Microsofts Sacred Cash Cow

hmurchison

http://www.seattleweekly.com/feature..._microsoft.php









[I]But Microsoft’s attempts to diversify into consumer businesses have yet to pay off: 68 percent of its revenue still comes from Windows and Office sales—more than 80 percent if you include the Windows server software used by so many businesses. The company must protect these core products. “The prime directive at Microsoft is to protect Windows and get customers to buy Windows and upgrades to Windows,

stoo

I'd like to gawp in awe and comic disbelief, but I'm, umh, allergic to giving Thurrot hits.

kickaha

Yeah, someone just post it here so we can all gape in amazement at the trained monkey without giving him hits.



No wait, that'd be copyright violation.



Okay, fine. Two people post, first half, then second half, with a commentary on each piece excerpted for editorial use.

hmurchison

Honestly before reading this article I had no idea that such a vast majority of Microsofts Revenue/Profits came from the OS and Office.



Call me naive but I just thought MS had their fingers in many more areas.



Thus the OSX on x86 rumor that won't die seems extremely ludicrous. Even the idea of an Apple office suite is a longshot because both would attack MS at the very heart of their business.



In many ways I think Apple just needs to get over with it. Develop your office suit as best you can and let the chips fall where they may. Should MS pull office from Macs it merely means that they are one large step closing to a Monopoly. Once Bush is gone I doubt we see such and easy administration on antitrust issues.



You know I'm almost daring MS to pull office. Some of you young folks don't remember Ma Bell and what it took to fracture her up into 6 RBOCs. Cracking Office up wouldn't break a sweat for the DOJ.

the cool gut

In a lot of ways, Microsoft looks pretty invincible - 50 billion in cash ( which actually belongs to shareholders, not microsoft) their 90% market share and so on. But believe you me, a $400 office suite doesn't have much further to go in todays market place. It may not happen tommorrow, but when people stop buying office, Microsoft will sink like a 20 ton stone.

scott

Quote:

Originally posted by hmurchison

Honestly before reading this article I had no idea that such a vast majority of Microsofts Revenue/Profits came from the OS and Office.



Call me naive but I just thought MS had their fingers in many more areas.



Thus the OSX on x86 rumor that won't die seems extremely ludicrous. Even the idea of an Apple office suite is a longshot because both would attack MS at the very heart of their business.



In many ways I think Apple just needs to get over with it. Develop your office suit as best you can and let the chips fall where they may. Should MS pull office from Macs it merely means that they are one large step closing to a Monopoly. Once Bush is gone I doubt we see such and easy administration on antitrust issues.



You know I'm almost daring MS to pull office. Some of you young folks don't remember Ma Bell and what it took to fracture her up into 6 RBOCs. Cracking Office up wouldn't break a sweat for the DOJ.

You may want to read the anti-trust laws because it seems you don't understand them.

hmurchison

Quote:

You may want to read the anti-trust laws because it seems you don't understand them.

I understand them fine. Like with any law there's always room to argue against any monopoly position. If Microsoft was blocked from purchasing Intuit for fear of market domination then pulling Office from the Mac and the fact that there is no Linux version would be worth of anti-trust discussion.