MS Calls in Sinofsky to Fix Windows
Sources indicate that Microsoft is planning to shake up its Windows group by naming Microsoft Office head Steven Sinofsky as its new chief.
The move comes as an effort to inject more life in a company that has been plagued by slower growth in recent years, and to a division that has become increasingly inept in delivering updates to the market leading operating system.
Sinofsky is known for his tough management style, something Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer seems more interested in promoting among company executives these days, say sources.
Kevin Johnson, who was named the company's Windows and MSN head back in September, is overseeing the restructuring of the Windows division that includes Sinofsky's hiring. While the plan is not finalized, it may also mean the merging of parts of the Windows team into other divisions.
The management shakeup is not due to the Vista delay, but it's likely meant to prevent such a problem from happening in the future. Under Sinofsky, Office updates have come in a timely fashion, with a more disciplined team.
However, the opposite has occurred in the Windows division under Allchin. After the company was able to reliably ship a new version of the operating system every two to three years since Windows 1.0 in 1985, it will take six from XP's launch until Vista finally ships.
This could be due to the fact that engineers on the Windows team have much more leeway -- and say -- in decisions that in other divisions, some speculate.
Regardless, Allchin will stay on as Windows head through the Vista launch, however Sinofsky is expected by sources to assume the reigns after that.
Analyst opinion has been pretty unanimous that the delay is bad news for Microsoft. JupiterResearch senior analyst Joe Wilcox also disputed Allchin's logic during a conference call Tuesday evening saying that PC sales wouldn't be affected by Microsoft's troubles.
"I can't imagine why any PC manufacturer wouldn't want to have Windows Vista systems to sell for the holidays," he said. "For if nothing else, they lose the benefit of massive Windows marketing, let alone a brand, new operating system to dress up PCs."
News of the management shakeup first appeared in the Wednesday edition of the Wall Streeet Journal.