20 Questions for Microsoft's Future
Mood:  happy
Topic: Microsoft and VCSY
The following 20 questions are by two different bloggers for the same person; Microsoft technology chief and replacement for Bill Gates, Ray Ozzie.

I felt it useful to place these questions in a convenient place to be able to track the various progresses of each question.

As VCSY technology is competitive with Microsoft, I thought it useful to track the Microsoft progress against VCSY (or vice versa) using these as markers.

Questions 1-10 are from Eric Lundquist blog as indicated here: http://www.channelinsider.com/article/What+Ray+Ozzie+Needs+to+Say+About+Microsoft+Live+Versus+Google/201883_1.aspx
 
Questions 11-20 are from Joe Wilcox blog as indicated here: http://www.microsoft-watch.com/content/web_services_browser/ray_ozzies_20_questions.html

1. How do the Microsoft online (Live) offerings play with the MS applications sold in a box? This is especially significant with Google starting to offer what it claims are enterprise-level office applications.

2. If the Internet is everything, shouldn't developers be creating applications based on browsers instead of a new personal computer operating system? Shouldn't developers be thinking about mashed-up enterprise applications running on systems operating within the Internet cloud instead of tuning new apps to Vista?

3. Ray Ozzie probably understands more about replicating applications and data between online and offline systems than any techie around. The online/offline data dance should be viewed as a Microsoft strength and a Google weakness, but Ozzie needs to explain why Google can't catch up this year in the race.

4. Security, security, security. C'mon Ray, explain how the Microsoft Live business will not be saddled with the historical security woes of Microsoft.

5. Identity. See security. Why should developers embrace the Microsoft version of the Internet cloud over other identity offerings?

6. Playing nice with others. The Web is all about standards and equal ecumenical interaction between applications. How does playing nice with others co-exist with Microsoft's long held proposition of their applications working best in a Microsoft only environment.

7. Playing nice with your brothers and sisters. Ray, how about an organizational chart showing how Microsoft is embracing the Live offerings not only in marketing but in deep organizational and dollar commitment.

8. Living the Live life. What is the future for Live applications and services? Are the Live offerings only meant to be for consumers or very small companies? How about a product roadmap? (me: I have a roadmap if anyone cares to see it.)

9. Timelines. Microsoft's ability to deliver products on a timeline has been an embarrassment to Redmond. Trying to balance compatibility with past applications and also offer users reasons to upgrade too often results in timelines that slip off the cliff. Put a stake in the ground and give users some milestones to measure progress.

10. Where is your general staff? Sorry, but one general does (not) make an army. Who are your five top strategists in infusing Live throughout Microsoft?

11. What about the server? Web 2.0 is shifting informational relevance from desktop software to the Web. But applications on the Web still need software, just on the server. Why isn't Microsoft shifting more relevance to the server and positioning its server software as best-of-breed for the Web platform?

12. Where are the hosted software-as-a-service products for the enterprise? When Salesforce.com issues an update, all customers get it immediately. If Microsoft issues an update, customers roll it out piecemeal. What Microsoft needs to deliver are more modularized, centralized server products that let enterprises serve up applications via browsers, lighter clients or widgets—anytime, anywhere and on anything. If Microsoft changes the network model, it can also change the distribution model so that new features can be pushed out quickly to everyone.

13. Is Live dead, or what? There is way too much brand confusion, and Microsoft has let bloggers and reporters write too much about Live's impending death. Microsoft should have come out long ago with a definitive statement about Live and MSN. Confusion drives away advertising customers and development partners.

14. What's the Live subscription model? Google is gaga over advertising, but it doesn't do diddly with subscriptions. Microsoft could excel at subscriptions. My favorite photo-sharing site is SmugMug. It's a profitable, family-run operation where everybody pays. There is no advertising. Subscription pricing isn't that far from volume licensing, which is subscription like.

15. Will Microsoft rent applications? If consumers will pay for Flickr on the Web, surely some will pay for something better on the desktop. Financial analysts get giddy talking about Microsoft unearned revenue from volume licensing. There needs to be a counterpart for desktop software. Wall Street would love to hear about Microsoft applications for rent.

16. What about bundling? Microsoft's development model is wrong for the Web 2.0 world. Bundling is a bad strategy. Not only are applications overbloated but their real value is lost. Every successful consumer business breaks up the pieces and sells them separately. Microsoft needs a more ala carte strategy. Offer less for less and sell extra features and services for more than what the customer would have paid for the larger product with bundled features.

17. When will Windows become a true commerce platform? Next to the Web, Windows is the largest software distribution mechanism on the planet. So why isn't Microsoft using it that way? By leveraging built-in product activation and automatic update mechanisms, Microsoft could turn Windows into a massive platform for selling and distributing products and services, securely. Instead of free Windows Ultimate Extras, Microsoft should have put a similar mechanism in all Vista versions with enticing extras to purchase right from within the operating system. Now that's software as a service.

18. When is Microsoft going to fix search? Windows Live Search simply doesn't deliver results that are as relevant as either Google or Yahoo. Relevancy is everything in search, otherwise people will go elsewhere.

19. When is the parade of me-too products going to end? It's difficult to identify any Windows Live or MSN product that didn't follow Google or some other Web 2.0 company. A little originality would go a long way. Ozzie's Groove and Lotus Notes were trendsetting, category-defining products. Isn't it time for Microsoft (to) deliver some Web product that is truly original?

20. What's the channel strategy? Microsoft has no dedicated sales force. It relies on third parties to sell and service the goods. Web services are often offered direct. Microsoft needs to articulate a clear software-as-a-service strategy for partners, starting with developers. Right now, the stated opportunity is nebulous at best.