A crack in the Microsoft fortress?
Dell's decision to offer an older operating system on some of its computers is not a good sign for the company.
from the May 2, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 3
"Will Gateway, HP, Toshiba, Sony, etc., follow Dell and continue to offer XP until MS pulls the plug [probably January of 2008]? That's the question of the moment."
But don't be deceived by talk of Microsoft dying, Scoble says. It's going to be around for a long time.
That doesn't mean the company is invincible, however, and developments like Dell's continuing to offer XP illustrate that point.
Scoble adds that big companies can still disappear. (Remember one-time giant Digital Equipment Corp., maker of DEC computers?).
If Microsoft can reinvigorate some of its old innovation practices and become as aggressive in acquisitions and mergers as in the past, then Scoble believes it will be fine.
If not, announcements like Dell's may prove to be the first crack in what has until now been an impenetrable dam.
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