But a comparison between Apple and Microsoft isn't completely fair. Microsoft is a software company, it develops platforms that are widely expandable by third parties and Microsoft software works well with thousands of products from thousands of companies (even though Microsoft hasn't always played well with others). Apple, on the other hand, doesn't play well with others. They develop their own hardware that is fully integrated with their software which makes programs easy to use.
I'll get this out of the way now, I loath Apple. I don't like having to buy their hardware, which is often a generation or two behind the PC market, at horribly marked up prices. I don't like Apple's DRM policies. I don't like the O.S. interface. But above all, I hate the one button mouse. Well now that we know I'm a little biased, we can continue.
Bill Gates took a simple idea and made himself the richest man on the planet with it. Make computers available to everyone. But Bill wasn't the only founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen was there. Paul was less influential at Microsoft and was no longer active at the company by 2000. Bill shaped the company and it often said that he had a clear vision from the start. Bill executed that vision with some ruthless business tactics and his company was even found guilty of anti-trust laws (even though these findings increased the price of software for consumers). But Bill alone is not Microsoft. The company is simply too big, nearly 90,000 employees in 105 countries. No one person could organize everything on that scale. Microsoft has made a rather smooth transition from the era of Bill. Steve Ballmer took over the CEO chair back in 2000 and Bill left the Chief Software Architect last June. Microsoft has changed some of its focus but, in my opinion, that is a good thing. Bill believed that computers would be in every part of our lives and while I agree with him, it won't be for some time. Microsoft's efforts are better placed on the Internet and easy to use software available on phones and other small personal computers. These will evolve overtime into an integrated network of computers that we use everyday and Microsoft needs to be the software platform of choice. I want to see more development of the Live Anywhere platform Microsoft has been talking about for some time now. The most important thing is staying the software platform of choice no matter where the market goes.
Apple's boss Steve Jobs has been having health troubles lately and this has caused fear in both investors and consumers. With Steve gone, will the company be able to maintain its focus on market shaping products? Steve has been credited with turning around but is also know for his rash and abrasive management techniques. But it is clear that Steve's focus on user products has helped Apple with huge market share gains. The must have products, such as the iPod and iPhone (which I want really bad), get people hooked on the brand. When you buy and iPod, why not get a Macbook pro to go with it? Apple is more then a computer company now, it's a culture. And this is working well for the company and I'm not sure anyone but Steve would've been able to pull this off. But Apple's restrictive ways might be its' downfall. Apple doesn't believe in the small portable and most importantly cheap netbook computers. Hopefully Apple will be flexible enough to expand into a wide range of markets and, as always, make some market shaping products in those markets.
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