Same as You I have invested many (20+) years into what is usually called: “Microsoft stack”.
[Update 2015 Sep 20]
Ah, yes, it seems there is a future for Microsoft.
2015: Microsoft closing the gap even further
[Update 2015 Apr 29]
6 years later and I can even be a little bit proud of my “predictions”, I dare to think?
Not much has changed in the context of recurring themes mentioned here. Windows OS issues? Of course then it was Vista and today it is Windows 8. Next.
What was 6 years ago called “data center” by me (and others) is in Microsoft case also called “Azure”, these days. With Amazon AWS, the biggest data center network aka “Cloud”. And yes same as then, now (of course) there is a lot of “strategists”, who have predicted a sure downfall of Microsoft. But not so much after Windows 10 regular previews started to appear.
And last but not the least, it seems I have predicted rise of an Microsoft “answer to Google Docs” … That is what we call today: Office On-Line, One Drive , Office 365, and a such.
Who would say that just 6 years ago all these have been just bold predictions and speculations…
[Published 2009 Dec 19]
I admit, same as you I almost got seriously distracted (in my belief in MS) by Vista (and similar) issues. All giving rise to prophets of doom, from other religions like: Java, Linux, Google etc.
The true core issue is that today Microsoft is a major, major force in the data center.
A simple fact wonderously overlooked by many. Believe me I know what I am talking about. I just spent two years architecting and costing data centres. Microsoft +HP+Intel are unstoppable.
And there is no one left to stop them too. Vista, W7, Office etc , are just desktop distractions, for the present IT “strategists” predicting the demise of M$FT.
Google? Well I think not. Just think carefully, what would you found at your disposal, if you will be an Microsoft architect tasked to deliver (for example) an answer to Google Docs … Eh? Got it now?
Microsoft is not doing things because they can not, they are simply bound much more by political than economical boundaries, v.s. other IT companies, small or large.
Rest assured (or scared) : Microsoft has a very long future.
DBJ
2 thoughts on “Is there a future for Microsoft?”
Dusan,
yes Microsoft has a future… just not as bright as in the past years but it seems IE9 is much better and more compatible.
I have always used *NIX/Linux operating systems, I didn’t invest much time into learn/try the insecure “Microsoft Stack”, I use Windows OS just for testing my code because I know a lot of “simple” users are still using browsers on Microsoft OS.
So if this is a question about Google forcing their employees to leave Windows, my answer is “well done Google” !
By using Windows, Google is too much exposed to attacks like those that took place early this year, so I believe their decision was based more on security than functionality. Linux is a much better choice for them and let them cut on costs.
The longevity of Microsoft has never been in discussion in my messages, though the latest happenings (Apple valued more than MS and Google security concerns) are mining MS OS hegemony. A lot of professionals do not use Windows since I began programming, it is clear that normal users do not care/understand the security problems they are exposed to. The latter being the reason why Windows has become so popular between the masses and why hackers have such an easy task. :-)
@Diego
I think a very good article on that subject is here :
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow/google-dumps-windows-but-can-the-rest-of-us/13136?tag=mantle_skin;content
And also on the issue of “leaving Windows”.
–DBJ