Ask HN: What do you want to tell Microsoft?

The company needs to split in two internally. One side can be the "MS Stack" side that continues with the current strategy milking it for every last penny while it dries up, but the other side needs to become a software company again (as opposed to a stack company). Start bringing your software to other platforms. Why was Office canceled on Mac while Mac is gaining market share? Don't you want money from all the people that are switching their OS but still want your office tools?

Make your products for Linux as well. You could really innovate here because I don't know of any players selling home user level software on Linux. You could even make your own distro to make Linux friendlier without having to take it on as a long term maintenance project (make it open source almost from the start). Then you could even put little stickers on your Linux software that says "Runs best on MS Linux".

The peasants have tasted freedom, you're never going to be able to herd everyone back onto Windows desktops. Those that are gone will stay gone so stop trying. You have a platform to easily be everywhere if you wanted to. Port .Net everywhere and then releasing your products on different platforms becomes extremely cheap. This is really something you could have over all your competitors.

I really think this stubborn insistence that everyone be on your operating system is hurting you. It should be obvious by now that you're not going to out-innovate Apple or even Google so stop trying to. Let the big dogs fight. Get back on everyone's minds again by making sure there is no platform out there where you don't have a best-of-breed, highly talked about product. Make money off them both. Go back to your roots.

Microsoft absolutely needs to completely drop the whole "do it our way, or hit the highway" attitude. It may have worked to build MS into the giant it is, but it will absolutely be their eventual undoing. It is because of this attitude that Microsoft has already lost the mindahare of today's young developers. I have never met anybody under 25 years old that is a Windows software developer. At the very least Microsoft needs an internal hippie movement.

Here's some steps that could right a sinking ship:

1) Stop integrating IE deep into the operating system, port IE to Mac, and Linux -- non Windows developers need to develop and test IE, period

2) Stop leveraging your operating system as the sole way to compete and crush competitors (you should know this already)

3) Develop non-Windows software (you need to hire software engineers that aren't drinking your own Kool-aid, ones that are willing to stand up and say "hold on maybe we shouldn't be such assholes")

4) Learn from Apple's OSX strategy -- start developing a "clean-room" Linux or BSD-based mobile operating system, make it a skunkworks project, make the sole aim of the project to one day entirely replace the Windows OS

5) Embrace altruism - provide funding for open source projects that directly conflict with your business model (something like fund development of the Hurd kernel)

A more radical strategy would be to consider breaking the company up into 3 or more separate companies. OS & Mobile, Software & Web, Xbox & Hardware. This would allow each group to innovate without the Windows-only and MS culture hamstrings.

If all you ever look at is raw bottom line numbers, life is going to be one surprise after another for you.

Mobile: MS screwed up by getting too late to buy core Danger staff and thus missed the OS team..

Buy RIM..all-of-it especially the OS staff. That OS-Services-hardware combo plus staff is enough to pivot if MS lets the incoming new ideas float to top pas the Political Fiefdoms that are so much an obstacle at MS..

Or the cheaper solution Wall-off-a-building at MS Campus..raise a pirate flag and put 100 software developers there..some MS Mobile hardware some OS dev tools and leave them be for 10 months with no Management interference..

And SB you have had things in the Research Labs that should have seen a product release..it was that good of ideas..

The whole MS Management structure is not working..

Might be a time to give out $150,000 startup scholarships to developers to start new companies..

Do not get me wrong I think you are smart enough to know, SB, that its not working..you have smart people bu the management infrastructure and political fiefdom culture at MS is in the way..

ad 5): heartily agree.

To make people stop thinking "cheap beige box loaded with crapware" when they hear Windows, MS should reinforce the "PCs at Mac pricepoint are just as nice as Macs" image. They did have a "recommend me a nice Windows notebook/desktop" page at some time, but it was kind of half-hearted and hard to find.

For example, they could create some "Windows Experience" (i.e. solid usable box) and "Windows Ultimate Experience" (i.e., reassuringly expensive and stylish) badges for notebooks and desktops that:

* have decent build quality and conform to current ergonomic standards (wrt. fan noise, panel brightness etc.)

* don't include crapware (for some definition of software-that-the-user-doesn't-actually-want; maybe just something like "the OEM does not accept third party influence on the choice of applications", although most PC vendors include software that is simply superfluous.)

* have enough RAM/bandwith/CPU to run the current version of MS office

The "Ultimate Experience" could carry a further requirement to:

* include a current version of MS Office (seriously!) and one of the reassuringly expensive versions of Windows 7

* have nicer-than-usual design and feel (i.e., Thinkpad-quality keyboard on notebooks, desktop PCs that are recognizable and don't look like a beige box).