Roy Schestowitz wrote:
> Let is face a certain reality. Microsoft are dwindling more quickly than
> anybody anticipated. The stocks show it, the investors say so, and there
> is other evidence all around us.
>
> http://www.schestowitz.com/Weblog_Frames/msft_slumps.jpg (15%+ drop in
> less than one month!)
>
> All that this company can do is reach out for its deep pockets (filled
> with tainted gold) and *pay* Web hosts to pick up Windows over superior
> software, which is *free*. This is a proven fact. Also, they sell the XBox
> 360 for a considerable loss. That's a _well-known_ fact.
>
> All that this company does is giving an _illusion_ that Microsoft lives
> on. In reality, its pockets are being emptied; And the cash cows (notably
> Office and Windows) are being made obsolete by their various mature
> alternatives.
I suspect that this statement is somewhat premature.
While it is clear that the cost of doing business has become considerably
more expensive with;
Billions going into the development of Vista,
Payment for numerous reports claiming Windows is better than Linux,
Massive amounts of work in patching the latest exploit du jour,
Buying support from OEM's,
Buying support for their Internet software, etc...
As a result, Microsoft appear to be pushing their existing user base to pay
more. This may be dangerous in the long term, but at present the annoyance
with Microsoft has not resulted in mass migrations to alternatives.
The trade press is still cowtowing to Microsoft and lives in fear of
Microsoft moving their massive advertising budget to a compeditor.
The corporate sector is still full of PHB's that believe that no one was
ever fired for using Microsoft.
CIO's are still being wined and dined by the Microsoft sales people, after
which, large supply contracts are being signed. CIO's are not yet required
to justify the massive cost of the Microsoft software, where FOSS software
would had done just as well and cost little or nothing.
Many middle and upper managers still believe that the "Microsoft Facts" are
true and not just the fabrications of a desperate company.
Quite clearly, Microsoft does not have a business model, which can accept
coexistence. Microsoft is in the trenches and fighting for its life, but
the war is far from over.
Ian
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