Five big things Microsoft got right

With so many people pointing out the external challenges and internal missteps from Microsoft, it is easy to pile on criticism.

One longtime watcher of the company, Directions on Microsoft, has a new report out looking at five big things the software maker has done right.

The analysis is on the Internet and worth a read.

Directions on Microsoft points to the company's appeal to developers, its focus on software, its reliance on others to sell its products, along with the fact it targets technology for the masses and takes the long view.

For sure, these are the things that have helped the company survive past missteps and address other competitive threats as well. But, through most of the past challenges, Microsoft has been able to largely keep the same business model, something it probably won't be able to do in this next wave of difficulties.

I have no doubt Microsoft will be able to deliver its software as a service and find ways to make money. But whether it will be able to make the same kinds of money in terms of both revenue and profits is a key question.

For more on the man leading the current wave of change, Steven Levy's Wired piece on Ray Ozzie is also definitely worth checking out, as is CNET News' Dan Farber's take on the piece.

In case you have not noticed by the less frequent posts, I'm off this week (well, sort of off anyway). Happy Thanksgiving to all.

[Orion Blastar]

Yeah but the list of things they did wrong, is in the thousands. Enough that someone like me can write a book on it. :)<br /><br />I just might, you know!

[NPSF3000]

... true - but where is the money -in the 5 major successes or the many thousand failures? <br /> <br />If you don't know - maybe ask Mr Gates.

[MrKleinpaste]

"... but where is the money -in the 5 major successes or the many thousand failures?"<br /><br />In the exclusivity contracts Microsoft forced on OEM vendors in the early 90's actually.

[Penguinisto]

Products-wise, two things: Windows and Office. That's where the bulk of their money comes from.

[Penguinisto]

One of those are debatable (the long view - as in their penchant for "lock-in" vs. "long-term value"), but otherwise I can agree somewhat with what they had written. <br /><br />MSFT has been busting their butts to regain the developers they'd lost over the past few years (though if they'd ease up on the mountain of restrictions they'd get further). They have tried to target the masses (but then again, they always have) - problem is that they haven't done much more than emulate others' successes (see also Zune, SharePoint, XBox, et al). They have always relied on others to sell their products in some major way (most notably via OEMs), so well... not much difference there. <br /><br />Their "focus on software" is kind of debatable, though to their credit they are finally doing small things right concerning this, like inching towards W3C standards compliance with IE.<br /><br />All that said, the one thing you wrote that stands out (and that I can totally agree with) is:<br /><br />"Microsoft has been able to largely keep the same business model, something it probably won't be able to do in this next wave of difficulties." <br /><br />...and I suspect that this next wave may come around sooner rather than later. They cannot afford another Vista. Moore's Law didn't save them last time (with Vista), and I doubt it will save them with Windows 7, if early indications are correct. <br /><br />Unless they can launch and sell Windows 7 flawlessly, I suspect they're going to be in for a huge decline, as XP will be EOLed by then - not because 2011 is coming near (when XP is IIRC scheduled to die), but because XP will be 2 generations and 8 years old by then... and enterprises IMPO not wanting to abandon it for Vista's software model are going to start taking a long, hard look at whether or not Windows itself is even worth keeping by that point.<br /><br />/P

[Seaspray0]

"XP will be 2 generations and 8 years old by then... " So? As long as the company can run their apps on it. I've known companies that were still used NT when XP came out. Why? Because their custom made apps ran on it.

[Vegaman_Dan]

This is perhaps one of the first posts in months in which Penguinisto has thoughtful and useful comments about Microsoft without stooping to his more common foaming mouth bigoted trolling attempts. And I for one can appreciate that. <br /> <br />Thank you, Penguinisto. This is exactly the sort of posting that can help rebuild respect fro you. Keep it up. <br /> <br />I find that your comments apply to Apple as well largely and for the same reasons. <br /> <br />"MSFT has been busting their butts to regain the developers they'd lost over the past few years (though if they'd ease up on the mountain of restrictions they'd get further). " <br /> <br />Apple is definitely in the same boat there, especially with Android coming out, the secret society of developer approval for the iPhone, and Apple's tendency to stomp on any sort of innovation by someone else for their products (Psystar and others). <br /> <br />"They have tried to target the masses (but then again, they always have) - problem is that they haven't done much more than emulate others' successes (see also Zune, SharePoint, XBox, et al). " <br /> <br />The Apple TV is still a dead on arrival device that Apple has yet to find a maket for. It's got a lot of potential, but when Apple calls their own product only a 'hobby', then that doesn't leave you with a lot of confidence in their dedication to its development or future. The iPod has come... and now has largely gone. They can't really reinvent it at all and just changing the size and color may keep the third party accessory dealers busy making new accessories, but it only serves to annoy customers by making their existing accessories incompatible. <br /> <br />As for the enterprise / business model- Microsoft is and will continue to be in the lead there. Apple has made it abundantly clear they do not want to be involved with this market. Even you called Apple's product suitable only for consumers and not for professional use... and you're an Apple advocate. That alone says a lot about their future in that market. They cannot offer enterprise environments the support that is necessary for real time operatiosn that desktop support would require. Linux could potentionally, but without any real central support solution, then that is at best a sandbox and nothing you'd want to rely upon. RedHat was the best hope there and they got out of that area leaving the field pretty empty of any competitors. Linux simply doesn't have its act together there. Too many chiefs, not enough indians, so to speak. <br /> <br />Regarding Win7- I think they are in a very good position to make a bundle off it. Enterprises have been hesitant to move forward, and yet know they do need to. XP is aging and they need to move on. While Vista is perfectly fine for their use, there is simply too many people spouting FUD (yes, you included and you know it) intentionally without any reason or justification behind it except that they don't like Microsoft. People who use it don't complain about it. T hose that do complain don't use the product in the first place. But think about it- businesses get gun shy about Vista, are looking for the next great solution from Microsoft to come out and just in time here comes Win7. All that negative press and misinformation that people such as you have spouted has just done a great job of promoting and pushing people to the next version of Windows. They will go to this new OS gladly, thnking they have skipped Vista adn all its problems.... which it didn't have. <br /> <br />I expect Win7 to do quite well, and Microsoft has FUD and trolls to thank for it.

[jessiethe3rd]

The days of running your Windows NT desktops for 8+ years is over. A thing called the internet and the need for patches to protect end users make updating the OS a thing that needs to happen... especially when no more patches and SP's are coming out.

[Penguinisto]

@Dan... Not so sure about Apple - one of the reasons OSX didn't flop initially was because of Apple's attention to their developer community. Xtools and OSX (the OS)' entire API are free for the download. OSX very core is open-source. Now iPhone's API kit has some restrictions, but that hasn't seemed to stop Apple and its developer community from selling apps like wildfire. You may want to get an ADC membership sometime (it's free) - they go way out of their way to get you what you need as a developer.<br /><br />You pointed out the AppleTV - Agreed, it's a flop. That said, that's one flop among many stupendous successes since Jobs removed Apple's head from it's collective backside in the late 1990s. A ratio I think that Apple (or any business) can live with. The thing I pointed out with MSFT OTOH is a ratio that would worry may corporations... they pour billions of dollars into various markets, and so far haven't come anywhere close to a recoup on the money spent. Xbox is just barely --8 years later-- making a profit. The Zune is still hemorrhaging money. There are numerous other examples that have swallowed billions of dollars with no return - UltimateTV, MSN, MSN Music, etc. just to name a few. <br /><br />I'm not saying all that to laugh at MSFT, I'm saying it because such casting about with little planning and no insight is futile on their part, and cannot be sustained forever. It is also costing them dearly in their core businesses, as they divert attention and resources away from their money-makers (Windows, Office) just to keep all their other projects on life-support.<br /><br />"As for the enterprise / business model- Microsoft is and will continue to be in the lead there"<br /><br />Depends on which aspect in the Enterprise you speak of. Desktops, sure. Exchange, okay (though it depends on whether we're talking pure SMTP/IMAP or messaging/calendaring). After that, MSFT has to fight for every dollar it gets against Linux and even old-school UNIX (see also VMWare's hypervisor, NetApp (and many others), etc). You are incorrect in one aspect: Linux does have support, and in spades. Just ask RHAT and IBM's services division how they continue to enjoy profit growth in the face of a bad economy. Dell and HP both have full RHEL support for their server and workstation products. So does VMWare (which uses Linux as its console OS). So do Oracle, Business Objects, SalesForce, and the like. So does (insert any major hardware OEM here).<br /><br />Apple is not a player in this space... yet. If it ever gets serious about becoming one, MSFT may be in deep kimchi (the XServe IMHO doesn't count as 'serious', for too many reasons which can be packed into this space). As a parallel, forget Microsoft for a moment - RIM has recognized the threat of Apple in the Enterprise, as Apple has begun eating away at it's customer base there. <br /><br />As for Windows 7? We will see. It may well gain a share of sales from folks who have passed on Vista, but don't yet feel like taking the plunge into a non-MSFT solution... but no one will know for sure until this time next year at the earliest as to whether or not the F500 will want to or not. If Windows 7 suffers the same debacle that Vista did (e.g. you double the RAM, Up the CPU, and strip the OS down just to make it useful), MSFT is going to have some serious problems. If by some miracle Windows 7 presents itself as an affordable, useful solution, then MSFT may have dodged a bullet. <br /><br />That said, I think that by then, Apple will have gained enough marketshare to become a major player in the consumer space - enough to threaten MSFT there. If Apple comes out with a serious suite of Enterprise services and hardware/apps by then, MSFT is going to have a fight on its hands - and I'm not so sure it will come out on top once the dust settles.

[DrtyDogg]

One question Penguinistio. One that I've asked you countless times, and you've never answered. . . Where did you hear that the Zune was "hemorrhaging money?"

[Penguinisto]

@DD: It's a valid estimate, considering that last year, they had to dump some very large numbers of unsold stock from their previous models (which is a positive sign of operating at a loss), and this year is shaping up to go the same way. Their original plans were to start making a profit on them in mid 2007, but that has yet to materialize (otherwise we would have seen at least something in the financials about it, like they did when the xbox finally turned a profit earlier this year).<br /><br />The Zune sits at 4% marketshare (at last count - May 2008), with most of that growth coming at the cost of all non-iPod competitors.<br /><br />Sorry man, but it's losing money, and has been for three years running. I know that you'll say the same thing about Apple's Mac marketshare, but consider that Macs growing big-time in the consumer sector, while the Zune is not. Also consider that Apple makes a solid (and massive) profit on every Mac sold, whereas the Zune has yet to see a profit, and is forced to further undercut the iPod price points just to get attention.<br /><br />Speaking of which, consider this as well: The xbox took 8 years and tens of billions of dollars in losses before turning a profit, and now they're eking out $100m or so in profit per quarter... they'd have to turn a profit on the xbox for the next 15 years in a row to realize a recoup on the R&#38;D, marketing, and etc. Forget marketshare (the Wii owns that), just turning a profit at that rate is not a very good ROI, and there's no real sign that profit margins will do more than double their rate (cost of manufacturing goes down, etc), which cuts it to around 7-8 years of straight profit... just to break even. 7-8 years is a whole other console generation or two away. <br /><br />/P

[i_am_still_wade]

They missed one important thing: lock in gamers. DirectX keeps those in the know on Windows because they want to play games. So long as DirectX is the best 3D graphic rending engine, Microsoft will be #1.

[Penguinisto]

That's the thing - DX10 and Vista pushed a lot of developers back into the arms of OpenGL.

[Mark_Anderson]

Really Penguin?<br /><br />Who and what was the commercial impact then?

[Penguinisto]

The commercial impact - in which aspect? <br /> <br />As for your first question, here's why: <br /> <br />DX10 was/is Vista-only. Vista bombed. Gamers stuck with XP, and continue to. Games makers, knowing full well where their bread-and-butter lies, either stuck with DX9 or went OpenGL (which has an added benefit of being cross-platform). OGL allows a game to be ported to every common PC and console platform (save for xbox I think, but even there, there's likely to be an OGL API lurking about). Want your game to be more easily ported to Wii or PS3 as well as Windows and OSX? You go OpenGL. You want to add extra work for yourself and/or limit yourself to just one platform? You go DirectX. <br /> <br />It's simple mathematics, really. <br /> <br />Now you may quibble over PC marketshare but in the console world (where the money is), MSFT is certainly not dominant by any means.

[tm_anon]

The problem with gamers as a business model, there aren't enough of them. Unless MSFT can find a way to grow gaming without asking for increase in the hardware capabilities, which costs money for each gamer leading to a smaller group being able to do so, then MSFT would need a lot more than just gamers. DirectX can only stay on top for a limited run unless they can get a better OS, one that isn't marred by debacles like Vista has been. MSFT needs something big, something genuinely unique and well crafted, in order to continue as it is. XP was the last good OS, is still used by gamers, by corporations, by individuals and by anyone who has not purchased a new PC this year. I've moved off of MSFT's programs for everything but the general OS, running XP. If it hadn't come already installed on my PC when I bought it, I'd have gone with whatever form of Linux I deemed fit for my needs, basic OS service with internet capabilities and the ability to use my RAM effectively for the browser of my choice. As soon as XP gets to the point Windows 98 is now, I'm switching to Linux unless MSFT gets some motivation for saving customers. DirectX is not enough for anyone but a diehard gamer and, given the innovations lately by startups and other players in the software world, DirectX will soon have a lot of competition.

[Lerianis]

tm_anon.... a 1300 dollar computer today can play 90% of the games out there, even Crysis, and play it WELL. In fact, I just got done playing the Crysis demo on my system, and it moves along quickly with almost all settings turned up on high, so I am pretty happy.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Lerianis wrote: <br /> <br />"a 1300 dollar computer today can play 90% of the games out there, even Crysis, and play it WELL. " <br /> <br />And unfortunately it would take a $5,000 Macintosh to even approach that level and still fail due to poor game support on the platform. It's true you can have the same hardware between the two and one will pull out in front when software or applications are targeted for it. Photoshop for Macs, games for Windows, servers for Linux. <br /> <br />To each their own.

[thelemurking]

@ Lerianis - Chances are if you are playing Crysis on a $1300 PC, you have are running a pretty decent graphics card. Problems come into play with the people who try to play games with onboard graphic chipsets... those just can't cut Crysis. I have two 9800gtx's in SLI and playing Crysis at full max detail, there are still some areas in the games where my FPS start to lag. Crysis was ahead of it's time! For that matter, if you look at the original Far Cry, games coming out now are just matching it's level of complex graphics.

[Maclover1]

For $199 you buy an Xbox. For $399 you get a PS3 with Blue Ray and the ability to user ugrade the Hard Drive. There are way more games for both. There are very few PC first games these days, most are console ports. So many people have moved off of PC gaming with the HD generation of gaming consoles. Just look at notebook sales. They have passed desktops. If you remove "corporations" from the numbers of desktops sold it would scary how many consumers are buying or not buying. Next remove consumer desktops that can run a game like say Call of Duty 4, and you have even fewer desktop PC's sold today that can even play games.

[MrKleinpaste]

@Vegaman_Dan - "And unfortunately it would take a $5,000 Macintosh to even approach that level and still fail due to poor game support on the platform..."<br /><br />Actually, based on Crysis' sysreqs you'll get great gaming out of a stock iMac 24" for $2100.00. If you NEED a tower then a Mac Pro will run you $2700.00 before the monitor. To get it up to that $5K you're talking you'll be running 2 x quad core processors and 8GB RAM and dual NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT's in SLI.<br /><br />The real truth in your statement is the poor game support. Unfortunately there's a misconception that Macs can't play games. The irony is that it takes MORE processing and graphics power to make the stunning graphics for those games than to play them and a lot of the graphics are done on Macs, even PC games. <br /><br />There's some great games that have been ported over to the Mac and honestly having both in my house, they play just as well on either system. Macs CAN and DO play games awesomely. Their "lack" of games is purely due to ignorance. There's a market there, even if it's ignored. After all, Blizzard didn't make sure WoW ran on both PC and Mac platforms from day one without a reason.<br /><br />Macs are made of the same stuff every other computer is made of, with the same circuitry technology as every PC whether Windows or Linux. The major difference is the operating system and if it can produce the level of graphics that PC gamers enjoy they can certainly play them if the developers would develop for both platforms. Personally I'd like to see a day where there was a "game standards" that allowed developers to only make minor adjustments to their code in order to port it between the different OSs whether they be Mac, PCs, Linux or the various consoles.

[websterphreaky]

ONE BIG THING MICROSOFT GOT WRONG -<br /><br />Continuing to support Apple with Office suite back to version X. (early 2001) Without Office, smartass Apple and their BS fictitious Mac vs PC ads, would have long gone by the wayside and relegated to carnival sideshow enigma in the computer world; as they should have been.<br /><br />Gates and Balmer, this was the BLUNDER of the CENTURY! And your complete lack of counter advertisements pointing out the obvious flaws and bugs in OS X and the junk hardware Apple has sold the public over the last 20 years, was pure stupidity!<br /><br />MS, you've gotten what you deserved now.YOU are pointed at as the junk purveyor , even though 95% of the world uses your Windows OS.

[catbutt5]

MS Office has VERY little to do with the obvious success of the Mac. Mac strongholds have always been Graphics, Audio and Multimedia production.<br />Apple makes the software and hardware people line up to buy - that's the reason for their success and the reason for MS's downfall.<br />"Obvious flaws and bugs in OS X and the junk hardware..." You're only pointing out your own ignorance here - as biased as you come off, you couldn't possibly own a Mac and therefore you're no expert.<br />On top of it all, you took a positive story about MS and then spewed needless vitriol about your hatred for Apple. <br />Your a PC alright.

[JuggerNaut]

Dude,<br /><br />And 95% of the world also get their daily consumption of cheeseburgers at McDonalds; but that doesn't equate McDonalds cheeseburgers to that of great quality now does it? Billions served can't be wrong me guesses :-P

[websterphreaky]

Dear "by catbutt5" ( and you probably are)<br /><br />Oh yes I've owned Macs, ans it YOU that are in the Apple Fantasyland of Denial. All anyone has to do is read the archives of macfixit.com from the early days of OS X to have YEARS of reading all the BUGS and FLAWS and FLAKEY OS X Updates Apple realeases weekly and monthly!<br /><br />And I've had my share of crAPPle hardware. My closet was full of it - DEAD Macs - until I finally threw them out. Here's a short list, pal: ALL DEAD PREMATURELY<br /><br />G3 "Yosemite" B/W Power Mac - DEAD LogicBoard, but defore that it constantly corrupted hard drives because of Apple's NOTORIOUS bad ATA Controller Chip!<br /><br />G4 Power Mac Dual 500Mhz $2500. - DEAD AGP Video Slot and one DEAD RAM Slot only ONE MONTH after the 12 month warranty ran out! Called Apple, their responce "... should have bought Apple Care" (another $399!)<br /><br />G3 PowerBook 14" Wallstreet" - Broken lid hinges, dead CD drive, fried AC/DC Charge Board at age 19 months!<br /><br />G3 14" iBook 600MHz - LogicBoard had to be replaced THREE TIMES in TWO YEARS and the AC/DC charge board twice! The G4 PowerMac taught me you HAVE TO BUY extended warranty when you own a Mac!<br /><br />G4 PowerBook Titanium 1GHz - One Logic Board, One HD, DURING warranty, Chippng and Flaking Titanium Paint, and the LCD DEAD ONLY after just 29 months of age!!! Went through two Apple batteries in just 29 months $150 each!<br /><br />G4 iBook 12" 1.2GHz - Two Logic Boards under 12 month warranty! Now the FireWire Port is DEAD at age 21 months! Two dead Apple Batteries, only 16 months old each.<br /><br />G5 PowerMac Dual 2.5GHz - Two power Supplies under warranty, but Apple could never fix the Boeing 747 HOWL that the cooling fans make EVERY DAY!<br /><br />I have a 1999 Compaq Presario 1200XL laptop that STILL WORKS LIKE NEW, a 2005 Compaq Presario 1514 laptop that works EVERY DAY with NO PROBLEMS and my wife uses my 2002 HP OmniBook PIII 1.2GHz (last of the PIII notebooks) that LOOKS AND RUNS LIKE NEW with the ORIGINAL BATTERY that still gets almost 2 hours of run time!<br /><br />APPLE SELLS CRAP (they DON'T MAKE ANYTHING! - everything is contracted OUT to contractors in Asia since 1992) and I will NEVER buy another Apple P.O.S. again and for GOOD REASON!

[ca5ter]

Hmm... did you know that Bill Gates is a large stockowner in Apple? The reason why they build a version for the Mac is two fold. <br /><br />1) Anti-trust issues, but maybe you forgot the whole IE thing? <br /><br />2) A 8% market share is nothing to shrug off. Microsoft after all is in the business of making money. <br /><br />So, perhaps the true fault was not advancing the Windows OS sooner and spreading the company resources too thin. Also, they have yet to add features to the core Office suite that are worth an upgrade. Microsoft's number one competitor is past versions of it's software. Without features that businesses and consumers find helpful or worth the price of an upgrade, they will continue to have this problem.

[Earthlin]

Websterphreaky, I believe you are lying and never owned a single Mac. I've owned Macs since 1985 and never got a SINGLE problem in 23 years. At work, I always had Windows machines and tons of problems occured. Macs are way superior to other machines. Refer to the percentage of satisfied customers if you don't beleive me. Apple always had the highest and others like Compaq and HP had among the lowest. Statistics tell the truth.

[Mr. Dee]

@ ca5ter:<br />Apple gave MS some non-voting shares in exchange for $150 mil. in cash and to settle some lawsuits and got some MS patents in that infamous deal when Steve took over Apple. Microsoft has since sold it, I bet they wish they had kept it a little longer or invested it in the MacBU. <br /><br />Also, you need to use Office 2007 before you start mouthing off about no innovation there. The Office Fluent ui (Ribbon) is the best thing that has happened to interfaces in a long while. <br /><br />I can agree with OS X having some serious bugs over the years, I remember a bug in iTunes that could wipe out your entire music library. Another bug in Leopard that destroyed files when you moved it from one partition to the next. Microsoft has had some serious bugs too, but non have destroyed personal files based on my experience.

[ca5ter]

@Mr. Dee<br />I agree the Ribbon is a great improvement over the past tool bars, although, that is hard sell to IT departments, many of which see a major change as a re-training burden. <br /><br />However, I was simply saying Microsoft has been slow to innovate on items consumers and businesses care about. They missed the entire music/movie download service and has yet to develop a compelling store system. Now, I'm not an Apple fan boy here, just saying it was missed. They did do a great job with the Xbox. But the Windows OS has had too many delays with needed features (search and security are two). <br /><br />But, Microsoft was behind with internet and has since caught up. (Although, most would agree IE is not the best browser on the market, neither is Safari.) In some ways Microsoft have out thought rivals. The idea of subroutines for web apps is a great start. But, they have failed to develop a integrated mobile platform as of yet. With their money and desktop OS, a integrated mobile OS should have been on the road map. Instead businesses are stuck using only one piece of their eco system, Exchange. <br /><br />If there is one thing in technology, it is bugs. All applications have them. Apple and Microsoft have both had many many mistakes over the years. (Yes, I do remember the Leopard issue deleting data.) My own personal grip with Microsoft is their lack of innovation over the years. <br /><br />My own personal grip with Apple is they are too quick to move to a new standard. Take for example the new display, that only plugs into a Mini DVI port. Apple only makes three systems that are compatible with a Mini DVI port out of the box. So, both have positives and negatives. We as a community should be pushing both to correct the ills. <br /><br />(BTW, thanks for correcting my stockowner ship. I couldn't remember all of the details.)

[jessiethe3rd]

Microsoft needs desktop competition... While Apple may have gotten the best of Microsoft and even dug a bit into Microsoft's marketshare honestly - what does not selling the OS really cost Microsoft a small scale? <br /> <br />- They're selling Office on the Mac <br />- They're selling Windows for Fusion/VMs <br />- Online services are heating up and Microsoft is diverting more resources into online services <br />- Microsoft is offering solutions like Mesh which work with Mac just fine <br /> <br />Microsoft needs Apple and the heat it brings - it's good for them - makes them up their game and trust me - Microsoft doesn't want to just kill off Apple and have a fell swoop of the desktops. Trust me... Microsoft does not hate Apple. <br />Yes, they take some ideas from Apple and yes, Apple takes some from Microsoft. <br /> <br />If you look at Apple's advertising you'll realize that most people are made about this whole Mac versus PC thing because 90+% of the people use PCs and the commercials are attacking them personally - like they are the geek idiot who is making stupid excuses about Vista. Apple likes to get into your head like that... like they are the ones in control - they are the ones who have their stuff together. Truth be told Apple is one of the most proprietary OSs around. Their systems are so protected and locked in you HAVE to run Fusion on Windows to get some flexibility.

[Maclover1]

Lol macfixit.com = STUPID USERS for 98% of all software problems. Users upgrading Leopard over the top of a 2 year old copy of Tiger that has lots of software/shareware/custom OS tweaks known to not work on Leopard. Users on new Macs loading Mac software known to NOT work on Leopard. These problems are the same in Windows world. Always do a clean install of a OS update never an upgrade over the top, always verify your applications will run on a the new OS. Doing so on OS X or Windows will prevent 90+% of your problems. Stupid is as Stupid does.<br /><br />As for hardware problems I have only had Intel Macs, 1 Mac Mini, 1 Macbook, and 1 iMac all over a year old or more with ZERO problems, all on at least 8 hours a day. I guess I am lucky.

[Maclover1]

@jessiethe3rd I have Fusion and Office 2008 on my Mac. I did paid $15 for copy of XP on my Mac and $25 I think for Office 2008. Thank you to my friends still in school. I have the free MS RDC client as well.<br /><br />I turn on XP in Fusion only to help people out with Windows, and test Exchange servers I support, OutlookAnywhere, Windows Mobile emulator, IE OWA\Sharepoint access.<br /><br />I run Office so I can exchange documents with Office users on PC's.<br /><br />If I were not in IT I would not run anything from Microsoft. Everything I do on a computer outside of supporting MS applications can be done on my Mac with non-MS software.<br /><br />For Joe Mac Consumer, Office might be the only thing that they purchase. Most will get it cheap someplace, college student in their family etc, black Friday sale, free with their new Mac etc.

[someguy999]

I haven't read the article... but in my opinion the single biggest "they did it right move" was the same as the single biggest "Jerry Yang did it wrong move"... walking away from Yahoo and not give the 35$/share that Yahoo wanted... saving at the current time probably 30 BILLION dollars.

[benjwah]

Agreed.

[jessiethe3rd]

Smartest move in the last 10 years... Microsoft totally got lucky on that one and Steve especially.

[JuggerNaut]

"Technology for the Masses" ???<br /><br />Actually that slogan was invented by Commodore, who brought computing to the masses and made computer technology affordable to anyone (the Commodore 64 being the undisputed champion in that sense). Microsoft's success is more tied with the "IBM Compatible" buzzword of the 1980's than with anything else. The price of Windows has essentially grown by 300% (since Windows 3.1) as compared PC hardware, which has dropped by about the same amount in the same time frame.

[Mr. Dee]

I was wondering where you were, have a happy Thanks Giving. Anyway, Microsoft's core business is in no form of threat, well except from themselves. If people decided to stop by PC's and new versions of their software. But people must still remember they are relevant, they do make good stuff. What has happened to Windows and Office is that competitors over the years have actually shaped the products future which ultimately ends up working in Microsoft's favor. When WordPerfect refused to support Windows, Microsoft went ahead and did so and at the same time offered bundles at a cheaper rate than a standalone version of WordPerfect. When Netscape threatened Windows, Microsoft not only made a browser and kept at improving it, it also gave it away for free. When TCP/IP use to be something you had to buy, Microsoft gave you it for free - with Windows. So, competitors should also be thanked for making Microsoft into the Company it is today. We are seeing it through the aggressive era in Search, Office going to the web, de-bundling of Windows with most apps now becoming free services. When Apple focused on making aesthetics a key part of the OS experience, Microsoft started focusing on improving the experience too in Windows. If I were Apple, Google and Linux, I would give my self a pat on the back for job well done.

[JuggerNaut]

..."When TCP/IP use to be something you had to buy, Microsoft gave you it for free - with Windows."...<br /><br />Dude, I've been using computers since the days of the Commodore 64 and Apple IIc and I never remember having to pay for TCP/IP for anything. If you're talking about buying web browsers, that's one thing, but TCP/IP is an open standard that has many incarnations delivered by many ISVs. Microsoft tried to push it's closed standard NetBEUI (and WINS?) until they gave into TCP/IP, since everyone else (on the Internet) was using it as the clear and only standard.

[MrKleinpaste]

@Mr. Dee - "When WordPerfect refused to support Windows, Microsoft went ahead and did so and at the same time offered bundles at a cheaper rate than a standalone version of WordPerfect."<br /><br />Yes. And then continually changed the file formats, because they could get away with it as there was no IEEE standard they had to follow, so nobody could make software that was compatible and compete with them. Then they raised prices once they had comfortably "nudged" their competition to the background.<br /><br />"When Netscape threatened Windows..."<br /><br />You mean when they engaged in monopolistic practices forcing their competition out of business, not through innovation, but through back room deals and criminal acts. Before you argue this, they were found guilty by the US court system back in the late 90s and at least one of their appeals has been denied. The only real "improvements" has been IE7's adoption of actual W3C standards.<br /><br />"When TCP/IP use to be something you had to buy..." <br /><br />What the...!? Whuh!? What are you smok...!? When the .... did you have to PAY for TCP/IP!? Read up on DARPA and ARPANET please.<br /><br />"If I were Apple, Google and Linux, I would give my self a pat on the back for job well done."<br /><br />Yes. We should all give the actual innovators a big round of applause. Microsoft has enough money for a lot of photocopies.

[Penguinisto]

"When TCP/IP use to be something you had to buy, Microsoft gave you it for free - with Windows...."<br /><br />1) Pure crap. TCP/IP was an integral part of UNIX and all derivatives, and has been since the mid-1970's. Mac OS 8 had it included as well, IIRC (which dates to about the same time that MSFT first included it with Windows 95).<br /><br />2) Windows 3.1 and earlier never had TCP/IP - you had to add that on (e.g. if you had a modem, you had to hunt down and get Trumpet Winsock or similar to use the Internet). Windows 95 was the first version with TCP/IP built in (the software of which MSFT 'borrowed' from FreeBSD).

[GatesOfHell]

So if Apple is crap, websterfreak, why did you keep buying so much of it?

[Seaspray0]

Maybe it's because all the apples he bought broke and he had to replace them often?

[GatesOfHell]

So he keeps on replacing a brand that he claims is crap with more of their claimed crap? Microsoft would be lucky to have legions of such ignorant devotees who keep buying more and more of their faulty products. Oh wait - that's precisely how they've operated all these years.

probably like me he was issued with the crap?

[goodspeed8701]

@penguinisto <br /> <br />The problem with you is; <br />1 no one cares about linux even if its freeeeee... Add $20 to it and you would be the only one using it <br />2 I dont see linux coming out with any software that will inovate the way we use our computer. <br />3 you excape from the asylum and you need an electric shock.

[timber2005]

Just for your info, there is a "reply to this comment" button below his post. Just sayin'... it's there for a reason. <br /> <br />And Linux is VERY big in the Webserver and Distributed Computer System areas.

[maverick_nick]

Yeah Linux is big in the server area, but Windows is gaining rapidly. I mean Windows Server 2008 is amazing and it's being adopted very quickly. <br /> <br />However, Linux fans always bring up servers when we're talking about the desktop. I've tried to get so many people to use Linux and they don't last for very long before begging me to switch them back to Windows. The fact that Mac OSX is growing faster than Linux is proof that people don't care about free crap.

[wolivere]

Timber2005<br /><br />The overall shall is still just around 12.7 past 3 years Linux has seen a decrease in growth as the conversion from Unix to Linux is hitting the end stretch. In new server sales MS has continued to outpace linux, and the linux share in new server sales has actually decreased. Same is the case in the Webserver world. Linux saw a huge decrease in 2007 then flattened out while IIS surged then flattened out with now a small gap.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Goodspeed8701: I believe your comments aren't really appropriate, but the opinion is yours to make. I do not agree with it however. <br /> <br />1) Linux: Linux is free only on the front end. The support back end is hideously expensive. You need to find qualified system engineers to support it and when everyone who uses Linux is a self proclaimed 'expert', then it becomes a nightmare to determine who actually is. There is no industry certification that has any respect any longer for Linux. And without that, anyone can make the claim without any reason to dispute it. Desktop support is nearly non-existant with only a paltry few companies offering it and those are too small to do it on an enterprise level at this time. It may change in the future, but nothing indicates that at this time. <br /> <br />2) Each OS is suitable for its area of expertise. Linux is quite excellent running headless as a server. I prefer that use myself. Using a GUI with Linux seems like... swimming with waterwings on. Give me a console any day and I'm a happy camper. But I also wouldn't give Linux to a new computer user either. That experience would turn them off computers entirely. It's NOT for newbies. Linux has and always will be for geeks. Sorry if folks don't like that, but it is the reality of the situation. <br /> <br />3) Penguinisto has every right to post comments as you do here. Please respect that. If you are going to chastise him, do so only for his comments and use those commets themselves as your ammunition. Suggesting that he is mentally compromised is simply juvenile and inappropriate on your part.

[JuggerNaut]

If millions of Linux desktop users = 'no one', I'd hate the see how many it would take for Linux desktop users = 'some one'. The truth of the matter is; Linux is good enough for the majority of computer users out there as most computer users fall under the 'general purpose computing' category. Why pay $200-$500 for an operating system (Windows Vista and its 7 various flavors) when you can get a fun yet powerful Linux desktop operating system for much less? It's only a matter of time when people (the technophobes and computer illiterates of the world) wake up to the fact that sticking with Windows in the long run can be a very expensive proposition. It's funny how people go cheap on computer hardware, but are willing to pay out the nose for computer software.<br /><br />Here is what I want to see in the computer market place... Windows, Mac, Linux and other great operating systems (Amiga maybe?). A computing world with only one platform to choose from would be a sad day (for the computer savvy) indeed!

[Penguinisto]

Sorry to burst some bubbles, but...<br /><br />1) Oracle, and every heavyweight in the IT industry, cares, kiddo. If you actually worked in this industry you'd know that. ;)<br />2) They already have (open-source has, that is). If you cannot see where and why, then I refuse to waste time in explaining it to you.<br />3) sure thing, kid.<br /><br />---<br /><br />As for "The overall shall is still just around 12.7 past 3 years Linux has seen a decrease in growth as the conversion from Unix to Linux is hitting the end stretch" <br /><br />Proof, please.<br /><br />--<br />As for : "There is no industry certification that has any respect any longer for Linux."<br /><br />RHCE, Oracle, LPI... what are you talking about, Dan? <br /><br />As for: "The support back end is hideously expensive."<br /><br />Oh? How so? Let's build a Windows-only (no Linux or any OSS) website, with SharePoint. <br /><br />That will require at least two servers of moderate strength, a license for MS SQL Server (which by itself costs more than two RHEL licenses), an industrial-strength firewall appliance to protect IIS (e.g. CheckPoint, which sells for $25k every three years, license-wise), a consultant to install SharePoint due to its complxity and opaqueness ($120/hr for roughly 60 hours or more), and an MCSE to keep an eye on it (call it $60-80k per year outside of California). This of course doesn't count Windows licenses, CALs (for non-web functions) and sundry.<br /><br />Adds up, don't it? <br /><br />Now let's build a Linux-only website with the same capabilities. You will need: RHEL ($1k/yr - with YUM that's all you'll ever have to pay no matter how many servers you tack on after the first one). One server of moderate strength, MySQL (free), and a decent SysAdmin (call it $80k min/yr outside of California). You can, if you wish, add a firewall - your SysAdmin can do it on a second small 1U server using FreeBSD or Linux. <br /><br />I can do the same thing with email ($$$$ Exchange vs. $89 OpenExchange from Novell), File Services, whatever... <br /><br />...when a moderate-sized corp pays Microsoft $120k+ per year just for licenses (not counting support tickets and etc), you cannot sit there and say with a straight face that MSFT is the cheaper solution. <br /><br /><br /><br />/P

[eagledrc]

Office is a great product. XP was not a bad OS. Otherwise, I can't think of any recent Microsoft successes...If iTunes and CS3 ran on Linux, I would go months without using Windows, but I use it for iTunes (my podcast), and CS3 on a virtual machine. I could do that with a Mac too.

[tl79]

I would go months without using windows as well, but, I like to plug in my firewire camcorder, watch and record tv using my tv tuner card, plug in my bluetooth usb dongle, and have them all running within 5 min of plugging them in from them the package. Not to mention my blackberry, and IR remote control, maybe an SD reader, digital camera etc. I wish linux was there, because it's free, but I've tried Ubuntu 8.0.1, and the latest Fedora. Try setting up a wireless PVR with an IR remote control.

[thelemurking]

@tl79 <br /><br />Have you checked out MythTV? http://www.mythtv.org

[MrKleinpaste]

MythTV? Nah. Mac Mini with Elgato Hybrid for the TV Recording plus iTunes and Apple TV for the rentals and multi-system streaming. Sweet looking and sweet entertainment system.

[Seaspray0]

Goodspeed, linux isn't all that bad... but, you're right, it's not perfect. Because of the open source license, people can't make any money off the software, so you don't get the same quality and quantity of applications you would if developers were getting paid. It'll make a good OS if all you need are the basics like browsing the web or checking your email. The second problem it has is compatibility. How many "distro's' of linux are there? And programmers don't follow the same guidelines that makes their software compatible with everyone elses. So it will be great as a web server (only having to do one major function) but try and load one OS with a bunch of services or apps and they can break each other. When that happens, there's no entity that will take responsibility for fixing it... No support you can count on.

[OldeSkool1]

Good article. And the best thing about is that the board is that I can read some intelligent comments and not a lot of the usual boring "MS sucks" crap from the Apple and Linux crew. There was an article a couple of weeks concerning an inability to play video rented from the Apple Store on old CRT monitors and the comments were mostly how "MS sucks." They sound like a bunch of parrots. Seaspray0 seems to be on the money with MS and Linux. Windows isn't the greatest but it's what 90% of the users are using so so the fanboys need to lighten up. From what read and hear from Apple users neither is OSX and as a new user of Linux I have issues with all the distros and the compatibility promblem among them so Windows will always be my work system and Ubuntu will be web surfing and email only. And until I become a content provide I cannot see myself playing extra money on a Mac just to "try out" a new OS. If I do It will most likely be one of my musician brother's older Mac machines.

[C_G_K]

I would agree that focusing of software and forgetting about hardware was a stroke of genius. As for the rest, none of those things would have made a big difference if Microsoft had not been able to create a near monopoly. They benefited from the fact that people needed to have standardized applications to ease the flow of data. This is more luck than anything.<br /><br />Microsoft treats many developers like crap, keeping them off the permanent payroll to get around labor laws, that's why many of their products have been bug riddled pieces of junk (like older versions of outlook for example). There is no continuity in the development teams at the mid to lower levels.<br /><br />Just because they got a few things right doesn't mean that much in any case, even Stalin or Hitler might have done a few smart things... that doesn't rehabilitate their legacy of course.

[jessiethe3rd]

Microsoft has plenty of fantastic developers as employees... in fact - they employee geniuses - the day to day coding gets outsourced just like every other major technology player... this is nothing new. The big brains stay with the company on campus - the day to day crunchers are not on payroll but they are paid...

[Aus_Engineer]

Lucky this is not a list of what FOSS/Linux has done wrong to be so far behind the game in the software and OS world. <br /> <br />i would have liked to see Linux get somewhere in the world, but it was taken over by zealots and fanboys and poisoned its potential

[Penguinisto]

You're looking in the wrong direction, but nice FUD.<br /><br />The one thing holding Linux back is that the user interfaces are designed for geeks, not users. <br /><br />Apple's OSX has a solid *nix core, but it is growing at astronomical rates due to its drop-easy user-friendly interface.

[AppleSuxLeo]

If Microsoft wants to get serious and do another thing right...They need to build a Zune-Phone based on Windows 7 that runs on the Nvidia all in one chip named Tegra. And kill off Windows Mobile.<br />There is a demo on Cnet of a prototype device running Quake3 at insane frame rates and it outputs 720p to a TV and gets like 10 hrs battery life. Makes the iPhone look like something from 1975. If they build this device and get it right , it will kill off the iPhone , just as Windows made Mac a non-issue.

[GatesOfHell]

Sorry Leo but they haven't made Mac a non-issue. Look around. Where are the Microsoft, HP, Dell, etc. retail stores? Of those (did you even find one?), where are the ones doing gangbuster profits? Microsoft's ability to lure people into buying and accepting extremely low quality products is precisely the reason Macs, iPods, and iPhones are not only an issue but the de facto standard by which competitors are now judged. If they build your ZuPhone and if they get it right, it will become just another iPhone competitor/also ran. And that's a couple of big IFs. Welcome to today.

[3rdalbum]

Windows is for people who want an operating system they can complain about. Mac OS X is for people who want a computer they can keep for only a short amount of time before being able to justify buying a brand new one (because Apple keeps raising the hardware bar for each new operating system, you can't sufficiently upgrade Macs, and the new programs require the new operating systems).<br /><br />Linux is for people who want a system that will quietly work day in, day out, that they can do their work or play on. Anyone who says the Linux desktop is inferior either hasn't used it, or only tried it for a couple of days. There's also a lot of innovation going on with Linux, especially in netbooks, Ubuntu and the KDE 4 project.

[JuggerNaut]

And Amiga is for people who want system that is just plain fun and simple to use...<br /><br />http://os4.hyperion-entertainment.biz/

[GatesOfHell]

"Mac OS X is for people who want a computer they can keep for only a short amount of time before being able to justify buying a brand new one (because Apple keeps raising the hardware bar for each new operating system, you can't sufficiently upgrade Macs, and the new programs require the new operating systems)."<br /><br />Huh? I'm running OS X on a nearly 4 year old Powerbook just fine and it shows no signs of needing an upgrade for hardware or software. Never once saw an "OS X Capable" sticker on a Mac.

[MrKleinpaste]

Mmmmmm. No. There are so many things wrong with this statement I'm in awe of it inaccuracies. <br /><br />"Mac OS X is for people who want a computer they can keep for only a short amount of time.." <br /><br />Mac owners are just as concerned about money as Windows/Linux users. We want something that is going to last too. If I never had to buy another computer, I'd be happy. However, technology advances along for Apple just like it does for PCs. The difference is Macs tend to get it before everyone else.<br /><br />"...because Apple keeps raising the hardware bar for each new operating system..." <br /><br />Eesh. Buddy... That's Microsoft's Vista, not Apple's OS X. My wife's 5 year old Powerbook G4 1.33GHz runs just fine after two (that's 2) OS upgrades from 10.3 (Panther) to 10.4 (Tiger) and now 10.5 (Leopard). The only reason she MAY not be able to upgrade to 10.6 (Snow Leopard) is if the rumors are true that Apple will stop supporting the PPC processors with it. <br /><br />Either way it's running just as well today as the day I bought it for myself. I expect it'll run just fine for the next 3 to 5 years as well, based on Mac reliability trends. It may surprise you to know that there are actually people that still have Macs as old as the G3 models.<br /><br />"...because Apple keeps raising the hardware bar for each new operating system..." <br /><br />Since Macs are generally higher end computers to begin with, you usually don't need to upgrade. If you do the Mac Pro (formerly Power Mac) has been available for years and is just as "upgradable" as any PC.<br /><br />..."new programs require the new operating systems..."<br /><br />No. No they don't. OS X even ran applications in "Classic" mode up until 10.4. With the transition from PPC to Intel Apple ensured that PPC apps run fine on the Intel Macs with Rosetta. You can't even tell it's being emulated. In addition they built into XCode the ability to compile OS X applications for PPC, Intel or a "Universal Binary" meaning it runs the same on either processor.<br /><br />Linux - Can't argue with you there. I love Linux. And for those that think Linux isn't innovative. Look at Red Hat's offerings and what they've brought to market through their Advanced Server Platform, especially their implementation of Xen and GFS.

[Penguinisto]

Short amount of time?<br /><br />Are you on drugs? <br /><br />I have a dual G5 that I bought in 2004, running the latest and greatest (OS, apps, etc) with ease. I can sell it on eBay for 50% of what I paid for it.<br /><br />Show me a Dell or HP that can do that at four years old, please.

[cyberspittle]

They only needed to do one thing right ... preload Microsoft on PCs. Imagine if software and hardware was not bundled together.

[MrKleinpaste]

The users I've supported might actually turn the computer off when I ask them to instead of the monitor? Seriously true story! <br /><br />It scares the crap out of me how much we depend on computers and how little a large percentage of the population doesn't understand even the most basic concepts.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Good move by Mr Softie to open up the hardware to anyone. That is why I just got a Toshiba notebook 15.4 widescreen , 2Gigs RAM , 2Ghz intel , 160 GB HDD , Double-layer DVD burner , intel B/G wireless for $299 ;) I love being a PC.

[MrKleinpaste]

Black Friday special at best. Satellite L300 series, most likely. Good luck!

[AppleSuxLeo]

BTW , every "expert" said , 7 years ago , XBOX would be a failure.

[MrKleinpaste]

Up until this year it has been. It's been a multi-million dollar loser from day one. 2008 is the first year the Xbox division has actually been in the black.

[MrKleinpaste]

Don't get me wrong. I've never been rooting for the Xbox line for years. It's about time they actually started carrying their own weight. My brother-in-law just got a PS3 and said the only difference he can tell is the Blueray and the motion sensitive controllers.

[Penguinisto]

Sorry, but the xbox won't make enough profit to cover it's R&#38;D expenditures. Therefore it is a failure.