February 26, 2013 at 9:22 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item The Microsoft Sideshow
February 27, 2013 at 1:25 am
Apparently Apple don't sell many iPhones compared to Samsung but Apple are streets ahead in terms of making money out of mobile phones.
There are a lot of companies that are tremendously exciting and create a real buzz but looking at their balance sheet paints a very different picture. Of course in the world of tech the perception does eventually have a bearing on the reality.
Some of the M$ decisions do look a little bizarre or disjointed. What exactly was Skype purchased for?
In terms of stock value its the analysts opinion of what a company is worth which is at best and educated guess.
February 27, 2013 at 2:22 am
I notice you carefully avoided mentioning Windows 8 as Microsoft's current core OS, Steve--I wonder why that was? 🙂
February 27, 2013 at 3:00 am
Good points Steve, I think MS struggle with Focus and therefore Resource Allocation and also that they are Business motivated and therefore lack the passion that other more focused companies have and that MS had, when Bill called the shots.
Just read a really good article in HBR on how Steve Jobs brought Focus back to Apple when he came back. It also mentions "Don't put Profit before Product" I actually think this is the same point about Focus, i.e. focus on the right product(s) and the profits will follow.
http://hbr.org/2012/04/the-real-leadership-lessons-of-steve-jobs/ar/pr
JK
February 27, 2013 at 3:32 am
Given the current state of the economy can you blame them for having a more business orientated focus. MS have been concentrating on core products, probably with a view to stabilisation rather than innovation.
The buy-in of Skype isn't so different to what other innovative IT companies have done recently, and is probably a good acquisition for their push towards mobile tech across mobile and desktop platforms (i.e. windows 8). Don't forget, MS has a history of absorbing innovation, that's how SQL Server started. I also suspect the vast customer base also had an impact on the acquisition, and they probably have a lot of patents stashed away somewhere.
Even better for us data professionals is the fact that SQL Server revenue was up 16%, which shows the product is popular, solid, and selling well
I wonder how much of that increase is because of the changes to licensing in 2012 and the corresponding edition restructure. It would be nice to see some figures behind this in a future post. Perhaps there was a spending spree to beat the deadline for the price increase and the license changes?
February 27, 2013 at 3:38 am
I read an interesting piece a while - It was posted on Twitter (I can't find the link). It called for Ballmer to go basically saying he has not a very good job. A few of the twitter community agreed.
I guess you as stockholder would welcome a change at the top, allowing MSFT to regain a 'focus' that has been missing since the change at the top.
Gethyn Elliswww.gethynellis.com
February 27, 2013 at 6:28 am
At this point in my career I`ll take the stodgy, business-oriented MS, grinding out enterprise platforms and solutions, to the exciting, volatile mobile market with all its bells and whistles. Especially if the current economic trends hold and I`m not able to retire, slow and steady will do me to the big sleep.
February 27, 2013 at 6:41 am
As a developer, Microsoft has been really missing the mark. Abandoning technology they were marketing, putting a phone/web interface on the desktop, sending mix signals about OSS, etc...
February 27, 2013 at 7:51 am
It's conventional wisdom and an accepted practice at a lot of shops that to install a Microsoft product before SP1 is foolish for production. Anyone who installs an RTM product is more or less a paying beta-tester.
I think Windows 8 is where Microsoft should have been in 2007 and they are going to make their customers basically beta test their extremely late to the game tablet-supporting OS. I can't see them coming anywhere close to iOS or Android for at least three more versions.
I'm done with waiting for Microsoft to "get it".
I'll keep my Win 7 laptop for a while, but I have just purchased a new ASUS laptop with Ubuntu pre-installed and it's Ubuntu, Android, and Mac for me for the foreseeable future.
Microsoft SQL will continue to be my profession but Windows 8 is embarrassing in how late it is to the dance.
February 27, 2013 at 9:06 am
chuckboycejr (2/27/2013)
It's conventional wisdom and an accepted practice at a lot of shops that to install a Microsoft product before SP1 is foolish for production. Anyone who installs an RTM product is more or less a paying beta-tester.
They are not called "Mickeysoft" for no reason guys and girls.:-D
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
February 27, 2013 at 9:09 am
The other thing MS is doing is more web based apps, such as Office 365.
I'm still holding at Office 2003 because of the ribbon. Yes the 365 will be a constant revenue stream. My considerations before I would even consider it:
1. My home internet connection is an Aircard with a 5GB per month before extra charges.
2. I wouldn't want to put anymore of my personal info in the cloud than I have to.
3. At work, I wouldn't want any more of company data in the cloud.
4. Between SOX and HIPPA data, keeping that in the cloud is dangerous.
I wonder how many people consider that?
----------------
Jim P.
A little bit of this and a little byte of that can cause bloatware.
February 27, 2013 at 9:33 am
paul.knibbs (2/27/2013)
I notice you carefully avoided mentioning Windows 8 as Microsoft's current core OS, Steve--I wonder why that was? 🙂
Nothing against Win 8. To me, it's really Win 7 with the tile/Metro interface on top. I've been running it for a month, no issues, no real change for me. I tend to run 10 things, and leave them running, so I never see the start screen.
However Win 7 was the start of "less bloat" and more speed, not depending on new hardware to make it run fast.
February 27, 2013 at 9:36 am
mark.fisher (2/27/2013)
Given the current state of the economy can you blame them for having a more business orientated focus. MS have been concentrating on core products, probably with a view to stabilisation rather than innovation.The buy-in of Skype isn't so different to what other innovative IT companies have done recently, and is probably a good acquisition for their push towards mobile tech across mobile and desktop platforms (i.e. windows 8). Don't forget, MS has a history of absorbing innovation, that's how SQL Server started. I also suspect the vast customer base also had an impact on the acquisition, and they probably have a lot of patents stashed away somewhere.
Even better for us data professionals is the fact that SQL Server revenue was up 16%, which shows the product is popular, solid, and selling well
I wonder how much of that increase is because of the changes to licensing in 2012 and the corresponding edition restructure. It would be nice to see some figures behind this in a future post. Perhaps there was a spending spree to beat the deadline for the price increase and the license changes?
They've been this way for over a decade, through good and bad economic times. I'm not sure the economy matters. Since Bill Gates left, perhaps before, they've been business, not technology, focused, IMHO.
The Skype thing is interesting. I like their changes with WP7/8, and think Skype could help, but they're still unfocused. The lack of vision in moving from WP7 to WP8, with lots of breaking changes, shows that.
The SQL revenue may have come from people making advanced purchased of R2, or new purchases of 2012. Not sure it matters. Still people see SQL Server as valuable and they want it.
February 27, 2013 at 9:37 am
GRE (Gethyn Ellis) (2/27/2013)
I read an interesting piece a while - It was posted on Twitter (I can't find the link). It called for Ballmer to go basically saying he has not a very good job. A few of the twitter community agreed.I guess you as stockholder would welcome a change at the top, allowing MSFT to regain a 'focus' that has been missing since the change at the top.
One of these?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerkay/2013/01/02/microsoft-is-fast-turning-into-a-sideshow/
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2012/07/microsoft-downfall-emails-steve-ballmer.print
February 27, 2013 at 9:42 am
Yes, I think it was one of the Forbes ones
Gethyn Elliswww.gethynellis.com
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