Om Malik weighs in on Microsoft’s ADD

July 23rd, 2006 · No Comments

Microsoft Bob Om Malik, the 800 pound guerilla of non-blogging blogging, weighs in today on what a earlier posted about, that is Microsoft’s Attention Deficit Disorder. Here is the first 6 that he mentions that is on Steve Balmer’s ToDo List:

Figure out a way to keep the current cash cows, Windows and Office, creating more cash, and induce users to upgrade.
Ship the next versions of cash cow products, Windows and Office, and pray that people want to upgrade.
Turn its entire product line “LIVE” and future proof the company as transition to web unfolds over the next decade.
Out iPod iPod with Zune.
Turn Origami into a hot seller. (How many of you are chuckling?)
Take over the wireless world with Mobile Windows.

There’s being paranoid, then there’s being stupid. I was listening to a BusinessWeek article recently on the success of failure. Microsoft at least is not afraid to fail, even if it has some alternative benefit, such as driving GO Corporation or Stacker out of business. Businessweek offers some rational for this behavior but the market is currently viewing it as disfunctional, not a real business strategy. It is one thing to skunk works projects behind the scenes, it is quite another to announce a host of strategies in many different diffuse markets, especially went all of those markets already have dominant intrenched players, who have significant market share and branding.

Microsoft are legendary on failure. They have launched far more failed products than successful products, such as Microsoft Bob, Microsoft Anti Virus (remember the first version, now the second attempt), Microsoft Tablet Software, Microsoft Windows NT 3.5 (Version 1.0). Microsoft Windows 1.0, 2.0, Windows in the Workplace, Microsoft ATM. A lot of these products fall under the “If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail” syndrome and they tried to use Windows on everything from Fax Machines to Photocopiers.

I believe over the next 2-3 years we are going to see the limits of Microsoft’s fabled Distribution Dominance tested to the limit. Microsoft has only been successful if they have been able to use that channel to force other competitors off/disadvantage the market (see Netscape, Novell etc).

Oops have to go catch a plane… will update with my list later.

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