* Dave's New Years resolutions for Microsoft
Hope, the philosophers tell us, springs eternal meaning that no matter how bleak the outlook, humans still believe that with enough resolve they can change things for the better. In that light, many of us make New Year’s resolutions – vows to improve ourselves, our outlook, or our situation during the coming year.
Each year I propose resolutions to Microsoft that would help it focus on how it could improve the company and its offerings. Last issue I reviewed how well Redmond had done in living up to the resolutions I proposed for 2003. Still, hope springs eternal, so I’m again going to offer three resolutions for the coming year.
1) Stay the course on security.
The Trustworthy Computing Initiative came out in 2002, but still isn’t completely implemented. The long lead times between releases of software, the complexity of modern software, the need for backwards compatibility and the lingering fondness of “user-friendliness” by Redmond have all contributed to a picture of a company paying only lip service to security. That’s not true, and the company needs to keep reminding folks about all of the security-conscious changes in its software. There will still be an occasional glitch, a stumble, but the direction is clear and the message needs to be reiterated often.
2) Choose your friends wisely.
Microsoft executives have rightly noted that Linux is the biggest challenge they’ve ever faced for control of the Intel-based computer market. Yet, Microsoft has allied with IBM (the world’s largest Linux distributor) to create Web services standards while at the same time giving millions of dollars to SCO (Linux’ worst nightmare) for its Unix technology. You need to co-opt the Linux loyalists, not eradicate them. Listen to IBM and stop doing deals with the devil, a.k.a. Darl McBride.
3) Fight for standards.
Microsoft found itself a surprising loser (to Eolas) in a patent suit about Web browser behavior. If the decision is allowed to stand, most of the Web will have to undergo massive changes – in some cases, to technologies not yet invented. The World Wide Web consortium (W3C) is ready to fight on appeal, but Microsoft has been reluctant to state its case. Time to stand up and be counted. It’s a chance to be considered one of the “good guys,” which you really need after the SCO payoffs mentioned in No. 2.
These resolutions don’t seem that hard, certainly not as hard as asking Steve Ballmer to shed a few pounds or asking Bill Gates to take public speaking lessons. We’ll look in a year’s time to see just how well Microsoft followed our advice.
