Resignation letter from Microsoft regarding the inevitable fact that the hype will die and that the PC and the associated resident software are becoming more and more a commodity every day.

The author also adds to that the fact that Microsoft, as a major player in the PC software field, missed the boat by not adapting to networked environment sooner: He argues that open source software and open protocols eat Microsoft’s lunch in that area.
A few quotes:

Microsoft’s reluctance to adopt networked ways is understandable. Their advantaged position has been built over the years by adhering to the tenet that software running on a PC is the natural point at which to integrate hardware and applications. Unfortunately, network protocols have turned out to be a far better fit for this middleman role

Microsoft cannot prosper during the open source wave as an island, with a defenses built out of litigation and proprietary protocols.

The conclusion being:

Useful software written above the level of the single device will command high margins for a long time to come.

Stop looking over your shoulder and invent something!

While I am known to occasionally enjoy a good MS bashing, I think that MS has adopted a very strong position in defending and extending their current business model and quite effectively holds a good part of their consumers hostage due to the lack of alternatives (with apologies to Apple and the open software crowd). I’m less worried for the future of Microsoft itself as I am for the future of computing as a versatile tool, as an agent of social and cultural empowerment.

Thanks Fizzz