Microsoft CEO Nadella: 'We will reinvent productivity'

[Brink]

Ten days into Microsoft's fiscal 2015, CEO Satya Nadella has sent a missive to the Microsoft troops.

It's not all about developers, developers, developers. Or even devices and services. Instead, Nadella's July 10 e-mail message to all full-time employees (which also is available on Microsoft's Web site for all to read) is focus on Microsoft's core, and that core is all about productivity.

Nadella made it official that Microsoft is no longer using the "devices and services company" mantra that former CEO Ballmer used to reposition the company in his last year-plus as CEO. Going forward, Microsoft is about productivity and platforms, Nadella said.

Microsoft's original mission was to put a PC on every desk and in every home. Then it was to be a devices and services company.

"While the devices and services description was helpful in starting our transformation, we now need to hone in on our unique strategy," Nadella said. "At our core, Microsoft is the productivity and platform company for the mobile-first and cloud-first world. We will reinvent productivity to empower every person and every organization on the planet to do more and achieve more."

Read more at: Microsoft CEO Nadella: 'We will reinvent productivity' | ZDNet

 

[Boozad]

Pretty much clear as mud. Do Microsoft even know what they want to be these days and what products the consumers actually want? They're doing so many twists and turns in their direction that hopefully they'll end up back in 2009. Their mission statement is going to be longer than the bible soon.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Although the whole thing was disturbing to read, it was this comment of his that disturbed me most:

"At our core, Microsoft is the productivity and platform company for the mobile-first and cloud-first world."

I'm not surprised, though, since before his big promotion, he was head of M$'s cloud development.

 

[Jonguy30]

So does this mean they will move away from traditional computing and go cloud only including their OS? I think that rumour about an MS cloud OS may actually be true, based on the "cloud first" comment.

EDIT: Also why would cloud increase productivity? What's wrong with local?

 

[King Arthur]

There are legitimate reasons that internet-based storage and data processing, aka "the cloud", can help in improving productivity.

The obvious and immediate benefits are:

* The ability to access data anywhere where there's an internet connection.
* The ability to more easily collaborate with people across the world.
* Being largely immune from local hardware failures and data loss.

There are however also drawbacks:

* You don't physically own the "cloud" hardware in most cases, so your data is completely at the mercy of whoever you're dealing with (MS, Google, DropBox, etc.).
* You can't access your data in the event you don't have reliable internet access.
* If your cloud provider dies or goes away, so does your data.

If we get into cloud-centric hardware and software like Chromebooks, there's also the problem that you quite literally can't do anything without a reliable internet connection, and the reality of the world is that internet access (and especially reliable and secure internet access) is very hard to come by in many parts of the world.

Personally I detest the cloud, relying on someone you don't even know to provide you with your tools and the means to store your data can't possibly have a good ending.

 

[Layback Bear]

I think I know exactly what Nadella is saying.
Everything will be in a Cloud is our position.

Personally I don't like Cloud anything but it's coming whether I like it or not.
Microsoft will have better control over sales. People will be renting or leasing everything.
Another plus will be the fact that it should slow down counterfeiting.
How do you counterfeit Windows 9 or 10, Office, ect. if you have to make payments to use such things in a Cloud.

I also notice he never talked directly about Desktops. He seem to say that X box is more important than operating systems and programs on a desktop.
With the way the internet is in many location around the world, doing business will be very difficult with this Cloud or nothing attitude.

To me Nadella has got his head somewhere other than a Cloud and it's very dark and smelly.

 

[Computer0304]

I thought they were going to make Windows 9 more like Windows 7, but I guess they could be making it more like Win8.x. We will just have to wait and see what Microsoft does to Win9.

 

[aritra2116]

Well I don't know what is with MS but we'll see what is gonna happen with Windows 9. Cloud is the future but that shouldn't mean it should be.

 

[Jonguy30]

snip

I agree there are some advantages. About the "access anywhere, any device" point, isn't that just for people who have multiple devices? Many people own both a desktop and laptop, a tablet and other devices. What about those who only have 1 device (just a computer), like me? How do these people benefit from cloud? I know you could use the cloud to access your files at work, but how often do you need that?

 

[Computer0304]

The only problem is the security of your private data.

 

[King Arthur]

snip

I agree there are some advantages. About the "access anywhere, any device" point, isn't that just for people who have multiple devices? Many people own both a desktop and laptop, a tablet and other devices. What about those who only have 1 device (just a computer), like me? How do these people benefit from cloud? I know you could use the cloud to access your files at work, but how often do you need that?

People who only use a single computer (or device) can still benefit from the cloud in the way of protection against data loss from hardware failure and not having to do any backups on your own (you can be lazy! ). There's also the "access work data from home" thing, and depending on the circumstances such a thing might be irrelevent, just convenient, or absolutely required for you.

Email is probably a form of "cloud storage" that most of us can relate to. Our emails are usually stored on servers that we don't own nor even know the location of, and we can access our emails anywhere we have an internet connection. Even those of us who only use one computing device still benefit greatly from email, so there's that to answer your question in another way as well.

 

[Jonguy30]

I understand local hardware can fail at any time and it can be great having important files backed up to a cloud service. But don't forget that cloud services can be subject to malicious attacks of all kinds so data stored there can be lost to attackers. But if they have great protection against such attacks it shouldn't be a huge deal. Just like with local hardware, you have to take care of it, otherwise.. you're done.

About email, I haven't really thought of email as "cloud" but you make a good point there, now I see how it can be helpful having cloud. But I don't think we're ready going "all cloud" yet.

 

[PaulGo]

Decoding the hidden messages in Satya Nadella's letter to Microsoft employees

Summary: Microsoft's CEO posted a public letter aimed only incidentally at employees. When you get past the corporate rah-rah, here are five key messages to take away.

...1. Microsoft isn’t doing things Mr. Ballmer’s way anymore.
...2. Microsoft’s future is about experiences, not products or services.
...3. Windows 13, Office 2.
...4. If you’re an engineer, prepare for some changes.
...5. Microsoft increasingly plays on a global stage.

Full article at:

Decoding the hidden messages in Satya Nadella's letter to Microsoft employees | ZDNet

 

[King Arthur]

...Windows 13...

If that doesn't turn out to be a magnificent and hilarious failure that'd put Windows 8 to shame, the world might just be ending.

 

[Boozad]

How do you 'reinvent productivity'? Shall we reinvent the wheel? Reinvent the economy? Reinvent food? Reinvent music?

Productivity has kept this world turning for decades, even centuries. Get your head out of your arse MS, statements like this are utterly ridiculous.

 

[Computer0304]

Oh I guess if they are going to reinvent productivity, I guess we can reinvent our way of life in general completly. :sarc:

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Oh I guess if they are going to reinvent productivity, I guess we can reinvent our way of life in general completly. :sarc:

Oooooo! I wouldn't slam a sticking door that hard! Good one!

 

[King Arthur]

How do you 'reinvent productivity'?

Two things: Ribbon and Metro.

Gods know what they've got up their sleeve next.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

How do you 'reinvent productivity'?

Two things: Ribbon and Metro.

Gods know what they've got up their sleeve next.

I actually like the ribbon. The "GUI Formerly Known as Metro" is a whole 'nuther story.

 

[Computer0304]

Well I guess that means whoever has a birthday on the day Windows 9 is released will get an urban present with a ribbon cable on it.