Three Reasons Microsoft Should Be Thankful
Those darn Apple ads just get funnier. Still, as Thanksgiving approaches, the folks at Microsoft have plenty to be thankful for, particularly on the Windows 7 and Bing fronts.
CIO —
This is the time of year to be thankful for the good things in your life: family, friends, health, a job, a smartphone, a virus-free computer.
What should the software soldiers in Redmond be thankful for? Well, Microsoft has certainly had a topsy-turvy year. But despite layoffs, dismal revenue reports and great difficulty getting anyone to take Windows Mobile seriously, the software giant has much to be thankful for as we head into Turkey Day.
[ For complete coverage on Microsoft's new Windows 7 operating system -- including hands-on reviews, video tutorials and advice on enterprise rollouts -- see CIO.com's Windows 7 Bible. ]
Here are a few reasons why Microsoft should stay resilient against its many rivals through the holidays and beyond.
Windows 7 Is Not Vista
It's a safe bet that Windows 7 will not end up like its embattled predecessor, Vista. The new version of Windows, launched on Oct. 22 in a modest fashion compared to Vista's garish debut three years ago, has received mostly positive reviews, its early sales exceed those of XP and Vista in a comparable time frame, and its market share for last weekend passed 5 percent, according to Web metrics company Net Applications.
Slideshow: Windows 7 in Pictures: The Coolest New Hardware
Windows 7 still faces roadblocks. Those clever Apple TV ads will continue to taint perceptions of the Windows brand, but Windows 7's true enemy is the economy. The upcoming holiday season is ripe for new PC purchases, but the sour economy could prevent buyers from opening their wallets. Also, on the consumer side, if fairly new PCs running Vista ain't broke why fix 'em? And then you have cash-strapped businesses content to run the competent Windows XP into the ground.
Nevertheless, Windows 7 has silenced the Vista stigma — an important accomplishment. Also, its frequently-aired TV ads are lively and engaging, and with Gartner forecasting that PC sales will actually make modest gains this year, Windows 7, now running on everything from netbooks to all-in-one touchscreen PCs, is in an ideal position for when consumers and businesses start spending again.
Office Still Owns the Enterprise
It's hard to deny the lure of cheap, Web-based productivity suites such as Google Apps, OpenOffice and offerings from Zoho and IBM. But the fact remains that enterprises still choose Microsoft Office desktop tools more frequently than any other suite.
A recent survey of 2,000 IT decision-makers by research firm Forrester shows that 80 percent of companies surveyed support some version of Microsoft Office, and 78 percent have no plans for implementing an alternative to Microsoft Office.
