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back to article Donald Trump? No, it's BRAD SMITH for president (of Microsoft)

Microsoft top legal beagle Brad Smith has been promoted to president of the company, marking the first time Redmond has had a company-wide president since 2002. Smith's expanded role also sees him taking the title of chief legal officer, an upgrade from his previous position as Microsoft's general counsel. In an internal memo …

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  1. Mark 85

    Maybe it's just me.. but a lawyer as the president of a software company just doesn't seem quite right. Given that it's MS and they've tossed more than a few sueballs in their past, maybe makes it sense. Could it be that there are there new sueballs in their future?

    8 0 Reply
    1. Dan 55 Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Devil

      It's perfectly right for an OS which comes with a 45-page privacy policy.

      And a lawyer in charge defining trust yet has no idea that Windows Update has just destroyed it sounds about right.

      2 0 Reply
  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Not a bad move..

    .. given that the most recent case of MS vs the government is about to lay bare the big problems in the US when it comes to privacy. The worry is that the man will be too busy with that to take care of the company.

    1 1 Reply
  3. James Loughner
    Pirate

    Oh yes

    Just what is needed in a Software company president who know nothing about software.

    Lawyers simply don't know there limitations. Just look at congress

    3 1 Reply
  4. jnemesh
    Mushroom

    Best move ever!

    Considering the oncoming lawsuits over privacy invasion...oh and ongoing litigation over their patent extortion in mobile.

    3 0 Reply
  5. PhilipN Silver badge

    Business and Lawyers

    Do not mix. The way a lawyer thinks is entirely different from and incompatible with business decision-making. I AM a lawyer but have been fortunate enough to witness the pure businessman in action umpteen times and he was always the smart one.

    For example invariably compromising instead of wasting time, money and other resources fighting. Fix Problem A at minimum cost and move on to make the next dollar. Overall a winning strategy.

    Definitely do not fight for the sake of fighting, which is what lawyers are genetically predisposed to do whether it is a court battle or negotiating a deal or a document.

    Lawyer as President is ok as long as he is ring-fenced and not permitted a disproportionate influence over strategic decisions.

    Amen.

    6 0 Reply
  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "People won't use technology they don't trust," Smith said. "And so for us, it's an imperative as a company that we put trust at the core of technology."

    ...so they turned their OS into a surveillance device. If they are going to have "trust" as a core value, a good start would be to look up what it means.

    4 0 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Haven't you noticed the nauseatingly contrived babies-and-windows-x-are-our-future ad campaign? Or the equally nauseatingly contrived ms-loves-privacy-and-we-never-slip-any-of-anyone's-data-to-the-NUSA-honest-look-we're-even-defending-drugdealers-in-court-it's-the-principle-of-it ad campaign?

      I have! I know MSFT is awesome now. Proper, bona fide, kissing babies while defending us from evil, professional politician levels of awesome.

      ...and doubtless it's only just begun.

      0 0 Reply
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Haven't you noticed the nauseatingly contrived babies-and-windows-x-are-our-future ad campaign?

        .. and the clear parallels with how Google operates? It is as if they're sharing notes. MS from what it has managed to get away with in the past, Google's notes about subverting whole generations to make them think that privacy no longer matters as long as you get stuff for "free".

        0 0 Reply
  7. g00se
    FAIL

    Trusted computing

    "People won't use technology they don't trust," Smith said. "And so for us, it's an imperative as a company that we put trust at the core of technology."

    Whoops ... too late

    2 0 Reply
    1. P. Lee
      Reply Icon

      Re: Trusted computing

      The idea of a lawyer in command seems absurd... however its difficult to know if it a weasel move or a recognition by the BoD that the Windows 10 snooping thing is way out of control and while they can probably cope with consumer irritation and rebellion, dealing with corporate customers is a whole different ball of wax.

      MS isn't a dying company. I'm just amazed that it constantly manages to make itself look like one.

      +1 for the "why the creepy W10 ads?" Buy Windows 10 (don't think about it, just look at the cute baby! Awwww!)

      Pssst! MS! I have this plan I got from Coke for managing a transition to a new product. Oh... you've already got it? Now I understand.

      1 0 Reply

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Trusted computing

      "People won't use technology they don't trust," Smith said. "And so for us, it's an imperative as a company that we put trust at the core of technology."

      Whoops ... too late

      Yes, about 2 decades or so.

      3 0 Reply
      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        I don't trust *any* technology I use.

        I know I have always to keep a tight control on what it's allowed to do...

        0 0 Reply
  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Microsoft is committed to keeping customers' data secure and in their own control,

    Who does "their" in this context, refer to?

    2 0 Reply
  9. Your alien overlord - fear me

    Well it is innovative - normally it's an accountant who is put in charge - just as the company is run into the ground due to greed from shareholders/directors + bonuses.

    1 0 Reply

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