--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not only because the product wasn't a…" description: "\"Not only because the product wasn't a great product, but remember it took us five or six years to ship it. Then we had to sort of fix it. That was what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eba/steve-ballmer-3273_digital-marketing_not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-gr_1692527.png" --- # Not only because the product wasn't a great product, but… ![“Not only because the product wasn't a great product, but remember it took us five or six years to ship it. Then we had to sort of fix it. That was what I might call Windows 7.” quote by Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eba/steve-ballmer-3273_digital-marketing_not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-gr_1692527.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eba/steve-ballmer-3273_digital-marketing_not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-gr_1692527.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eba/steve-ballmer-3273_digital-marketing_not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-gr_1692527.png) > “Not only because the product wasn't a great product, but remember it took us five or six years to ship it. Then we had to sort of fix it. That was what I might call Windows 7.” [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The product failed due to poor quality and long development, likened to a problematic Windows version. **In simple terms:** Product failed because it was bad and took too long. Key Takeaway Prioritize quality and realistic timelines. Themes product failure software development leadership Mood cautious determined Type business leadership When to use this quote - software launch - team planning - customer feedback Key Concepts project management quality assurance market expectations Questions to Reflect On - What steps can improve product quality early? - How can timelines be balanced with innovation? A Different Perspective The analogy may oversimplify complex market factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Digital marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital-marketing/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [True, the name of the product wasn't so great. Kindle? It was cute and sinister at the same time - worse than Edsel, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/true-the-name-of-the-product-wasn-t-so-great-kindle-it-was-cute-and/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Whatever device you use, Windows will be there. Windows will be everywhere on every device without compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/whatever-device-you-use-windows-will-be-there-windows-will-be/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Facebook Fan Pages are email newsletters with smaller pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-baer/facebook-fan-pages-are-email-newsletters-with-smaller-pictures/) [Jay Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-baer/) > [“Think before you click. If people do not know you personally and if they cannot see you as you type, what you post online…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/think-before-you-click-if-people-do-not-know-you-personally-and-if/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“Reputation is everything when it comes to building a digital brand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kehoe/reputation-is-everything-when-it-comes-to-building-a-digital-brand/) [Stacey Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kehoe/) > [“Don't promote negativity online and expect people to treat you with positivity in person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/don-t-promote-negativity-online-and-expect-people-to-treat-you-with/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [People influence people. Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/people-influence-people-nothing-influences-people-more-than-a/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [“What you post online speaks VOLUME about who you really are. POST with intention. REPOST with caution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/what-you-post-online-speaks-volume-about-who-you-really-are-post-with/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“Investing in digital marketing is cheaper than doing nothing at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kehoe/investing-in-digital-marketing-is-cheaper-than-doing-nothing-at-all/) [Stacey Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kehoe/) > [Think like a publisher, not a marketer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-meerman-scott/think-like-a-publisher-not-a-marketer/) [David Meerman Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-meerman-scott/) > [“Over 58% of Google searches now result in zero clicks to any external website.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessar-napitupulu/over-58-of-google-searches-now-result-in-zero-clicks-to-any-external/) Tessar Napitupulu > [Content is fire. Social media is gasoline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kahn/content-is-fire-social-media-is-gasoline/) Ryan Kahn > [“Marketing is a never-ending story. It’s about perpetual motion where innovation plays the lead role.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kehoe/marketing-is-a-never-ending-story-it-s-about-perpetual-motion-where/) [Stacey Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kehoe/) > [If you have more money than brains, you should focus on outbound marketing, If you have more brains than money, you should focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/if-you-have-more-money-than-brains-you-should-focus-on-outbound/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [It doesn't make much sense and it's nil premium. They're going to have co-CEOs...which is a very uncomfortable structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/it-doesn-t-make-much-sense-and-it-s-nil-premium-they-re-going-to-have/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) ## More by Steve Ballmer > [I think PCs are going to continue to shift in form factor. The real question is: What's a PC?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-pcs-are-going-to-continue-to-shift-in-form-factor-the-real/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [There's a lot of Google fascination out there and we share it, and we're going to compete, we're going to compete very, very hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/there-s-a-lot-of-google-fascination-out-there-and-we-share-it-and-we/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I’d like to own Microsoft shares until I either give something to charity or I die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-d-like-to-own-microsoft-shares-until-i-either-give-something-to/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I think there are lots of opportunities to improve the product. When you read the press, people say, "Oh, the product needs improvement." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-there-are-lots-of-opportunities-to-improve-the-product-when/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [The way I do things I usually always prefer to have a very clear strategy and be very focused. At the same time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-way-i-do-things-i-usually-always-prefer-to-have-a-very-clear/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Accessible design is good design.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/accessible-design-is-good-design/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [At Microsoft I had many years of experience and history and seeing connections. With my direct reports, the job at Microsoft was to delegate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/at-microsoft-i-had-many-years-of-experience-and-history-and-seeing/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [ \[Apple and RIM\] are probably restricted, in some sense, to a certain maximum. ... If you want to reach more people than that, you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/apple-and-rim-are-probably-restricted-in-some-sense-to-a-certain/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [This is all about having great leaders who can drive agile innovation and agile decision-making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/this-is-all-about-having-great-leaders-who-can-drive-agile-innovation/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [I think the biggest mistake most people make when they pick their first job is they don't worry enough about whether they'll love the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-the-biggest-mistake-most-people-make-when-they-pick-their/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [ I don't think there is one size that fits all \[\] I've been to too many meetings with journalists who spent the first 10… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-don-t-think-there-is-one-size-that-fits-all-i-ve-been-to-too-many/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [In many ways I think the company's doing quite a good job. If you look at the transition to Office 365 we started when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/in-many-ways-i-think-the-company-s-doing-quite-a-good-job-if-you-look/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [The lifeblood of our business is that R&D spend. There's nothing that flows through a pipe or down a wire or anything else. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/the-lifeblood-of-our-business-is-that-r-d-spend-there-s-nothing-that/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Certainly, we continue to bring in new people. We'll hire, net new, over 4,000 people this year, and attract great people into the company.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/certainly-we-continue-to-bring-in-new-people-we-ll-hire-net-new-over/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) [Explore all 134 Steve Ballmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) ## More Digital marketing quotes > [It doesn't make much sense and it's nil premium. They're going to have co-CEOs...which is a very uncomfortable structure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/it-doesn-t-make-much-sense-and-it-s-nil-premium-they-re-going-to-have/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [If you have more money than brains, you should focus on outbound marketing, If you have more brains than money, you should focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/if-you-have-more-money-than-brains-you-should-focus-on-outbound/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [“Marketing is a never-ending story. It’s about perpetual motion where innovation plays the lead role.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kehoe/marketing-is-a-never-ending-story-it-s-about-perpetual-motion-where/) [Stacey Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kehoe/) > [Content is fire. Social media is gasoline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kahn/content-is-fire-social-media-is-gasoline/) Ryan Kahn > [“Over 58% of Google searches now result in zero clicks to any external website.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessar-napitupulu/over-58-of-google-searches-now-result-in-zero-clicks-to-any-external/) Tessar Napitupulu > [Think like a publisher, not a marketer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-meerman-scott/think-like-a-publisher-not-a-marketer/) [David Meerman Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-meerman-scott/) > [“Investing in digital marketing is cheaper than doing nothing at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kehoe/investing-in-digital-marketing-is-cheaper-than-doing-nothing-at-all/) [Stacey Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kehoe/) > [“What you post online speaks VOLUME about who you really are. POST with intention. REPOST with caution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/what-you-post-online-speaks-volume-about-who-you-really-are-post-with/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [People influence people. Nothing influences people more than a recommendation from a trusted friend. A trusted referral influences people more than the best broadcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/people-influence-people-nothing-influences-people-more-than-a/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [“Don't promote negativity online and expect people to treat you with positivity in person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/don-t-promote-negativity-online-and-expect-people-to-treat-you-with/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [“Reputation is everything when it comes to building a digital brand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kehoe/reputation-is-everything-when-it-comes-to-building-a-digital-brand/) [Stacey Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kehoe/) > [“Think before you click. If people do not know you personally and if they cannot see you as you type, what you post online…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/think-before-you-click-if-people-do-not-know-you-personally-and-if/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Facebook Fan Pages are email newsletters with smaller pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-baer/facebook-fan-pages-are-email-newsletters-with-smaller-pictures/) [Jay Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-baer/) > [“I don’t understand why some marketers insist on using ridiculous jargon that normal people don’t understand - make it simple and watch the sales…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-kehoe/i-don-t-understand-why-some-marketers-insist-on-using-ridiculous/) [Stacey Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-kehoe/) > [“Freedom of Speech doesn't justify online bullying. Words have power, be careful how you use them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/freedom-of-speech-doesn-t-justify-online-bullying-words-have-power-be/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) [Browse all 69 Digital marketing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital-marketing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not only because the product wasn't a great product, but remember it took us five or six years to ship it. Then we had to sort of fix it. That was what I might call Windows 7.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steve Ballmer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-great-product-but-remember-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Digital marketing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-great-product-but-remember-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eba/steve-ballmer-3273_digital-marketing_not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-gr_1692527.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eba/steve-ballmer-3273_digital-marketing_not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-gr_1692527.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eba/steve-ballmer-3273_digital-marketing_not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-gr_1692527.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Not only because the product wasn't a great product, but remember it took us five or six years to ship it…” — Steve Ballmer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Steve Ballmer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Not only because the product wasn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-great-product-but-remember-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/not-only-because-the-product-wasn-t-a-great-product-but-remember-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```