Looking for clues in Ballmer aide's exit

A key aide to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has left the company, Microsoft said Tuesday.

Martin Taylor was named in March as a corporate vice president overseeing the marketing push for Windows Live services. Microsoft didn't give details on his departure, merely stating that "We've made the difficult decision to part ways with Martin."

Bloggers immediately began pondering the meaning of the move, wondering whether the move has anything to do with recent executive shakeups at the top of the company.

Blog community response:

"A possible reason for Taylor's dismissal could be the fact that Ray Ozzie is set to take over Bill Gates' position in 2008, and he may want to assemble his own team of executives. That would make sense, especially at a time like this when the Live services are in their early stages."
--Ars Technica

"More broadly, this is another nail in Steve Ballmer's coffin. Taylor was a Ballmer protege and friend, hand-picked to play point on the company's anti-Google plans. With Taylor now being unceremoniously being shown the exit -- within 24 hours of being everywhere promoting Microsoft's latest Windows Live launch -- it is another sign that Ballmer is the wrong guy at the wrong time for Microsoft."
--Infectious Greed

"Talk about a clean exit -- hours after Microsoft's point man in the war on Google steps down, his name's off the public website and the official report's out to Bloomberg News."
--Valleywag