Microsoft 2.0 and Windows 7

Last night, as I browsed the internet, I came across information that Bill Gates has stepped down from being CEO of Microsoft beginning today. I have to admit that I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, Microsoft has become such a giant that it seems impossible for anyone to take it on and win. On the other hand, where would computing today be without the efforts of the multibillionaire?

Whatever you think of Bill Gates, computing today would be very different without him. Just how different it would be is difficult to determine. He has influenced so much in the world of computers in the last 20 years or so. An argument could be made that he is the single most influential person in computers today.

However, his tactics at times leave a lot to be desired. While they are genius for what they achieved, at the same time, they made it more difficult for others to try to compete.

But despite all their clout, Microsoft has shown some signs of weakness in the last few years. One has to wonder what will happen to the software giant without Bill Gates at the helm. In the last eight years, Microsoft has suffered one dismal failure with the Windows ME and has had only slightly better luck with Windows Vista. While the vision that is behind some of the recent developments for the company may seem achievable, in practice, they have missed on delivering on promises consistently over the last decade.

What does that mean moving forward?

We shall see. Microsoft has a great opportunity with the product it is currently developing, currently "named" Windows 7. But to make this a successful product, if Microsoft wants to be bold in the promises it makes for this product, they had better make sure they deliver.

Already, Apple and the Linux community are starting to make inroads on the Microsoft domination. Each time that Microsoft fails to deliver what it promises, someone will be there waiting to pounce. Apple has already begun a move to start supporting Intel architecture, an arena previously dominated by Microsoft. And Linux, though it still has a long way to go, is becoming easier to use and may soon move from being the operating system of hobbyist to being user friendly. All that it would take for that to happen to Linux is hardware support for the community from the manufacturers, and Linux could launch a revolution.

Still, with the strength of the other Microsoft products available, it would seem reasonable to assume that the software giant is not going to collapse anytime soon. Time will tell what will happen there. Who knows. Maybe someone will step up and guide them to greater success.

The clock is ticking. The world is waiting to see what will happen now.