In the late 1990’s, I remember witnessing the battering of an apparently outgunned SAP. This past year, i’ve watched as Microsoft lurched from one business or technical crisis to another. All the time it’s share price was collapsing. Just as I was wrong in the 1990’s to foretell an SAP train wreck I perceived at the time, so the same is true today about my recent assessments of Microsoft.
What’s changed? This from an online discussion I had with Robert Scoble, Microsoft’s uber-blogger:
Robert Scoble says:
The decision to ship on IE first, Firefox later.Dennis Howlett says:
May 6th, 2006 at 4:03 amExcellent news Robert – is there a timescale you can disclose? If not can you giive ‘us’ a clue as to whether ‘we’ should hold our collective breath?
(Note to self: At this rate. I might be tempted back. eeek!)
Robert Scoble says:
May 6th, 2006 at 4:06 amBefore Vista ships!
Translation: this summer, if everything stays on plan.
I genuinely did not know about any of this. And clearly it’s got lost in the noise around Vista. For proof I visited Steve – a MSFT program manager who says this about Windows Live! Mail:
Firefox support – We’ve been saying for awhile that we would be supporting Firefox, but a lot of people didn’t really believe us. In fact we already have been supporting it with our “Hotmail Classic” view — but we know that isn’t enough. We’ve been working away and more is finally here, Firefox 1.5 now gets all the same cool features like the reading pane, drag and drop, right click menus, and more, that you’ve seen on Internet Explorer. There are still a few features we’re working on, but we didn’t want to hold back any longer. So go ahead, take Windows Live Mail beta for a spin on Firefox.
The open source door has opened – a wee crack I agree. But it has opened. That really is significant. So now I have to rethink client game plans. I have to rethink my understanding of MSFT in the overall IT landscape.
I’ve said before I want a strong Microsoft. But as Hugh says: Be careful what you wish for. Because even though I am a Mac Bigot, I am prepared to be persuaded of a marriage between the two – at least on my desktop and on what could well be my terms as a customer. That leaves me conflicted and having to reconsider computing paradigms (yes – it’s so 90’s – tough nuts – it’s the only thing I’ve got right now.)
Might that be termed a preliminary outcome of the wisdom of crowds? If so then what does that tell professional accountants about the need for discussion and open mindedness to the potential for real world change in seemingly immovable corporations by the simplest device – entering the conversation?
It’s limped into Tech.meme.orandum
J. Botter is discussing this
Damien Mulley takes a pop at MSFT
Microsoft Monitor nails the crucial cultural argument
I’m not totally sold. Yet. Many questions remain.
It’s been a good learning day.
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