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The Pillars of Microsoft’s Power
Many people assume that the core to Microsoft’s power is the monopoly control it has over the operating system and productivity suite. As a result, competitors including IBM, Novell and Sun focus on that software, and fail miserably.That’s because those products aren’t Microsoft’s strength. The products are a visible representation of Microsoft’s power but they aren’t a source of power in themselves. If they were, they would have been displaced years ago by something else.
Microsoft’s power lies in three groups of people. You can confirm this by going to three events. Those events are the Microsoft PDC, WinHEC, and Tech-Ed conferences. We will look at each pillar in turn.
I enjoyed reading his viewpoint because he brings up some significant points. His pillars are the Developers, Hardware Manufacturers, and IT Buyers. Overall I find those particular pillars to be a bit weak. From my viewpoint I consider:
- The developers of both groups are equal though I like the progress the Open Source folks have made since I find I am using alot of their software on a day to day basis.
- The hardware manufacturers definitely follow Microsoft’s lead but I think that describing them as a pillar is a bit strong. I definitely would install SBS2K on a certified hardware platform and prefer that my workstations be installed on certified platforms. On the other hand Linux is more tolerant of non-certified hardware than W2K and NT. The volume and quality of Linux hardware drivers developed or are being developed makes this a minor point. The lack of stable, quality drivers was more of an issue some years back. I can even find a driver for Minolta Desklaser 2200 for Pete’s sake!
- Calling IT buyers a pillar is even more debatable. Licensing cost issues continue to be big problems so I consider this a weakness for Microsoft. I do think that Microsoft can manage this problem and at the right price Microsoft will be the preferred solution. When you consider the cost of training and support the Microsoft solution is a better value for many businesses. Linux advocates continue to fight an uphill battle to change an established corporate standard when the only advantage offered is a lower license cost.