Microsoft watchers such as Michael Cherry at Directions on Microsoft, or competitors such as Red Hat Chief Executive JamesWhitehurstJames Whitehurst, blame the folks who sell the PCs built around Microsoft's new operating system.
The real question is why Sony and Microsoft went different directions.
"The critical question is whether Facebook can help Microsoft get critical traction in paid search, " says Rob Helm, director of research at Directions on Microsoft.
Raikes built the business by tying new products such as Microsoft SharePoint to hits, such as Microsoft's Office suite of productivity applications, says Rob Helm, director of research at Directions on Microsoft.
"The stakes are high, " says Michael Cherry, a senior analyst with Directions on Microsoft.
"This is a pre-emptive move, " says Matt Rosoff, an analyst with research firm Directions on Microsoft.
"This is a company with endless patience, " says Paul DeGroot, an analyst with Directions on Microsoft, a Kirkland, Wash.
"If you want Vista, you need a new machine, " says Michael Cherry, lead operating system analyst, Directions on Microsoft.
Rob Helm, director of research at Directions on Microsoft, says the chief information officer position is critical at Microsoft.
Rob Helm, director of research firm Directions on Microsoft, sees McAndrews, Berkowitz or Chrapaty having day-to-day management responsibility over the Sunnyvale, Calif.
Matt Rosoff, an analyst at research firm Directions on Microsoft, says Yahoo!
"They have not yet tapped out the discontented base of Windows users, " says Greg DeMichillie, lead analyst at market tracker Directions on Microsoft.
Sure, it's hardly perfect: "I have yet to have a really good speech recognition experience, " says Greg DeMichillie, lead analyst, Directions on Microsoft.
And both firms get to make a case to customers that their wares will play well with others, said Michael Cherry, lead analyst, Windows and mobile, at Directions on Microsoft.
"They have not yet tapped out the discontented base of Windows users, " says Greg DeMichillie, lead analyst at market tracker Directions on Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ).
By contrast, Microsoft has to put its software on a far vaster array of machines, and therefore has to coordinate the efforts of a much bigger team of programmers, says Directions on Microsoft's DeMichillie.
The real question: will Nokia continue to focus on selling phones based on its proprietary Symbian and MeeGo operating systems, or will they shift directions and adopt Google (GOOG) Android or even Microsoft (MSFT) Windows Phone 7.
FORBES: Nokia: Should They Dump Symbian For Windows Phone 7?
On other tech bellwethers billionaires went in different directions, including Apple (Tepper bought, Simons and Soros sold) and Microsoft (Tepper sold, Simons bought).
FORBES: Gold, Banks On The Agenda For Billionaires Soros, Paulson In Q1
应用推荐