141–150 of 226 posts
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Think of what great software activation schemes they will make!
And the updates! The glorious, unending stream of modal software-update dialogs!
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Not disagreeing, but Innovators Dilemma theory says that companies that are about to be disrupted are enjoying the greatest profits and margins ever. The problem is that the reason the profits are so high is that they've shed their less profitable divisions and products that might grow into the next big innovation. Let's say something disrupts MSFTs Office and shrinks its revenue - what do they have that could replac…
what do they have that could replace that? Sharepoint, SQLServer, Windows 7, Windows Server, Windows Virtual Server, CRM, Exchange Server, XBox, Xbox live, Bing, Zune, Microsoft Automotive platform, Win 7 phone. Microsoft has one of the most diverse revenue streams of any software company. They're going to be around for a while. Google should actually be more afraid of disruptive technologies. Their revenue is primar…
Has it actually been determined that Microsoft makes any profit at all from any of those products? Entertainment division (where XBox and Live and Zune lives) is about 12% of their revenue and is still not profitable, while search and online (which is Bing and MSN) loses $700 Million every quarter or thereabouts (at least it did last fiscal quarter).
Their bread and butter has always been Windows and Office. That other stuff are loss leaders, in a way.
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I suspect that were Adobe to leave the Windows market, the vacated "niche" would be quickly filled.
It might be harder than you think to replace highly refined creative tools such as Illustrator or Photoshop. Although they have become rather bloated and the last few versions have failed to innovate in significant ways, there is a lot of graphics professionals who would be very reluctant to waste all that hard-won muscle-memory. Plus there's a lot of work-flow knowledge in them there apps.
On the other hand, it would be a natural fit for someone like Autodesk given their resources and markets. Retail box graphics applications could make sense in Microsoft's product line. Even Corel would be in a position to capitalize on Adobe leaving the Windows market.
I've often wondered why Apple doesn't buy Adobe, kill all development for PCs, and leave Microsoft high and dry in the creative market. Just saying...
I wonder if Microsoft is thinking the same thing. Either as a defensive move to make sure Photoshop will always work on Windows or as an offensive move and making Photoshop and friends windows only in an attempt to strangle the OS X platform.
Jokes aside, it makes perfect sense for both of them. Adobe's CS and Microsoft Office are naturally self-complementing desktop giants. Both companies make a ton of money selling desktop software to the enterprise, yet outside of Flash/Sliverlight battle they don't cross each other paths. I, for one, welcome this development. It brings some hopes for better performing Flash, which I hate with a passion but its a fact…
"I, for one, welcome..."
Uh, yeah... I agree it makes perfect sense for both of them. For anyone who isn't Microsoft or Adobe, the prospect seems less appealing. Two companies with considerable monopolistic sway in their respective markets come together to improve their profit margins?
Merging two huge globs that each can extract rent on their various properties into a single similar vast glob. What could possibly go wrong...
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Not disagreeing, but Innovators Dilemma theory says that companies that are about to be disrupted are enjoying the greatest profits and margins ever. The problem is that the reason the profits are so high is that they've shed their less profitable divisions and products that might grow into the next big innovation. Let's say something disrupts MSFTs Office and shrinks its revenue - what do they have that could replac…
what do they have that could replace that? Sharepoint, SQLServer, Windows 7, Windows Server, Windows Virtual Server, CRM, Exchange Server, XBox, Xbox live, Bing, Zune, Microsoft Automotive platform, Win 7 phone. Microsoft has one of the most diverse revenue streams of any software company. They're going to be around for a while. Google should actually be more afraid of disruptive technologies. Their revenue is primar…
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Microsoft isn't stupid. They won't make Flash Windows only and they won't make Flash Windows Phone 7 only.
But continued Linux support is clearly a possible cancellation.
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The Rare team was spun out of Microsoft. They were the video game company that Microsoft bought from Nintendo. They were responsible for Golden Eye, Conquer, and Perfect Dark. I'm not sure if this would be considered a successful spin off though as Microsoft bought them when they were, IMHO, at their peak.
I would not count Rare as a good acquisition: Microsoft bought them for $375M, and they haven't produced a single hit since. To put that in perspective, Bungie (a much smaller studio than Rare at the time) was acquired for less than $40M, and their games and IP generated over $1B (and counting) in revenue for Microsoft.