Google Watch - Google vs. Microsoft - Memo to Ballmer: Gmail 'Undo Send' Doesn't Work in Person

Memo to Ballmer: Gmail ‘Undo Send’ Doesn’t Work in Person

Mar 20, 2009
1 minute read
eWeek content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

Poor Steve Ballmer. He’s so befuddled by Google (and his inability to defibrillate Microsoft’s stock price) that he thinks the new Undo Send Gmail function works for when he puts his foot in his mouth out loud as well as in e-mail form.

His latest whopper is saying Google’s market share in search is so big, it can’t afford to experiment, because it “has to be all things to all people.”

Never mind that Google continually tweaks its search algorithm and has changed the look of its home page several times.

Not only does Google make changes, but it makes sure those changes are popular by testing changes before making them widely available (to the distress of some).

I know that must sound like a foreign language–and yes, Steve, those are English words and we’re still on planet Earth.

But this idea that if you’re really big, you can’t improve your product for fear of getting people upset … I guess that’s why Microsoft hasn’t really innovated since it introduced Excel.

eWeek Logo

eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site's focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.