Whether software companies care to admit it or not, few things in their industry these days are not about Microsoft in one way or another.

ECONOMIST: Linux breaks another window

In one way, Microsoft is on weak ground.

ECONOMIST: Beleaguered Microsoft

One way or another, Microsoft plans to get inside your television set.

ECONOMIST: Battle of the boxes

But at least one new survey (sponsored by Microsoft, by the way) finds that enterprise IT managers see private clouds as a world apart from public clouds.

FORBES: Private Clouds are From Mars, Public Clouds are From Venus... Sort Of

For one thing, Microsoft beat up on Palm the same way it took out many of its competitors in the desktop OS space: by putting pressure on hardware vendors to use its operating system, and offering it at a price they couldn't refuse.

FORBES

Just like with the Wii and motion controls, Nintendo leads the way with second screen controllers with the Wii U. If this report is correct, Sony wants to go the proprietary hardware route, whereas Microsoft is going with phones and tablets, but one way or another all the major companies want to put second screens in our hands.

FORBES: Rumor: Sony Ditching Dualshock Controller for PS4

Microsoft will continue selling software the traditional way, for a one-time fee for one Windows computer.

NPR: Review: Microsoft Office Pricey, But Good Value

At no point has Microsoft offered to open its own chat client to AOL or anyone else -- openness only goes one way here.

CNN: Opinion: E-nough already!