Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era

By Mary Jo Foley

Book Overview

Does Bill Gates's retirement consign Microsoft to the corporate retirement home as well? Mary Jo Foley doesn't think so. Her 25 years of Microsoft-watching provides a unique vantage point from which to speculate on how Microsoft might write its next chapter. Identifying signposts and interpreting clues she knows well, Foley offers a thought-provoking view of the software giant's post-Gates future. Don't be surprised to be surprised.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0470191384
• ISBN13: 9780470191385
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 285 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A must-read for any Microsoft Watcher worth their salt

Few people have covered Microsoft longer and more consistently than Mary Jo Foley (besides maybe Ed Bott). A couple of weeks ago, MJ sent me a copy of her new book Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era (PS, thanks for the mention in the Acknowledgements, MJ), and I thought it would be appropriate to get my review online this week, before BillG finishes cleaning out his desk. Microsoft 2.0 is a look deep inside the bowels of the Beast, from a perspective that only Mary Jo can provide. But don't expect a sweeping fictional narrative of Microsoft's future, this is a fact-based, thorough (though at times a tad dry) walkthrough of virtually every aspect of Microsoft's business. Foley leaves no stone unturned, and no business model unexplored. Aside from some brief parts about the on again-off again-on again-off again-on again Microhoo nonsense saga (which she later explained in a blog post), MJ does very little prognostication. Most of that is because Microsoft made the extremely unwise decision to instruct MS employees not to cooperate with her interview requests. Its really too bad, because they could have had the opportunity to inject a lot of insight to a book that is getting a lot of coverage in the wake of Gates' departure this week. But I guess if Microsoft was able to clearly define their strategy to the public, there would be less of a need for this book to fill in the gaps, so I guess it is a Catch-22. But, this is the real reason for her approach, in her own words: [Some of my colleagues] wanted e to make the case that Microsoft has lost its Evil Empire crown and soon will become nothing more than a footnote in the tech industry. And they wanted me to go to the trite "narrative nonfiction" route, putting "likely" dialog in 'Softies mouths, to do so. I can't do it. I find that style of writing affected and offensive, for one. But more importantly,that's not how I see things evolving. Yes, Microsoft is at a crossroads. But to me, crossroads isn't synonymous with dead. I know not everyone agrees. Just when you think its over, MJ pulls out some cards she must have kept in the vest for a very long time: never-before-published memos outlining among other things, Windows Live "Wave 3" planning, Steven Sinofsky's reasons for not involving customers earlier in the development process, and Kevin Johnson's Reorg memo. Where most tech reporters have a cursory understanding of the practices and technologies that make up Microsoft's business, she shows that even standing from the front gates, she can still dig into the truth. Just think what she could have done with Microsoft's backing... she could have done a better job articulating Microsoft's strategy than Microsoft has been able to do for the past 2 years. The bottom line is, you can pay fifteen hundred bucks for a subscription to Directions on Microsoft, or you can spend fifteen bucks and buy Microsoft 2.0. IMO, the latter will get you the best value. MJ

Thought Provoking Insights

Do you work at Microsoft, at one of their partners, or competitors? Own their stock? Then this book is for you. Most people count Microsoft out in the age of Google and the Web, but not Mary Jo Foley. She writes an honest, fair, and balanced book on where Microsoft is headed based on their current trajectory and her knowledge from covering the company for 20 years. Mary Jo takes you on a tour of who the new players are in the post Bill era (and there are some surprises) as well as gives detail on the current product line and what they mean in the "Web 2.0" era. Then she focuses her attention on products and services under development and how they fit into the new era. She has done a great job peering into the future with her predictions on future directions and business models for Microsoft. This is a great read and an important book for anyone who deals with Microsoft, friend of foe. (Tip, read the footnotes, there are great nuggets of information in them!)

Nailed It

Mary Jo Foley did a great job of explaining the depth and the breadth of challenges that face Microsoft as they plan for the future. I believe the analysis and insights were very objective and thorough. It makes you realize just how many different fronts Microsoft is involved in. I think what makes this book so fun to read is that it looks at Microsoft from so many different angles and helps you to realize just how big, important, and how multi-faceted Microsoft really is. I also really enjoyed the insight into the Microsoft culture and into the different key individuals at Microsoft.

A complete picture of Microsoft

When I heard that Mary Jo Foley was writing a book on the future of Microsoft, I of course became intersted. Why? Because there's no doubt that Mary Jo Foley is the most connected journalist covering Microsoft today (or ever) and as a result she has a unique, holistic perspective on Microsoft as well as a common sense writing style that magically converts are all-too-often cloudy technical descriptions into plain english. What's unique about the book is that this isn't a mud-slinger or a long narrative about the history of the company, but rather the empty canvas that is the future of Microsoft. Even as a Microsoft employee, I found myself learning about new incubation project that I had never heard of (ex: Dryad) and considering the implications of that technology on the future of Microsoft. If you're interested in a thoughtful examination of the trends, products, and people that will shape Microsoft's future, then buy this book.

An insightful look at where Microsoft goes once Bill Gates moves on...

This is a book I've been looking forward to for some time... Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft Plans to Stay Relevant in the Post-Gates Era by Mary Jo Foley. Given her long track record in covering Microsoft in tech media, I was interested to know how she perceived the behemoth as they come to a critical juncture in their leadership. I personally think she did a very good job in touching on and analyzing all the different facets that make up Microsoft's efforts to stay relevant. Only a minor deduction for an assumption she had to make late in the game that didn't play out as many expected... :) Contents: Forward - The Microsoft 2.0 World (According to Mini-Microsoft) Acknowledgments Introduction - Microsoft 2.0 - Welcome to the New (Post-Gatesian) Microsoft Microsoft 1.0 - It Was All about Bill Microsoft 2.0 - The Buzzwords Microsoft 2.0 - The People Microsoft 2.0 - Products on the Near-Term Radar Screen Microsoft 2.0 - Big-Bet Products Microsoft 2.0 - Tried and True Business Models Microsoft 2.0 - Untried but Unavoidable Business Models Conclusion - On to Microsoft 3.0 Memos, Letters, and E-mails Annotated Reading List Index When you're trying to analyze a company as large as Microsoft *as it is still moving*, it's a difficult chore to commit words to page without having those same words become irrelevant (or even wrong) before the book sees the light of day. Many of the previous books on Microsoft try to tell the story of some past event, and at least have the ability to know that the story isn't going to change much. Foley had to look at the not-so-distant past, mix in the ever-changing present, and try to figure out what it all means for Microsoft once Bill Gates steps away from the company on July 1st, 2008. Given that nearly impossible task in book form, I think she accomplished what she set out to do. She's realistic in where Microsoft has succeeded and failed, without portraying an overwhelming bias as a fan-boy or hater of the company. Although the company would not grant her access to officials for this book, she has plenty of other sources to reveal little-known projects, plans, and experiments designed to keep Microsoft from constant reliance on the cash cows of Windows and Office. But it's painfully clear that Microsoft still continues (and will for the foreseeable future) to rely heavily on those two products to keep the ledger sheet green and to allow them to sink/waste vast amounts of money on other projects that still haven't panned out over time (like IPTV). After reading this book, you realize that Microsoft isn't dead, isn't irrelevant, and isn't going to go away overnight. However, they are at a critical point in their existence, where leadership, technology, and market forces are all combining to make the stakes higher than they've ever been. To Foley's credit, she doesn't come out and "predict" Microsoft's future. Far too many industry analysts attempt to do that on a daily basis, and continually fail. What s