I was sent this article http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/03/16/ap2601126.html
It goes on how Microsoft is spending 500 million on advertising for corporate spending, most likely a few percent of their ad budget.
They are saying that MS is trying to get people to keep on with their desktop based
software rather then using web based software which ibm has decided on.
It is in MS interest to have one size fits all solutions is how they have always run.
To me, this may not be MS attempting to keep people on Windows, it may just be a delay tactic so they can control the Desktop long enough to gain more of an edge on the web.
If they can have their products look like it allows things to happen, then that allows new techs to come in and keep them in the same position.
One thing Microsoft can not stop is changing trends. I find trends in computers just like fashions, I think I have seen bell bottom jeans come in and out of style twice in my life time. Years ago when computers filled rooms, you used a terminal which connected to the computer.
Desktop vs client/server, Market is switching to client/server, there is no stopping this and Microsoft knows this. Though they can delay it and confuse it. The longer people use the
old stuff the more they make off of their old software.
The market has switched from centralized to decentralized and back to centralized. Long ago you had terminals which connected to a central shared computer, then every one got pc desktops. Now we are moving to using desktop pcs, to connect to web servers. Same thing, client / server. Eventually it will swing back the other way just like fashions.
Ironically physical space that google.com takes up most likely dwarfs the size
of the 1950 computers.
Another thing is Microsoft never mentions is that they are not truly a
one size fits all. If you want it customized you can have it customized,
you just need to pay for it.
Though, the market for the past 50 years keeps on moving towards
customized to the individual rather then one size fits all.
Since the trends are very clear, it looks like they are delaying the desktop transformation so they can get an edge in on the web market on their terms.
