the boss."

[Rogifan]

Originally Posted by IJ Reilly

Sinofsky seemed like one of the best people in Microsoft's leadership. Usually, "not a team player" really means "doesn't agree with the boss."

I don get why people think being an a-hole is a good thing. I would think being able to work well with other executives is a plus.

[hamkor04]

Originally Posted by IJ Reilly

Sinofsky seemed like one of the best people in Microsoft's leadership. Usually, "not a team player" really means "doesn't agree with the boss."

Maybe he didn't give a sh** about Ballmer Stupid comments or didnt join him when he doing a "epilepsy"

[fiveainone]

Time for Apple to sue Microsoft for copying what they're doing!

[TrentS]

Originally Posted by fiveainone

Time for Apple to sue Microsoft for copying what they're doing!

This just in... Samsung head of operations, Simon Coppercat, steps down....

[futbalguy]

Originally Posted by nikhsub1

100% on point. I will go so far as to say that it is almost unusable as desktop software.

But has there even been a judgement of the Windows 8 impact on Microsoft yet? Seems pretty soon, and tablet sales may very well overtake computer sales in the future. I dont know that Windows 8 being good or bad is part of the reason hes leaving.

[iMikeT]

I say they get rid of the guy who started that "Developers, developers, developers....." chant.

[bbeagle]

Originally Posted by iMikeT

I say they get rid of the guy who started that "Developers, developers, developers....." chant.

I don't know who you're talking about.

[bungiefan89]

Julie Larson-Green is taking over his position, and I get to interview her tomorrow!

[kdarling]

Business Insider claims it's because he wanted Ballmer's job... threatened to quit if he didn't get it, and someone called his bluff.

[Rogifan]

He's leaving because like Forstall he apparently is a major a-hole who didn't work well with other areas of Microsoft. Also rumor is he pushed Ballmer to make him next in line for CEO and Ballmer refused.

[boss.king]

Originally Posted by nikhsub1

100% on point. I will go so far as to say that it is almost unusable as desktop software.

Do you say that as someone who's never used it before? Because the desktop is still right there, just as good as it was in Windows 7.

[joe-h2o]

Originally Posted by boss.king

Do you say that as someone who's never used it before? Because the desktop is still right there, just as good as it was in Windows 7.

It really isn't.

Sure the desktop is there, but things that were trivial to do in Win 7 (and earlier) are now infuriatingly annoying. Settings being app-based now, in context, on whatever that sidebar thing is, is very annoying. Then they expand to full screen when you want to change them! Flipping between that and the web page you're following was needlessly annoying.

I couldn't set up the in built mail application since it seemed determined to force me to set up a "Microsoft Account" without really telling me what that is, but worrying me enough not to want to connect it with my email.

The Metro UI is silly - bring back the Start Menu and it's quick and easy access to everything.

Telling apart apps that are going to run "metro style" and those that will run "old" style is not easy, and you can also have ones that do both, like IE (which you then can't share between modes easily, so getting a webpage down into the desktop version of the browser is non-trivial so you can have more than just full screen web browsing going on.

I know there's going to be a lot of "it's all just new" issues slowing people down since it's different to Win 7, but a lot of it is genuinely ridiculous when Win 7 actually had things working pretty damn well. I say this as someone who uses Windows only on lab machines etc, and occasional dual booting to run some of the win only NMR stuff, but Windows 8 is... not good.

Windows 7 is pretty great. 7 is what Vista should have been, and 8 is just... not where they should have gone with it.

[steve119]

Originally Posted by joe-h2o

It really isn't.

Sure the desktop is there, but things that were trivial to do in Win 7 (and earlier) are now infuriatingly annoying. Settings being app-based now, in context, on whatever that sidebar thing is, is very annoying. Then they expand to full screen when you want to change them! Flipping between that and the web page you're following was needlessly annoying.

I couldn't set up the in built mail application since it seemed determined to force me to set up a "Microsoft Account" without really telling me what that is, but worrying me enough not to want to connect it with my email.

The Metro UI is silly - bring back the Start Menu and it's quick and easy access to everything.

Telling apart apps that are going to run "metro style" and those that will run "old" style is not easy, and you can also have ones that do both, like IE (which you then can't share between modes easily, so getting a webpage down into the desktop version of the browser is non-trivial so you can have more than just full screen web browsing going on.

I know there's going to be a lot of "it's all just new" issues slowing people down since it's different to Win 7, but a lot of it is genuinely ridiculous when Win 7 actually had things working pretty damn well. I say this as someone who uses Windows only on lab machines etc, and occasional dual booting to run some of the win only NMR stuff, but Windows 8 is... not good.

Windows 7 is pretty great. 7 is what Vista should have been, and 8 is just... not where they should have gone with it.

Totally agree, I seriously don't like having to click on a corner to get you to the start, should have left the start button on the desktop mode.

I can see why they did it, but I don't like it.

Oh, and I still haven't found the shut down button, and have to ctrl alt delete to shut down via the options screen, but then I've only used it for one night, but if I cant get to grips with '8' in the next couple of days then I'm going back to '7'.