[thelist] Microsoft's Relevance Fading?

[Frank]

Is Microsoft's relevance fading? It is still, obviously, a powerful
force in the computing and related industries, but is it is as
strong, and influential as it once was. Has it passed it's apex's
crest?

I'm starting to perceive that the Microsoft empire might be in a
decline (albeit, a slow one). Here are the factors that I'm looking
at, and would welcome your opinion on the overall subject.

1) Microsoft *was* convicted of illegally using it's monopoly power
to maintain it. They've gone beyond plausible deniability to damage
control spin. The case was one of the Emperor wearing no
clothes.

2) Various countries from Europe to Asia have been setting suite
against Microsoft subsequent to the US ruling. MS's practices and
behaviours are no longer of the radar screen.

3) Once the darling of the popular financial establishment journals,
it's product quality is being looked at somewhat askance. Where the
view once was "MS Rules", it has changed to "They are the biggest,
but insecure and buggy".

4) It seems that the multiple rounds of kiddy-script viruses have
highlighted MS inherent (lack of) security issues-- and the
idea that "that's just the way it is" is no longer
acceptable.

5) Linux has become an acceptable option in the server industry.
MacOSX has garnered a tremendous amount of credibility with many IT
departments, and though wide-scale adoption has yet to take place,
it's no longer a given that networks are best set up and MS
heterogeneous environment.

6) OpenSource has grabbed a surprising degree of mind-share,
countries across the globe, including Peru, Germany, France, and
China, are actively considering using open-source software in
government work. MS's response is the typical FUD, instead
of upgrading the value they offer.

(
  Tangent: An excellent example of government doing it's
  homework, checkout. Watch the wrap.

  MS (FUD) letter to Edgar Villanueva Nuñez Congressman of the
  Republic of Peru
  http://www.pimientolinux.com/peru2ms/alt_ms_to_villanueva.html

  and his response
  http://www.pimientolinux.com/peru2ms/villanueva_to_ms.html
)

7) Where once IE was considered to be the best browser in
town it is now (arguably, and in web-dev circles) thought of
as the red-haired step child.

I could go on and on, but I think that the point has been
made. MS is no longer considered the perfect golden child of
the tech world. The question is, do you think it will
continue to lose it's relevance, to become a company that
has little more than "a big company" like IBM has?

I sometimes feel like the tech market is a teenager, just
waiting long enough to grow up and leave home and step-dad
Gate behind.



--
Frank Marion
frank at frankmarion.com