Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : Ask Mohan about the Market -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Zeev Hed who wrote (17585)	2/7/1999 5:36:00 PM
From: Link Lady	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 18056

What will this news do for MSFT shares tomorrow? This should prove interesting maybe.? news.com Microsoft Plans to Reorganize Business Into 4 Groups (Update1) (Updates with details from analyst and a news report in 1st through 3rd paragraphs.) Redmond, Washington, Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. plans to reorganize the No. 1 software maker into four groups and bring back a top programming wizard, who led the development of Windows 95 and the Internet Explorer browser, according to a report published today and an analyst familiar with the plans. An announcement on the reorganization, one of the most sweeping shake-ups in Microsoft's history, could come as early as this week, the Seattle Times reported. The Times said Brad Silverberg, 44, a former Microsoft executive now on leave, will be invited back to head the newly formed consumer group. Silverberg and Microsoft officials weren't immediately available to comment. It's not known whether Silverberg has accepted Microsoft's offer. The reorganization is seen as a major effort by Microsoft to focus on the Internet and its customers. The three other customer groups are: Corporations; home office or telecommuters; and developers or software programmers. The decision follows a sweeping review of company operations by President Steve Ballmer, the No. 2 executive under Bill Gates. ''When Ballmer did his review he realized the organization was disconnected from customers, organized around technologies and not customers,'' said Rob Enderle, an analyst with Giga Information Group, who is familiar with the company's reorganization plans. Ballmer has been running Microsoft's interactive media, which includes the MSN network of Web sites, since November when Pete Higgins resigned as vice president for that group. Jim Allchin, senior vice president for personal and business systems, would probably head the newly created enterprise group, in charge of corporate customers and agencies, the Times said. ''This is fallout from Steve taking over from Bill, making fixes that have been needed for some time, focusing on the customer,'' said Enderle said. The shakeup will be as important as those following Gates's 1995 speech outlining the company's initial push into the Internet and the early 1990's break with International Business Machines Corp., Enderle said. --Laura Raun in Seattle (206) 224-3173 through the San Francisco