Gates Talks Today and Tomorrow
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Microsoft can't be faulted for vision, even if execution sometimes lags behind. |
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates kicked off the company's annual financial analysis by, once again, talking about the future. Referring to computing progress, "the next 10 years are by far the most interesting," he said.
But in a departure, Gates spoke more about Microsoft's more immediate plans to get to the future.
Among the cornerstones of Microsoft's success is planning. The company often has a five- or 10-year plan. By contrast, many competitors, particularly in the dot-com arena, think quarter to quarter.
To get from here to there, Gates said that Microsoft is trying to improve its engagement of five communities:
- Developer
- Information Technology
- Information Worker
- Business as a Whole (or what Gates also called "Rewiring the digital economy")
- The Home
Much of the new engagement focuses on Microsoft's software plus services concept.
"The platform is the thing that pulls it all together," Gates said.
The broader vision, as articulated, is good. But I don't see that much new here. Exception would be the focus on "rewiring the digital economy," where Gates spoke about the importance of advertising and search in relation to other business activities.
For the most part, Microsoft has engaged these categories for many years. Nevertheless, it's good for Gates to remind the financial community what is the customer audience—and it's these five groups.
Gates identified three core features of Microsoft's software plus services concept: storage in the cloud, user centric approach and natural UI (user interface).
Gates used Nintendo Wii and Apple iPhone as good examples of "natural user-interface" innovations. But he then emphasized that Microsoft had been focusing on natural UIs for a "long, long time."
OK, where are the products? Apple and Nintendo are in market now. Gates started to demonstrate a Surface tabletop, which uses a multi-touch motif similar to iPhone, but the device either crashed or wouldn't activate.
"It's more exciting when it actually does something," Gates said, in rather good-natured brush off of the problem. He later was able to show off the Surface device.
Gates spent quite a long time talking about the cell phone and other devices and the importance of delivering content appropriate for the display. He emphasized the importance of "software innovation" as means of solving the problems.
Where Microsoft chooses to solve the content display problem is crucial. Apple chose to solve the Web site display problem in the iPhone browser rather than the cloud. Microsoft would be on the right track by taking a similar approach, and it would be consistent with using software to add end-user value.
Comments (3)
Surely they can be faulted for vision. Gates says the same things 3 times a year about the next ten years: his vision remains the same, tired vision he has had for 15 years now. His company has done little to truly accomplish that vision, and those steps toward it have mostly been a failure -- suggesting that the vision is wrong.
Posted by Tim Faulkner | July 26, 2007 1:37 PM
Tim, true dat!
I wonder how high up MSFT shareprice would be by now if they had not waited to be sued by VCSy to legally use the technology? Somebody is a REAL snowblower, unless, of course, this is payback to those in the know to give them a chance to pick up MSFT shares cheap for a quick ride back up. That would stink for the average MSFt shareholder who was told all along to ignore those fools talking about web services and VCSY. That would really stink.
Posted by Pdiddy | July 26, 2007 2:11 PM
A few quotes from Bill Gates at other times might be in order here;
"If I'd had some set idea of a finish line, don't you think I would have crossed it years ago?"
"If you can't make it good, at least make it look good."
"Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana."
"It's been shown that most people download viruses unwittingly - they don't know they're doing it until it's too late. That's what I mean here. We're talking about protecting the consumer."
"It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure."
"Microsoft is not about greed. It's about innovation and fairness."
"People everywhere love Windows."
"Security is, I would say, our top priority because for all the exciting things you will be able to do with computers - organizing your lives, staying in touch with people, being creative - if we don't solve these security problems, then people will hold back."
"The U.S. couldn't even get rid of Saddam Hussein. And we all know that the EU is just a passing fad. They'll be killing each other again in less than a year. I'm sick to death of all these fascist lawsuits."
"There are people who don't like capitalism, and people who don't like PCs. But there's no-one who likes the PC who doesn't like Microsoft."
"
We've got to put a lot of money into changing behavior."
"Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."
"I have 100 billion dollars... You realize I could spend 3 million dollars a day, every day, for the next 100 years? And that's if I don't make another dime. Tell you what-I'll buy your right arm for a million dollars. I give you a million bucks, and I get to sever your arm right here."
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Agree or disagree, still interesting.
Source; brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/bill_gates.html
Posted by chips | July 29, 2007 9:42 PM