Microsoft will be making lots of calls to action at the upcoming PDC – probably no more so than in the field of desktop collaborative applications and Web Services designed to match recent offerings from Google and Yahoo. Googles new Desktop 2 is very very competitive – and threatens to become a runaway best seller on Microsofts desktop.
So no surprise Microsoft has released several APIs with MSN &Web Services connections to its developers and called for them to help add new services on the desktop to Microsoft applications. The strategy certainly makes sense – there is only one fly in the ointment. Back in July at its partners meeting in Minneapolis, Microsoft advised its ISV partners to stay clear of horizontal markets, convert to using Microsoft Widows Server systems and enter vertical markets by adding functionality to Microsoft programs. In short – become MicroSerfs.
So Microsofts calls for action may be picked up by corporate developers; but ISVs will be more likely working on just surviving in the hotly competitive SMB and business marketplaces – where significantly, Microsoft has also just announced a large set of new software initiatives designed to win it major market share positions in the Accounting, ERP, CRM, and other business software markets. This looks like the new Redmond Win-Win marketing – you program for us, We Win; we invade your markets, We Win.
(c) JBSurveyer 2005