Microsoft – down, not out, but not in neither

2000-05-01

Following the Microsoft trial has become an obligatory part of the job description of anyone in IT. There are two reasons for this. First, there are few individuals that have not had their jobs changed in some way by Windows, Office, Exchange, SQL Server or any of the other products in the Microsoft portfolio. Second, there are even fewer people that would not accept even a fraction of a percent of Bill Gates’ fortune. Even so it is difficult to see what impact the ultimate ruling will have.

For those who missed it, on Friday Judge Jackson revealed a “proposed Final Judgement” which, amongst other things, advocated the breakup of the company into two businesses. This was supported by a share ownership restriction meaning that Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer could only own shares in one or the other of the two companies. “Ha, that’ll show ‘em,” will have been the thought that ran through the minds of Gates-and-Ballmer wannabees across the globe. After all, this is a personal issue however well disguised in corporate legalese it may be. Other provisions included protection for companies which had given evidence against Microsoft in the trial, a levelling of the playing field for PC manufacturers that OEM Microsoft Windows and restrictions on Microsoft’s ability to use Windows to promote its own products over anybody else’s.

So what does it add up to? Let’s start with a couple of stories. Once upon a time there was a king who believed he was buying cloth so cleverly woven that only the most intelligent could truly see it. Once upon a time there was a company which so cleverly marketed their products, everyone in the world thought they would answer all their problems. Six or seven years ago Microsoft was such a company, the undisputed pretender to the IT throne. IT decision makers across the globe were implementing one-word IT strategies – “let there be Microsoft” – as they truly believed that they had found a company offering the silver bullet. In the former tale a little boy shouted “that man’s naked!” and all hell broke loose. In the latter, the many cries of “Microsoft is not the only answer!” have, in the most part, fallen on deaf ears. Even those that believe in Microsoft’s diabolic nature, begrudge that it is better the devil you know.

All good stories have a moral. The king’s new clothes may be summarised as saying “never trust a salesperson”. The Microsoft story has an additional moral, “know what you want.” Fair to say that, in most parts of the world, Microsoft is no longer seen as the keeper of the silver bullet. We have learned our lessons and it is for this reason that we may rest assured that, whatever Microsoft may have succeeded with in the past is no indication of the company’s continued success in the future, court case or no court case.

(First published 1 May 2000)