A Sinking Ship or a Rising Phoenix?

So I was just reading an article on Tech Republic defending Microsoft's support of open source technology.  The article illustrated ten points that showed a large amount of Microsoft technology the company has open sourced.  Looking at that, and the statement the article made about Microsoft now being on of the top twenty contributors to Linux, it seems like open source is the new motto at Microsoft.

But there was another company that once aspired yo reach the top of the world, and failed.  In its death throws, that company, one Sun Micro systems, decided that it would make a sort of bid for immortality, turning almost all of software offerings into open source products.

Now, I'm not saying I think Microsoft is going anywhere, or that they have any plans to sell, but neither did Sun, and now they're gone.  The point I'm really driving at is maybe this is a last effort to stay relevant, or maybe a shot at something greater.

To argue against the Sun comparison, I will point out two major differences that Microsoft has from what Sun did.  Microsoft has money, and they have better PR than Sun did.

The money thing should speak for itself.  The PR thing, that where Sun really failed.  Almost no one knew that Sun was dying.  If Microsoft suddenly disappeared, people would notice.

So make your own decision, if Microsoft setting up to sink or soar?

Big, Bad Meanie

     So, Microsoft is buying Skype.  This seems to have a lot of people up in arms about how Microsoft will kill yet another great part of the computing experience.  But honestly, does anyone really believe that Microsoft is still the big, bad meanie they once were.  What with lost market share in the mobile phone industry, the internet browser department, search engine, and in personal computer sales(thanks to Apple), I personally believe that Microsoft is having to put on a much nicer public face.  Times are changing.
     How I see the Skype purchase going is like this: Microsoft will leave it alone.  Right now Microsoft is looking for something that will bring in steady revenue.  Relying sole on the sale of software that moves in five-to-ten year cycles won't work in the future.  People have come to adopt new technology much quicker as prices have fallen and the market has saturated with competing products at lower prices.  This is where Microsoft has been hurting.
     To top that off, they have taken some major hits in what products they produce.  In the last year they have had to trim their company by quite a bit.  A lot of good talent was lost, and that makes Microsoft eager to regain some of their status in the computing world.
     So, I would have to say that I think the purchase of Skype will be in the best interests of Microsoft if they just leave it as it is.  Skype already has a huge customer base, and that means that they already have the ability to generate revenue.
     The only casualty I can see coming from this is the loss of support for the Linux variant of Skype.  It a long shot though, so I'm not really worried.

Lame Product Blocking

     I can't believe Microsoft is still at it.  In an attempt to block further advancement with their competitors, Microsoft is blocking the download of the Firefox 4 beta in IE8.  If you try and download the beta through IE8, it throws up a nasty looking warning message stating that the beta is malicious software.
     I could understand if this warning popped on some dodgy site in the dark alleys of the internet, but this is the site of one of Microsoft's largest opponents in the browser business.  How do they justify this?  I would love to hear the explanation.  I'm just sick of over controlling corporations insisting that their product is the only one you can use.
     Here at Digital Fruit, we will work with, and service, products from any other software or hardware vendor.  We may make our own, but we are first and foremost a customer service business.

Kin Dies, Xbox Next?

     So, with the death of the Pink project, and Microsoft's new Kin mobile phone, the world seems a little less Microsoft, or at least a little less under their control.  And what with the "re-organization" of the entertainment department within Microsoft, its starting to make this blogger wonder what is really going on in the land of home entertainment from old MS.
     So, with all of this stirring and controversy, I get the feeling something is going to happen to the precious Xbox system that Microsoft has clung to for so long.  Its been reported since the first Xbox system came out that it wasn't making the company money, but it really caught on here in the states(international sales were something of a different matter).
     But I'm not sure what Microsoft is doing.  Are they pulling the plug on the Xbox project to pool their financial resources against a greater foe, say Apple or Google?  Or are they cutting the other areas in a hope to re-address the Xbox and focus on something that the public seems to want out of the entertainment department?  Either plan would seem to benefit the company, and they certainly can afford to keep at the fight with the Xbox.  I'm looking forward to seeing how this develops, either way it plays out.