sinofsky

Former Windows chief Sinofsky pens new blog

Less than two months after his high-profile exit from Microsoft, Steven Sinofsky looks to be staying in the tech dialog.

The former Microsoft Windows president is penning a new blog that he launched today called "Learning by Shipping." Sinofsky writes that the aim of his blog is to offer thoughts and perspectives on product development and management.

While working for Microsoft, Sinofsky wrote extensively for the company's Intranet about several of its major products, such as Windows, Internet Explorer, and Bing, as "an effort modernize the communication channels."

Here's some of his first blog post: … Read more

Former Windows boss lands teaching gig at Harvard

Steven Sinofsky, who recently left Microsoft after running the Windows division for six years, tweeted this morning that he will teach at Harvard Business School this spring.

"Excited to return to @HarvardHBS to teach again this spring!" Sinofsky wrote. "New perspectives, recharge, share experiences, write."

In response to a question on Twitter, Sinofsky said he intends to teach "product development" as well as write articles about the topic.

Sinofsky has some history at Harvard Business School. He served as a "visiting scholar" there in 1998. He also co-authored a book on organizational … Read more

Steven Sinofsky

Windows 8 was the crowning achievement in a distinguished career of shipping quality products for Microsoft's Steven Sinofsky. That's why his exit from Microsoft just weeks after the Windows 8 launch seemed so surprising.

But Sinofsky, a strong-willed executive with a reputation for butting heads with those in other divisions, had even been battling with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. The company's senior leaders were increasingly concerned about Sinofsky's ability to collaborate with other groups at a time when Microsoft needs more cross-product synergy to better compete against Apple and Google. So once Windows 8 shipped, Sinofsky … Read more

Microsoft shakes up Windows leadership (week in review)

Microsoft experienced an executive shakeup this week that surprised many.

Steven Sinofsky, the Microsoft executive who turned the company's Windows franchise around and just led the effort to release Windows 8, left the company, effective immediately. Sinofsky, a controversial figure at the company, was reportedly warring with Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer.

The company said the decision behind Sinofsky's departure was mutual, though the abruptness of the announcement might suggest otherwise. Some Microsoft watchers had pegged Sinofsky as a CEO-in-waiting, but he developed a reputation for being divisive and not working well with executives in other divisions.

In … Read more

Sinofsky: I never tried to take over Windows Phone division

Former Microsoft executive Steven Sinofsky has sounded off on claims that he tried to take over the company's Windows Phone and developer businesses.

Hal Berenson, president of True Mountain Group, a company that provides technology and management consulting, wrote in a blog post earlier this week that he'd heard from Microsoft employees that Windows chief Sinofsky was waging battles over the last several months to take control of the company's Windows Phone and Developer divisions. His actions were turned away by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and other top executives, leading to his departure, Berenson claims.

Sinofsky rebutted … Read more

Ballmer praises Sinofsky, promises aggressive innovation

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- It's been a busy couple of months for Microsoft, what with two of the company's more important product launches, not to mention the surprise resignation of its Windows chief just this week. But for CEO Steve Ballmer, it's pretty much business as usual.

In his first public appearance since the resignation of Steven Sinofsky, Ballmer did "the vision thing" for a Silicon Valley audience as he fielded questions from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman during a discussion about the state of the technology industry at the Churchill Club.

Ballmer got the Sinofsky … Read more

Ballmer praises Sinofsky's 'amazing contributions,' sheds no light on exit

From various reports, it appeared that Steve Ballmer had reached his limit with Windows chief Steven Sinofsky. He had rolled out Windows 8 and the Surface with some success, but it was time in the organization for a different leadership style. After 23 years, Sinofsky was sent packing, or decided make his own exit. The company said the decision was mutually agreed upon by the two longtime colleagues.

In a conversation with Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder and venture capitalist, at a Churchill Clubevent, Ballmer was asked about future directions with the management change but didn't shed much light … Read more

Keeping score at Microsoft (graphic)

Tech-news addicts slightly bored during the interregnum between the early fall's product announcement blitz and the start of the fourth-quarter shopping lollapalooza should give thanks to Microsoft for livening things up. The sudden resignation of Windows chief Steven Sinofsky and subsequent corporate reshuffle has triggered an outpouring of "whither Microsoft" speculation about who's up, who's down, and whether Steve Ballmer will still be CEO at the same time next year. Much will depend on how the company's big bets on Windows 8 and Surface fare. But if there are changes ahead, Microsoft is blessed … Read more

Ballmer decided Windows chief Sinofsky was too divisive

Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer decided he had had enough of Windows Division President Steven Sinofsky.

Sinofsky had developed a stellar reputation for shipping quality products on time. And he streamlined the management structure in the gigantic Windows division so that it hummed and produced the latest version of the company's flagship product on a tight deadline to solid, if not spectacular, reviews.

But a day after Sinofsky's sudden departure from Microsoft, it's also clear that Ballmer recognized that the Windows leader was too divisive of a figure to continue on at the software giant, where … Read more