Microsoft has a tendency to overdo things. It happened before with .NET around the 2000s. They started to call all of their product ending with .NET. Do you remember Windows Server.NET or Windows CE.NET? Now, they are back with overdoing other stuff such as secrecy, not listening and neglecting developers with Windows Phone and Windows 8. Hal nails it again:
Let me contrast three strategic thrusts going on at Microsoft. Windows, Windows Phone, and Azure. Windows and Windows Phone are in the “shut up and ship” camp. Azure is in the ENGAGE camp. It seems like every week Scott Guthrie is announcing new Azure technology previews or releases. Everything about Azure is exciting. Amazon, Salesforce, and a few others defined cloud computing. Azure is displacing them. It has the Big Mo. Let me make this clear, AZURE IS GOING TO WIN the cloud computing infrastructure and platform battle. Meanwhile Windows and Windows Phone continue to alienate their ecosystems. It is unclear if Windows Phone will ever amount to a significant third ecosystem. It is unclear that Windows will be able to halt an overall market share decline against IOS and Android tablets. Azure developers are excited. No, it’s beyond excitement. Windows and Windows Phone developers? Not so much. They are, at best, conflicted. Azure is doing platforms right. Windows and Windows Phone? They prefer to “shut up and ship”, even if it risks no one caring what they ship….
hal2020 – Now I Get It, the Consumer Guys at Microsoft Are Just Plain Wrong!