Time to split up Microsoft

[Rogifan]

Ben Thompson at Stratchery proposes just that. Two companies - one that's Windows, Windows Phone, Surface and Xbox and the second would include business like Office, Azure, Bing, Skype and OneDrive. I think this makes sense but also don't see it ever happening because Microsoft's culture is so deeply tied to Windows.

http://stratechery.com/2014/making-sense-microsoft/

 

[roadbloc]

Pointless idea.

 

[Rogifan]

Pointless idea.

Why do you say that?

 

[roadbloc]

Why do you say that?

What would it achive other than the splitting up of products that would be better suited managed together?

 

[thejadedmonkey]

This guy doesn't make any sense. He cites Balmer and the purchase of Nokia as rational for why Microsoft can't make something (work well) without Windows on it.

But at the very same time, Microsoft is doing just that. Many Windows exclusives have made their way to iOS and Android.

Furthermore, splitting Windows and Xbox from Bing and Azure would be stupid. Windows uses Bing, and xbox uses Azure. In a world where MS split these divisions up, Windows would then have to contract with Bing, and Xbox with Azure. And all that would happen is less integration.


I think a larger problem was that the anti-trust deal that Microsoft had to deal with included a clause where they couldn't vertically integrate as Apple did. Through 2012 (or there abouts) it was illegal for Microsoft to do so. Hell, Microsoft makes Windows N for Europe because it's still illegal for them to bundle Windows Media Player with Windows. It would be like if your mac had to run OS X N, a version without iTunes.

 

[Rogifan]

This guy doesn't make any sense. He cites Balmer and the purchase of Nokia as rational for why Microsoft can't make something (work well) without Windows on it.

But at the very same time, Microsoft is doing just that. Many Windows exclusives have made their way to iOS and Android.

Furthermore, splitting Windows and Xbox from Bing and Azure would be stupid. Windows uses Bing, and xbox uses Azure. In a world where MS split these divisions up, Windows would then have to contract with Bing, and Xbox with Azure. And all that would happen is less integration.


I think a larger problem was that the anti-trust deal that Microsoft had to deal with included a clause where they couldn't vertically integrate as Apple did. Through 2012 (or there abouts) it was illegal for Microsoft to do so. Hell, Microsoft makes Windows N for Europe because it's still illegal for them to bundle Windows Media Player with Windows. It would be like if your mac had to run OS X N, a version without iTunes.

I think his point is Microsoft would have more freedom perusing a services strategy if they didn't have Windows baggage. Look how long it took to get Office on the iPad, not because the Office team didn't want it but because the Windows team was resisting it. I think Microsoft trying to be both vertical and horizontal at the same time is a mess. Office for Mac and iPad (and Android) will always be inferior to their Windows counterparts as long as Microsoft needs to protect Windows license sales and prop up Windows hardware OEMs.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I think his point is Microsoft would have more freedom perusing a services strategy if they didn't have Windows baggage. Look how long it took to get Office on the iPad, not because the Office team didn't want it but because the Windows team was resisting it. I think Microsoft trying to be both vertical and horizontal at the same time is a mess. Office for Mac and iPad (and Android) will always be inferior to their Windows counterparts as long as Microsoft needs to protect Windows license sales and prop up Windows hardware OEMs.

That makes a lot more sense, and in that context I agree that splitting up Microsoft would result in a better Devices and Services company.

Having said that, I still think it's a bad idea; IMO, the synergy of having it all under 1 corporate control would trounce the ability to cast off Windows baggage.

 

[smoledman]

I think his point is Microsoft would have more freedom perusing a services strategy if they didn't have Windows baggage. Look how long it took to get Office on the iPad, not because the Office team didn't want it but because the Windows team was resisting it. I think Microsoft trying to be both vertical and horizontal at the same time is a mess. Office for Mac and iPad (and Android) will always be inferior to their Windows counterparts as long as Microsoft needs to protect Windows license sales and prop up Windows hardware OEMs.

I honestly think under Nadella the Windows group doesn't have the power to block things like it used to. Myerson is forcing cooperation with the other groups under OSG.

 

[MacNut]

If they are going to split Microsoft they should have, gaming, enterprise and software/mobile.

Big businesses are not going to install Windows 8. Give them a straight up enterprise system that does what they need. Split apart the xBox division so they can focus on gaming. And then have the consumer division that focuses on mobile and desktop.

 

[Michael Goff]

Time to split up Microsoft

No it isn't. :|

 

[smoledman]

I know plenty of Mac guys who would LOVE the day MS is split up and better yet, goes completely out of business. When I mention 90K people will be unemployed, their point is(about the engineers) that they should have not bet on ****** MS technology and they deserve the misery they have coming. There is a LOT of sadism!

 

[Renzatic]

I know plenty of Mac guys who would LOVE the day MS is split up and better yet, goes completely out of business. When I mention 90K people will be unemployed, their point is(about the engineers) that they should have not bet on ****** MS technology and they deserve the misery they have coming. There is a LOT of sadism!

Have you ever stepped back and thought about how pointless your little hate sprees are? They're a goddamn computer company who makes goddamn computer stuff that isn't the goddamn computer stuff you happen to like. At worst, the only thing you should feel is utter indifference.

 

[phrehdd]

Long ago there was an effort to break up Microsoft into an OS company and then the software that would be installed (Office etc.). It sadly failed. This came about because Microsoft was playing dirty with its applications and destroying competition.

Red flag one was Internet Explorer. There is one thing to offer it with the OS, the other is to make it so it was extremely difficult to remove as it was "married" to the OS. Companies that offered Web front ends were forced to go to a free model and screwed those companies out of vast sums of monies.

Red flag two was Access database which boasted tight integration with Visual Basic. This proved to be a big fat lie but Microsoft practically gave away Access in its early days, force a buy out of Foxpro, stomped Paradox into the ground and more.

The list goes on and on about Microsoft's wretched practices that was enough to become a court case (meaning there was some substance to the claims).

Sadly it didn't come to pass and now it is a very different world where it really makes no positive impact to divide up the company. The only thing Gates ever said that was true (back when) was that OS/2 would be the best multitasking software of its time....and as IBM and Microsoft parted ways, OS/2 was indeed a superior OS.

Yes, I am from that day and age and remember quite well what a bunch of b*stards the gang at Microsoft was and all the companies that were squashed by their flooding markets and monopolistic practices. I can also say I am not crazy about some of Apple's business model either but that's a topic for another thread.

 

[LV426]

Yes, IIRC, George 'Dubya' Bush had a hand in preserving Microsoft's monopoly situation.

In those days, MS were very reluctant to distribute their popular applications on anything but Windows, and that gave Windows an unfair advantage in many people's eyes.

Also, there was a time that, as a developer, you had to demonstrate to MS that you were using proprietary MS technology (Active X controls) in at least one of your websites if you wanted to get certain Developer benefits. Never mind that Active X turned out to be a security nightmare, it was MS Internet Explorer lock-in inducement from the onset. Very naughty.