Since 2000 (or 13 years ago), Steve Ballmer has been CEO of the giant software company named Microsoft after starting at the company as its 30th employee. He took over Bill Gate's duties in 2006. So how did Ballmer change your life? He led the company since Windows XP, the OS that no one seemed to want to get rid off (mostly because of the lack of alternatives). Was a coincidence that Bill Gate gave all his power in the same year that Windows Vista was release?
Probably the most under-appreciated product Microsoft developed under Ballmer's reign? The Zune... Ummm... No, I meant the Xbox; it changed the video gaming industry with it's huge black and green box. The Zune was an incredibly poor attempt at taking market share from Apple.
It took 13 years for Steve Ballmer to finally kill MSN Hotmail/Windows Live Hotmail. Microsoft Office is finally on the cloud after years of Google Docs being available. The purchase of Skype, just two years ago, was brilliant for Windows and its other product lines. The biggest mistakes during his era? The biggest error is the slow move into the mobile/tablet market. Steve Ballmer was known for criticizing those markets and how it would not become popular with the public; he could not have been any more wrong. The late start to the market has produced some challenges (like public image) for Windows Mobile and I don't even know a single person that has bought a Windows Surface for personal use (even the Windows fanboys).
Bing, once known has Live Search/MSN Search, has definitely developed since Ballmer started as CEO. It has created somewhat of a competition for Google and continues to take some of Google's market share in search.
I'm not sure if the next CEO will be better than Ballmer but Wall Street seems like happy about the news of his retirement as Microsoft stock jumped over 7% for the day. Ballmer can't be too upset since his stock value went up over a half a billion dollars since he owns about 4% (or $11.6 billion) of the company.
Say what you may like but Ballmer led the company that he loved into something much bigger than he started. Though, it could have grown more rapidly with a speedier adoption of the mobile and tablet markets.
He sure loves Microsoft.