A discussion about the software industry and their coders

This post continues from my previous post Bill Gates Announces Stepdown from Full-Time Employment at Microsoft Corp. in 2 years

Microsoft Corp (MSFT) has 4 ongoing challenges and Gate's announcement does not help Microsoft cope with any four of them:

1. It has announced an intent to build businesses with the Online Advertising Model that Google and Yahoo have developed.
2. It has gotten delayed with the release of Microsoft Vista and
3. It has had its stock price plateau between $ 20 and $ 30 for several years
4. Threat from Open Source Operating System Linux and other Open Source Software.

How Microsoft got its Monopolistic Instincts

I sometimes wonder whether Microsoft will ever succed in becoming an Online Business like Google or Yahoo!? I think its close to impossible. Microsoft's DNA is rooted in an era when the Internet was not formed. It was an era of large companies that worked on monopolies not co-operation and free software. Yahoo! and Google was founded by younger people than Microsoft's founder and these founders on their own -- almost shaped the world wide web.

Microsoft was founded in 1975 to provided an Operating System to IBM. That was the era of IBM -- a large monopolistic software corporation that controlled its suppliers, customers and everything else in between. As Microsoft grew -- IBM emerged as one of biggest competitors and in trying to beat a monopolistic monolith like IBM -- Microsoft became one.

A company's strategy is reflective of the mind of its CEO. Bill Gates's competitive instincts got formed dealing with an IBM like monolith. He transformed Microsoft into one. When Netscape Navigator became successful, Microsoft JUST HAD TO do what Netscape was doing as Microsoft perceived the browser to be a threat for its Windows Operating System.

In the new Microsoft Leadership -- Ray Ozzie also comes from IBM. Similar mind set. The only difference is Craig Mundie -- who has worked on non-PC platforms. However Craig's weakness could be his Microsoft centric veiw of the fast moving Internet world.

Delays in Vista Release

Vista was originally planned to ship in 2006 but has been moved to Q1 of 2007. Microsoft has run into several rows with other Tech firms over Visat -- recently with Adobe Systems (ADBE) over the integration of PDF into Vista and Office 2007.

Continued The Mixed Legacy of Bill Gates