back to article Which sweaty exec dreamt up Office for iOS? Ballmer, Ballmer, Ballmer

You wouldn't expect Steve Ballmer to shout "iPad, iPad, iPad" at his staff, but that's exactly what the perspiring madman might have yelled ahead of the release of Office for iOS. Youtube Video According to members of Microsoft's iPad development team, Bill Gates' excitable protégé personally pushed through the release of …

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  1. deadlockvictim

    Explanation

    So, what was the explanation for putting Clippy [2] humanely down? Because Max the SE [1] on Office Mac was cooler than Clippy? And not because Clippy was Steve Ballmer in malleable metal form on our desktop?

    [1] I always thought that the SE in Office Mac was the Banana Jr from Bloom County.

    [2] Obligatory YouTube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6aXzMuYN7U

  2. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

    What next?

    *) Steam on X-box.

    *) Microsoft Linux for Desktops/Notebooks/Surface.

    Place your bets...

    1. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      No use betting

      Steam OS is on its merry way to becoming available and will happen some time this year.

      Microsoft Linux ? Not even in Ballmer's most heavy chair-flinging-induced trances will THAT ever get authorized.

      And yes, I know Ballmer's not CEO any more. Unfortunately for Microsoft, he's still on the Board, and last I heard, a CEO reports to the Board.

      So if he says no to something, it's still no.

      1. bigtimehustler

        Re: No use betting

        He is one member on the board, so actually, only if he says no and enough others also say no, is it actually no from now on.

    2. southpacificpom

      Re: What next?

      Educated bet, I'd say both.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What next?

        What do you mean what next?

        We haven'y got office for ipad yet, just some office viewers for ipad, you need a 365 account to edit.

        MS thought they'd try the usual 'just enough' to be able to put it on the market and take your cash, only, as usual, it just isn't enough.

        1. Sean Timarco Baggaley

          Re: What next?

          Actually, even some of the most rabid Apple sites are saying that Office for iPad is pretty bloody good for a v1.0 release.

          Yes, you need an Office 365 subscription to unlock the full feature-set. So what? Did you expect Microsoft to just give it away for free? And if the "Freemium" model is good enough for games, why shouldn't Microsoft be allowed to use it too?

          1. dogged

            Re: What next?

            Because they're Microsoft obviously, so if they do a thing then it must be evil and wrong and bad and shitty and useless and made for the NSA.

            All at once.

            Welcome to the Register, even though I know for a fact you're nothing like new here.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: What next?

      My bet? Keep on dreaming...

    4. Teiwaz

      Re: What next?

      I'm not a betting man, and sure wouldn't give good odds on the first (wait, Xbox, Xbox 360 or Xbox One?). Another installment of 'run linux on'? Or has it been done already...

      As for the second, not unless they are nearing brankuptcy and linux has 90% odd market share (remind me, what episode of 'Sliders' was that again?).

      Well, if they muck up Win9 they could always pull a 'sega' and become the worlds biggest developper of 'apps' for IOS/OSX, they like being the 'worlds biggest' after all. erm, knob.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So having realised his mistakes, the day before he leaves he approves the release of the apps which we understand have been ready for ages. Trying to ensure he did something right before Satya could make the sensible decision for him.

    1. dogged

      are you retarded?

      Office for iPad has obviously been in development for a long ol' time. This is not a two-week rush job.

      In order for the funding to be in place for this, Ballmer must have approved it this time last year at the very latest.

      Oh wait. AC on the Register. Never mind.

  4. All names Taken
    Paris Hilton

    butt...

    ... who delayed Office for iOS in the first place?

    1. dogged

      Re: butt...

      Everyone. It wasn't ever thought of as a possibility back when the iPhone was Shazam and fart-apps.

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