Microsoft and innovation

This morning's papers brought two takes on Microsoft and innovation. See this well-written story by Helen Jung of the Associated Press on the company's broader push into the Internet search business (also printed on page C4 of today's P-I), and a column by Lee Gomes on page B1 of today's Wall Street Journal, in which he puts such initiatives into a broader perspective.

(Unfortunately, I just realized the online version of that column is available only to wsj.com subscribers. If you're one, you can get to it here. Otherwise it's worth looking for the next time you visit the library.)

These are some of his comments:

You can see Microsoft moving on to new "innovations." When someone has a problem with Windows, who uses the built-in Help feature in Windows anymore? Most people just go online and look for the answer with their favorite search engine.

You can bet that drives the chief software architect [Bill Gates] up the wall. And so Microsoft has been talking a lot about "search" these days. Brace yourself for a new round of self-congratulatory but self-serving Microsoft innovation.

And his conclusion:

Say what you will about Microsoft, no company anywhere has done more to put high-quality software into more people's hands. But we can't let them know we think that. The last thing the world needs is a cocksure, uppity Microsoft leadership, with its $50 billion in the bank.

Despite occasional hiccups, Microsoft products aren't so bad, really. Just be sure you show them no respect. The Justice Department isn't subpoenaing Microsoft e-mails anymore, so it's up to you and me, folks, to stay on its case.

Posted by Todd Bishop at September 22, 2003 09:18 AM