September 27, 2007
mary jo’s “microsoft 2.0″ book
Uber-Microsoft Watcher, Mary Jo Foley is writing a book about “Microsoft 2.0″:
In Microsoft 2.0, I plan to talk about Microsoft’s future, not its past — which is ground well covered by many other Microsoft authors before me. I’ll provide an overview of the Microsoft people, products and strategies who will matter during the next decade. I’ll do my best to distill all the tips; conversations with customers, partners and competitors; and insights I’ve gained while reporting and blogging about Microsoft over the past couple of decades into 300-plus pages.
Can’t wait to read it! Rock on.
[NB Mary Jo also belongs to the “Friends of Blue Monster” Facebook group.]
From my own, strictly non-techie perspective, I see Microsoft’s future less in terms of their two big cash cows [Windows and Office], and more in terms of their relationships with their 750,000 partners. These relationships are the Golden Goose, not the commercial bundles of ones & zeroes. The latter just enable the former etc.
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Microsoft’s moniker has lasted far beyond the “micro” and the “soft”. International Business Machines, however, are still international, still doing business, and probably still machines. I see Microsoft’s future as a holding company ripe for re-branding in the now services orientated market place where “plug and play” server capacity is becoming a reality due to the likes of VMware who are software agnostics. The revolution will be commoditised.
“I see Microsoft’s future less in terms of their two big cash cows [Windows and Office], and more in terms of their relationships with their 750,000 partners. These relationships are the Golden Goose, not the commercial bundles of ones & zeroes.“
Well, if their relationship with their customers is based on Vista, then perhaps yes, best to nurture their partners.