Where is Microsoft going?, page 1

It seems like this should be in a computer board, but none of them seemed appropriate.

I will start by saying plainly that I like Microsoft. There are a few recent developments that make me ask what the heck they're doing:

-Bid for Yahoo and concern with dominating the internet
-bloated Vista and intentions to build on that with Windows 7
-[poor] reaction to the new 'Netbook' craze

They seem to be losing focus on what they do/ did best - Operating systems. Cloud computing is far enough off that we will need a good OS for many years. Vista came out incompatible with a lot of older software and hardware. It also requires massive computing resources. Windows 7 will build on Vista rather than starting over as some had hoped. XP is the only way for them to compete in the upstart world of low-cost notebooks, but it still adds a significant $100, and the plug is as good as pulled by Microsoft.

Where are they going? Will Windows ever be rebuilt from the ground up, using emulation for older software? Will Windows continue to get more and more resource hungry even though the experience is hardly improving? Will Microsoft react appropriately to Netbooks by designing a new operating system, or will they hand the market to Linux? Windows Mobile is not enough, and they consider XP at the end of its life.

I believe Microsoft needs to leave the internet alone. They don't need to control online advertising - why can't they work to make Google and Yahoo more efficient by providing slick, profitable software?

I believe Microsoft needs to roll with the hype that temporarily surrounded the idea of MinWin - a fresh, minimal start for their next big OS. Because older versions of Windows are so widely-used, there is the need to please everyone. Emulating these older versions will take care of that without muddling the new version. Most users today do not need powerful hardware except to run Vista.

I believe Microsoft needs to capitalize on the idea of Netbooks by creating a simpler Windows that will require fewer resources and not inflate the low cost of the hardware. Users would certainly enjoy such compatibility with their other systems, but it is not enough reason when Linux is free.

Microsoft will not last going in its current direction. It will end up like IBM at best - eventually regaining footholds but no longer owning the PC world. It's understood that some fans of Linux and Mac will say "Good riddance."

I like the fact that most PCs in the world are compatible. Such unity clearly has its advantages. Do Windows users care, or would you rather a company like Google control the market? What do you think Microsoft's best move would be at this point?