[KLUG Advocacy] InternetWeek Newsletter Except

Adam Tauno Williams adam at morrison-ind.com
Thu Nov 10 08:40:30 EST 2005


Below is an interesting excerpt from the latest InternetWeek newsletter:

1. EDITOR'S NOTE: Microsoft Revealed
Discussions within Microsoft on markets the software giant missed
have been circulating the Web. Among the most frank are comments from
new chief technology officer Ray Ozzie, who acknowledges that
companies like Google have been "laser-focused" on delivering
Internet services.

Ozzie's memo indicates that Microsoft is still wondering what the
search giant is up to. The software maker can't figure out which of
its many projects are intended to boost online advertising, and which
might eventually become challengers to Microsoft products.

http://update.internetweek.cmp.com/cgi-bin4/DM/y/eru60GO8ZR0G4X0DrxK0GO

Besides Google, Ozzie also laments how Adobe leads in the electronic
document format battle, even though Microsoft has led the
word-processing market for years with Office. He also mentions how
Skype made VoIP popular, creating a new technology category, despite
Microsoft leading with "great capabilities in Messenger &
Communicator."

As if all that isn't enough, Ozzie points out that there's lots of
startups with the potential of offering services that could prove
more desirable to the enterprise than buying a software license from
Microsoft. While Ozzie mentions GoToMyPC, Salesforce.com is a better
example of a new company that's a threat to Microsoft's business
software.

Put it all together, and one of the biggest players in the high-tech
industry is sweating bullets. That, however, doesn't mean Microsoft
is in any financial trouble. It has talent, cash, a huge developer
community, partners and more to help it find the right course. But
tankers turn slower than speedboats, so it's going to take everything
Capt. Gates & Co. have to right this ship.
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