Microsoft's Failed Future - A Chance For Redemption

Of late things have not been good for Microsoft. In the past week they have lost two of their stellar chaps. They are spending a lot of time looking failure in the face. We could catalog these - Mobile, Search, etc.... Indeed the ignmony was palpable - Apple the arch rival became a bigger company by stock value than Microsoft.

But what could the company do to fix things. I will give my thoughts at the end of this piece.

But let's examine why Google and Apple have beaten the former tech giant into pieces. These may not be things you want to believe...

1. They don't listen to customers. Apple and Google definitely do their own thing. If they didn't the Mac, the iPod and the iPhone would never see the light of day
2. The closely tie the software and the hardware together - none of this open stuff especially if its from other people
3. They don't care about taking other people's ideas
4. Proprietary is the order of the day - their proprietary.

So for a good few ideas of what MS could do check out this article.

And what do I think they should do?

I already dumped most of my stock a long time ago. So I have no ax to grind at my alma mater. But here is what I think they should do. SPLIT THE COMPANY into smaller units.

Looking at Microsoft which has become big fat and ossified. I don't care how energetic Steve can be to rouse the faithful - he has become largely irrelevant to the world of technology. He should have looked into the crystal ball and seen that indeed Microsoft became - well just like IBM. Maybe even more so.

So SPLIT the company and let them compete in the market as much as they could compete against themselves.

And perhaps we should consider what companies in travel are guilty of the same sins - maybe even a former relative?

So that's my opinion - what's yours?

Cheers