Of interest today from MIX ’08 is this coverage in the Seattle Times of the interview with Steve Ballmer by Seattle Times technology reporter Benjamin J. Romano. The on-stage interviewer was my old friend Guy Kawasaki of Apple, Garage.com and truemors.com fame.
“Kawasaki pulled no punches during an hour of pointed questioning that hit on some of Microsoft’s and Ballmer’s most sensitive issues, but Kawasaki still managed to come across as good-natured…”
“In addition to his jabs, Kawasaki had some nice things to say.
“As a venture capitalist, he said, he’s worked with Microsoft a lot in recent years.
“It’s a different Microsoft,” he said. “There’s not the arrogance, there’s not the sort of bullying aspect. These people are really smart, they’re really hardworking. … I just want to give you a little bit of praise. The new Microsoft employee is very different. It’s really very easy to work with your company.”
You can read more in the Ballmer Q&A: Extended coverage in the Times, and see a video of Steve on stage at Mix on You Tube: Steve Ballmer screamed “Web Developer” at Mix08.
Even better: the Steve Ballmer Q&A with Guy Kawasaki is available online via the following streaming media links, courtesy of the good folks at Mix on the visitmix.com blog:
Also of interest for further reading on Microsoft management: Seattle Times’ article on the post-Gates era, plus ThinkWeek and the need for more cowbell.
Tags: Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, Guy Kawasaki, Mix08, Microsoft.
2 replies on “Steve Ballmer and Guy Kawasaki live at Mix08, with links to the video to prove it”
Of interest today from MIX '08 is this coverage in the Seattle Times of the interview with Steve
Welcome to another installment of the reading pile, a collection of things on the web (and a few references