October 15, 2004 4:00 AM PDT
Perspective: Microsoft: The reality behind the image
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By now, Microsoft has it down to an art. Is it method or madness? Probably a little bit of both, but more about that in a moment.
So it is that the newest rendition of Windows Media Center introduced earlier this week received a tentative thumbs-up from the digerati. When you consider the kludgy design of the first release of Media Center, this is no small achievement. It also says something about how this company goes about its job.
All that looks great on paper, but does it translate into sterling design and implementation? In truth, the record suggests that the secret behind Microsoft's success owes more to applied perspiration (not to mention an occasional sotto voce whisper of encouragement, Tony Soprano style) than to divine inspiration.
Consider how long it took Microsoft to labor away at building a graphical operating system. When it debuted, Windows 1.0 was arguably no better than the contemporary GEM graphical user interface from Digital Research. Critics rightly dunned it for being a pale imitation of the work generated by Xerox PARC. Windows 2.0, which came out a couple of years later, was equally mediocre. Only with the 1990 arrival of Windows 3.0 did Microsoft figure out the memory management improvements that let users exploit the capabilities of the 286 and 386 microprocessors. (Even then, many folks say Windows wasn't worth spit until version 3.1.)
Windows NT followed a similar script. The product was a memory hog--and this back in 1993, when memory cost a bundle. It took Microsoft another three long years to pretty NT up with a Windows 95-like interface and the sort of beefed-up administration controls that made it popular with the IT community.
And it took Microsoft three long tries to catch up to Netscape in the Web browser business. That's not to mention the bully tactics along the way that ultimately got the company's higher ups into hot water with the Justice Department.
But was I that off base?
Maritz's ego was bruised, but I was paying a compliment. Microsoft had perfected a system to incorporate customer feedback and improve upon existing products. That goes a long way toward explaining how Microsoft came to be No. 1 in its field. But that's a lot different than spinning tales of a techno hothouse in the Pacific Northwest that consistently churns out excellent tools.
Xbox was a huge hit for Microsoft from the day it hit the shelves. On the other end of the spectrum, Microsoft Bob was dumber than a sack of hammers and deserved every bit of ridicule hurled its way. I wouldn't get carried away in either case, since Microsoft's performance is usually somewhere between the extremes.
While Media Center remains a work in progress, the company has been working out the kinks. So far, Microsoft has unit sales in excess of a million. The company also claims to have about 100 industry partners around the world, more than double last year's count. But Microsoft will have to unseat Apple Computer before it can hope to dominate the digital lifestyle. And that's an obstacle that I think is just too steep to hurdle. More about that in a future column.
Biography
Charles Cooper is CNET News.com's executive editor of commentary.
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In this regard, no one has learned anything.
After the OS dominated the PC it was simply a matter of tweaking the OS internals to make the competition appear to be less effective. Remember those court cases? It didn't mattter who won in the courts by then. The damage was already done. I know of IT managers making decisions to only buy MS products because they believe that MS will cripple competing products, so why go through the hassle. Just buy MS products and somehow make it work.
I've been involved in several JAD projects with MS and I never had the impression that they listened to customers. It's their way and that's final. If not, you may find your product not on the golden master OS distribution CDs because your software didn't pass the MS logo program - even though you had been working with MS software engineers for months on the project. Funny how that works.
Microsoft has the luxury of hitting singles, the other folks have to hit home runs. This goes for the folks at WordPerfect, Lotus, etc. Each of those companies only had one product to claim to fame, and even then those superstars didn't give them enough padding to be able to expand successfully from the one-hit wonders. And when Microsoft hit right at their strength, they could not win.
both up and across the software stack.
A DirecTV with built-in TIVO is WAY better and costs WAY less. They can even now record HDTV (Media center PC can only record over the air HDTV, which means NBC, ABC, CBS).
The cable and sat companies, so far, have refused to work with Microsoft and why should they? Why should they hand Microsoft the keys to a perpetual monopoly in the living room? They saw how IBM handed Microsoft a monopoly in the office. They don't appear to be that dumb.
You were right on track. Microsoft now, is slow at the beginning because they are now listening to the Initial offerings and then respond to the customers needs and requirements.
The only way that Microsoft is to gain ground or surpass Apple is to the old addage - If you can't beat them, Buy them... However, that would entail a Monopoly and the people would have Microsoft's hid on a silver platter.
You mention a number of ways in which Mircrosoft arrived at its current postion of prominence.
You missed one KEY one! I believe a very big factor was the strongest, most generous technical support for IT-departments / Service Groups that are using / servicing Microsoft products!!!
IT-Managers and -Technicians learned very early, that contrary to many other software suppliers, Mircorsoft would never leave them "flopping in the wind" if they ever got into problems with MS products --- regardless who was at fault on the problem. This built up a loyalty that you cannot "buy" by any other action, not low prices, not additional software-features!!! MS was providing unshakeable "JOB SECURITY" for every "professional" selecting, buying, installing, servicing MS products! What else do IT-professionals require to make confident selections of MS-products / MS-related careers --- even if the MS-software is a cycle or two "behind"?!? How else do you make IT-departments and Technicians look knowledgeable and skillfull in the eyes of Corporate management and professionals and customers?!?!
MS is doing this very well, just as IBM had done this very well in the past with "Big Irons"!
FRED
Their "marketing" consists of clogging up all the distribution channels with arrangements which freeze competition out.
Innovation??? Microsoft has both feet on the brakes. They view any new idea as a threat which must be eliminated, and they've demonstrated a willingness to bury, buy and close down, or steal and pigeonhole key employees of any true innovator.
Please, for the sake of all of us, get back to writing something that is solid and has substance.
- Microsoft: innovator or thief?
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by
January 9, 2005 6:07 PM PST
- While I agree with Mr. Coopers conclusion that Microsoft faces
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- more secure right out of the box
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by Ipod Apple
May 16, 2007 3:04 PM PDT
- http://www.analogstereo.com/nakamichi/nakamichi_rx505_service_manual.htm
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See all 21 Comments >>an insurmountable hurdle to unseat Apple Computer before it
can hope to dominate the digital lifestyle. I would like to
provide another perspective about Microsoft's path to its current
state.
Having been a Globalview user on the Xerox PARC Star System
since 1980, as well as a Unix, Windows 3.1, NT, XP at work and
Apple OS 7,8,9 and X user at home, I can assure you that the
words Microsoft and innovation are for the most part mutually
exclusive terms. Let us go back to where "Windows" came from
- theft of the GUI implementation pioneered by Xerox PARC and
Apple! While Microsoft has dominated the market since then
with their shady business practices, the current Windows XP Pro
OS still lags the now defunct Globalview environment in terms of
user friendliness. Unfortunately, Globalview was ahead, too far
ahead, of its' time and a side business that was not aligned with
Xerox mainline business. Apple on the other hand learned from
Globalview and built upon those principles and the result is a
beautiful, intuitive and user friendly OS that is also more secure
right out of the box.
When it comes to innovation in Microsoft products, one only
needs to look to the competition. Apple's introductions this
year are Microsofts "innovations" next year. Case in point - the
Microsoft "Digital Lifestyle" - clearly a response to Apples iLife
suite with the exception of a couple of features - the ability to
freeze Powerpoint and crash the OS as Bill Gates demonstrated
in his keynote speech at the 1/6/05 International
Consumer Electronics Show. While I am sure that Apple was
watching, I am confident that Apple will pass on implementing
these "features".
With this recent bug riddled demonstration and the recent YEARS
of viruses, worms, and security holes in the Microsoft products,
and no solution in sight until Longhorn in 2007, we users have
to ask ourselves; what are the army of people at Microsoft
doing? How is it that much smaller companies like Apple, Sun
and the open source Linux group can seem to implement
products that work as one would expect and securely too. Are
the problems in Windows so fundamental or huge that it could
possibly take the army of developers at Microsoft 3-4 years to
patch holes? Well, we consumers do have an option. We can go
with products that do not require hours of maintenance weekly
to keep them running smoothly. We can and are switching in
droves to OS's that are more stable, interoperable and secure;
Mac OS and Linux. Take a look and see for yourself.
Apple OS X: http://www.apple.com/switch/
Linux OS: http://www.linux.org/