Why Microsoft’s reorganization closes the books on an era of computing

I have been in this business a very long time (ahem, over 35yrs) and the one thing I have observed over the years is that it seems like there is a cyclical nature to they way tech companies go up and down. There was a time when everyone thought Apple would rule the world with the Mac, it was so much better than DOS, and then MS came roaring back with windows, then people thought Apple was down for the count and they came roaring back with the the Ipod and Iphone. Sure some companies drift into obscurity and go out of business while new ones come on the scene (eg. Google) but the really good ones figure out a way to become relevant again (e.g. IBM, Watson etc.). It will be interesting to see if MS is able to do the same. I hope so, we still need some big companies like that that are willing to invest huge sums of money on research, it cannot all be done with start ups.

They can survive for a long time still but in the end they will be just another dinosaur. Apple was lucky, Steve came back and had ideas that changed the world in many ways and at the exact right time in history. I was at Apple a year before he came back and left thinking it was doomed. MS is still a strong company with a lot of money, but they have nothing that will change the world and their own future. The future belongs to those who can invent it but revolutions are hard to come by. What do they have that will give them a massive advantage over everyone else? Nothing I can see.

Do you know what I&#x27;d love to see? Somebody building gorgeous Linux laptops and desktops. As in Apple-gorgeous. With all the drivers working fine and dandy. With awesome specs, with half-yearly updates or even rolling updates. I thought Canonical might do it but they seem intent on partnering with hardware vendors. Why is this not doable? I think there is System 76 but they are not drool- and lust-worthy and I don&#x27;t now why. It must be possible. Android shows that it can be done for a certain class of devices, why is it not possible in the laptop and desktop space? All you&#x27;d want is say 5% of the dwindling PC market to make an absolute bundle.<p>Oh yeah, the Microsoft reorg. Yay, go Ballmer, yay!

&quot;The new Microsoft is no longer the enabler of technology delivered to consumers with help from Intel, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and other partners. The new Microsoft has realized that it’s going to need to do it all itself&quot;<p>This changes a lot

Too little, too late. Windows is going to linger for quite a long time still just because of the massive market penetration, but it&#x27;s getting obsolete.

So in effect ms has enacted the screw over Nokia plan just now?