December 19, 2003
Microsoft: Now at Its Most Vulnerable?
It seems that Microsoft, that behemoth juggernaut of the tech world, may currently be at its most vulnerable in quite some time. While vulnerability is a relative term -- Microsoft still has more in cash than some countries' entire GDP -- some strategic and market threats have combined to possibly create real concern for Microsoft's top management.
• Real Networks' Lawsuit threatens to reinvigorate the antitrust and antimonopoly landslide against the Redmond company here in the US.
• A host of other lawsuits, most related to anticompetitive behavior over the years, have forced the firm to burn up valuable cash and have damaged its reputation, especially in Europe.
• Additionally, some recent judgments, such as the win for Sun regarding Java, have forced Microsoft to abandon support for older products. This may force some enterprise and personal users of Windows 98 and 95 (which account for 39% of corporate users) to look at alternative products rather than simply update to the latest version of Windows.
• Alternatives to Microsoft's monopoly products, Windows OS and its Office suite, continue to gain credibility and technical robustness. Recent adoptions of OpenOffice.org, a competitor to Microsoft Office, Sun's Linux-based Java Desktop System (also just written up in Wired), and Munich, Germany's decision to dump Windows for Linux are all examples that Microsoft's strangle-hold on world IT may be beginning to wane...at least a bit.
• As spam, viruses, and other net-based security threats mount, Microsoft's record as having a rather relaxed attitude towards security in its products makes it potentially vulnerable to competing products.
• Finally, while the world is still very much PC-based, the trend is distinctly away from beige boxes. The growth of specialized computers and converged devices make it harder and harder for a single company to be all things to all people. Dedicated competitors are then able to nip away at the fringe of Microsoft's customer base as those customers' needs change more quickly than Microsoft can adapt its products.
Do I think that "market forces" are correcting what the antitrust lawsuits couldn't (or didn't)? Not really...at least not soon. While I certainly don't want Microsoft to go away entirely, I would like greater diversity and balance in the industries in which it competes. What do you think...is Microsoft more vulnerable right now than it has been in years, or is it just business at usual for Redmond?
Posted by Craig | PermalinkO'Craig...
I have shed the windows mantle and am now running a Linux desktop. Any bets how long I can keep it going?
-Bob
Coolio, Bob...my bet is as long as you want -- or maybe you'll just go dual-boot and have the best of both worlds.
Posted by Craig at February 2, 2004 08:37 PMDear Friend,
I am the Director of Draft/KTT Wire Transfer Department of the Central
Bank of Nigeria and a director of the contract review committe.Some
time in the past some Nigeria top government officials approached me
through a friend of mine and requested that I assist them conclude a
money transfer deal. They gave me a forigners company's name and bank
particulars and told me to put them into our computing system so that it
will appear as if he is one of the genuine contractors that have been
cleared for payment. According to them, they wanted to use this strategy
to transfer a huge amount of US dollars, which they accumulated through
inflated contract awards and the money has been floating in the CBN
since. The original contractors have been paid so they wanted to use his
account to transfer the surplus out of Nigeria. We agreed that once I do
this, they would give me US$100,000.00 and give me another
US$100,000.00 when I release the fund to your account. When they saw that I have
done that and the name have been approved among the list of those to be
paid, instead of giving me the agreed deposit of US$100,000.00, they
started avoiding me and resorted to threats. I immediately deleted the
transfer code of the fund, which is only known to me because of my
position, and released other contractor's fund without yours. They became
angry
the more, when they saw that their threat did not work, and started
bribing other officials to get another approval to transfer the money to
you without success They are about trying the offshore payment center
with the aid of a junior officer this cannot work as you will end up
wasting you money and time since l have the transfer code. Approvals are
free. Is it not funny that a contractor is been asked to pay for
approvals or travel to any international center,while his millions are here
with us? I am 100% responsible for the delay and obstructions because of
their breach of contract. Now, l have total control of the said fund
and will want to move it into your account.if you want us to work
together, these are my conditions: I I will have 60% of the money because it
is only the two of us left from now. II You will assist my son to open
an account in your country or any other place of my choice where I will
pay in my own share. lll. You will pay a fee of $4,700 for
reinstallation of the diskette then your account will be credited at
once. If these conditions are acceptable to you contact me as soon as
possible to let us finalize so that I will fax to you our official KTT
wire transfer form to complete and I will release the money to your
account. And without the diskette installed the transfer cannot take place
even in any
internation center.
Best regards.
Awesome...I think I'll leave that there just as a permanent monument to the ridiculousness of the times.
- Craig
p.s. If you respond to that spam, please kindly rot in hell. Thanks.
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