What is Microsoft smoking? • Hacker News Board

Re: What is Microsoft smoking?

#251

Post by mark_integerdsv » Sun, Jun 16, 2013, 10:13 PM UTC

Zarathust wrote: post #185

jemeshsu wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They tried to emulate apple while forgetting that people that bought into apple ideology already had apple. Agreed. Their enterprise offering is strong. And one day they will realize it is IBM that is their destiny, and drop out of consumer market.

I see Microsoft in a position similar to RIM 5 - 8 years back. They have tons of revenue from big business that are kinda locked in to their stack. There is no need for large innovation in those very mature markets and they innovate by pushing more of the same. I may not be an office power use, but I see very little significant changes in Office since 2003, only small features tweaked.

The BI stack is growing steadily.

Lots happening in Excel/PowerPivot/Data Explorer land.

Re: What is Microsoft smoking?

#252

Post by alextingle » Sun, Jun 16, 2013, 10:20 PM UTC

jodoglevy wrote: post #181

alextingle wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The vast majority of Microsoft's profits come from Office. Windows makes a little bit, and everything else loses money.

This is fundamentally incorrect. Only Online Services Division (Bing) loses money. Everything else makes money, and Windows definitely makes more than "a little bit." Operating Income by Division FY13 Q3: Windows: $3.46 B Server and Tools: $1.98 B Online Services: -$262 M (loss) Business: $4.1 B Entertainment and Devices: $342 M It is interesting that people perceive so many businesses at Microsoft as "failing" even…

Even though Xbox (Entertainment) is now making a small profit, they've got a long, long way to go before it recoups the vast investment/losses of the early days:

http://www.neowin.net/news/report-microsofts-xbox-division-h...

Re: What is Microsoft smoking?

#253

Post by mark_integerdsv » Sun, Jun 16, 2013, 10:21 PM UTC

kryten wrote: post #201

Zarathust wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see Microsoft in a position similar to RIM 5 - 8 years back. They have tons of revenue from big business that are kinda locked in to their stack. There is no need for large innovation in those very mature markets and they innovate by pushing more of the same. I may not be an office power use, but I see very little significant changes in Office since 2003, only small features tweaked.

It's even worse than that. If you are a power user and turn off the toolbars etc, excel 97 isn't that much different to excel 2013.

If you can say this then you are not a power user. If only by one MASSIVE measure and that is the row limit increase between these two versions, but there are plenty others.