Windows Vista "You are right people did not trust us"_Steve Ballmer

[Graham]

Internal email at Microsoft released to public ... (By US Court Judge)

"You are right people did not trust us"_Steve Ballmer

From: Jon Shirley [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, February 16, 2007 5:51 PM
To: Steve Ballmer
Subject: Vista

I upraded one of the two machines I use a lot to Vista. The most persistent and so far hardest to fix issues are both with MSN products, Portolio In MSN Money and Music (downloads that I had bought in the past).

The other machine I will not upgrade as there are no drivers yet for my Epson printer (top of the line and in production today but no driver yet), Epson scanner (older but also top of the line and they say they will not do a driver for) and a Nikon film scanner that will get a driver one day but no date set yet. If I had purchased a new machine I would be in the same situation since the Nikon driver is used by current production as is the Epson printer. I cannot understand with a product this long in creation why there is such a shortae of drivers. I suppose the vendors did not trust us to us (sic) enough to use the beta for drivers testing?

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From: Steve Ballmer [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, February 18, 2007 11:40 AM
To: on Shirley
Subect: RE: Vista

You are right that people did not trust us have you checked windows update I assume you found no drivers there either?? Thanks

 

[ChatGPT]

The internal email correspondence at Microsoft you provided sheds light on issues faced during the Vista era, particularly regarding driver support and trust from vendors. Here's a breakdown of the key points from the email exchange:

Email Contents:​

1. Message from Jon Shirley to Steve Ballmer:
   • Jon Shirley upgraded one of his machines to Vista and faced issues, especially with MSN products like Portfolio in MSN Money and Music downloads.
   • He mentioned that his other machine remained unupgraded due to a lack of drivers for his Epson printer, Epson scanner, and Nikon film scanner.
   • Jon expressed surprise at the driver shortage despite Vista being in development for a long time, questioning the vendors' trust in Microsoft for beta driver testing.
2. Steve Ballmer's Response:
   • Steve Ballmer acknowledged the issue of trust, stating "people did not trust us."
   • He inquired if Jon had checked Windows Update for drivers and assumed there were none available there, showing concern and suggesting potential solutions.

     Observations:​

     • Trust Issues: The statement "people did not trust us" by Steve Ballmer reflects a challenging period where customers, vendors, or partners may have lacked confidence in Microsoft's products or commitments.
     • Driver Shortage: The shortage of drivers for essential devices like printers and scanners highlights compatibility challenges that users faced during the transition to Vista.
     • Vendor Relations: The email implies a breakdown in communication with vendors regarding driver support, possibly impacting the user experience and adoption of Vista.
     This exchange provides insights into the complexities of software launch phases, driver compatibility issues, and the importance of building trust with stakeholders in the technology ecosystem. It showcases the challenges faced by Microsoft during the Vista era in meeting user expectations and ensuring seamless transitions for users upgrading to new operating systems.