[simonh]

This is the ultimate indictment of Steve Ballmer's "I like our strategy, I like it a lot" statement. This is the final admission that their strategy of licensing a mobile OS to phone manufacturers, just as they licensed desktop Windows to PC makers, has completely failed. This must have been in the works for months, so now finally the other shoe has dropped and we know why he had to leave. There's no way he could save face over something like this.

Just to be clear, the strategy itself wasn't the problem, just look at Android, the problem was that technically their product was technically deficient. They failed to execute the strategy effectively. What I have always wondered is whether this was simply due to hardware limitations of the day, or whether the old Windows Mobile was deliberately held back technically to prevent it competing with Desktop Windows. If the former then Microsoft just suffered from a form of first mover's disadvantage, and a lack of foresight. If the latter then they richly deserve all the failure they've reaped. I'd love to know.

[wtracy]

Well, it's possible that the model of selling an OS to phone manufacturers has been destroyed by Google giving an OS to manufacturers as a loss-leader.

[simonh]

There's nothing inevitable about that though. It only works if the freebie is sufficiently attractive. For example being free hasn't helped Linux succeed on the desktop, despite it's strong position in the server space.

[camus]

This can change with the open web as software and services are moving to webapps and apis, BUT asically , Linux lacks of attractive software ,services and business providing services , for the public and businesses. And no , Open Office is not a replacement for MS office, nor Gimp can replace Photoshop for professionals.

Linux is not hard to learn, has great guis and works on most of the hardware.

There is potential but all the services are not there yet. Android is valuable because of all the service intergration it offers, not because it is *nix based , same with IOS.

[rbanffy]

> This must have been in the works for months

This thing started before Elop left Microsoft. They have perfected executive outplacement as an offensive weapon.

[simonh]

An amusing thought, but if Microsoft was that effective at executing covert strategic initiatives, you'd think that would cross over into their public strategic capability. Sadly the evidence of events over the last few years doesn't bear that out.