The world and Microsoft bid farewell to BOOP

Before I begin, I’ll explain that rather odd word in the headline.

Microsoft’s organisation charts used to have at their head “Bill and the Office of the President” – this was shortened to BOOP.

I always felt it was kind of, well, cute that the world’s most powerful technology company expressed its very apex of influence with a sound one might make when poking a baby on the nose.

BOOP. Giggle giggle giggle.

I’m not sure how the org chart has been in more recent times, with Bill moved to chairman and “chief software architect” (whatever that means) and executive power held by Steve Ballmer.

Has it been SOOP at its peak? That would seem, somehow, even sillier.

My suspicion, and this is based on nothing more than my own perception as an outsider, is that Gates has actually had more influence at Microsoft over the past few years than his title(s) would suggest.

Of course, Gates has now more or less departed the company he founded for good, off to do good works and rid the world of malaria and other ills.

It’s noble, I have to say, and I admire him for turning his wealth to such ends, regardless of how it is he came to be so wealthy.

But what happens next for Microsoft? Gates remains chairman of the board and the company’s single largest shareholder (a fact which must remain the case, since it’s that shareholding that funds his philanthropic work), but he’s made it clear he’s going to have no part in the running of the company from now on.

Which leaves the triumvirate of Steve Ballmer, Ray Ozzie and Craig Mundie to fill the void. Remind me what visionary things they’ve done lately? Aside from Windows Vista and not taking over Yahoo, I can’t think of anything. But if those two missteps are what the future looks like for Microsoft, then I’m worried.

Worried that Microsoft’s dominance might slip? That competitors in the operating systems or applications markets might make similar inroads to what Google has done in search, or what everyone except Microsoft has done in mobile devices?

No, not really.

I think competition is a good thing and making Microsoft compete on more level ground can only benefit the industry.

The more choices there are, the better all of the choices have to be.

No, I’m more worried that without Gates’s force of personality Microsoft simply won’t be able to make what it does look like innovation any more.

Even Gates’s parting suggestion about what Microsoft should do in the web search space – “hire a bunch of smart people and combine Microsoft’s breakthroughs with the best of what its competitors are doing” – sounds very much like business as usual for Redmond.

And if Microsoft ceases to be seen as the industry’s leviathan but rather is perceived as the clever follower it has always been, the sheer disillusionment might be more than the industry can take.

And then, who will we have to fear?

Matthew JC. Powell is going to miss Bill. Commiserate on mjcp@optusnet.com.au

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