Like they were perfectly poised and in position to release a certain product, but somehow they didn't manage to do it and someone else created a product that looks like a no brainer in retrospect.

For example:

1 It really took dropbox to create an easy to use popular synced folder to keep files across devices? Windows had that shitty briefcase on desktops since Windows 95 and they couldn't evolve that product to beat dropbox to the punch?

2. App Store: For years I had to go to download.com to find a centralized location to find windows programs? You mean it never occurred to microsoft if they had a software store built into windows they could get a cut of that revenue?

3. Alexa-like voice assistant: Amazon had to convince people to buy something that microsoft already had in millions of peoples homes already, a computer with a microphone that could process voice commands (if it were listening)?

Alexa's a super interesting example because the same goes for all cellphone makers who didn't get out in front of Alexa (yeah you Siri) but Amazon was forced to go to a stand alone voice-driven device because it was shut out of desktops, laptops and phones (necesity is the mother of invention).

In all of these examples its not like microsoft couldn't have competed or didn't have the technical know how because they eventually saw what the upstart made obvious and put out a quick to market knockoff which didn't have the same impact.

Anyway, you might think I am talking nonsense but if you see what I am saying, got any other examples.


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"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

The chrome-style lightweight OS for simple browsing on a no frills laptop seems like something they should have dominated. They made Windows 8 instead.

and the idea of a repository for software? Yeah, that's a *nix thing. MS had to figure out its dll hell first (got around this with the SxS folder) before it could go down that route.

Haha. Good post.
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http://i.imgur.com/v2ye7l2.jpg

over stuff that's just routinely accepted nowadays.

Making IE a default browser? Basically everyone does something like that now. There's always the option of installing third-party browsers, probably in large part because of the precedent in the MS antitrust case. But if you're running Android you're probably using Chrome. If you're on an iphone you're probably using Safari. If you're working in Chrome OS it goes without saying that you're probably using the Chrome browser.

MS would have been raked over the coals if they ran their own app store in the early 2000s.

I was making the argument, maybe even around here, that MS shouldn't be allowed to use their monopoly in one aspect of the computing experience (the OS) to gain an unfair advantage in others (browser, office suite, email, media codecs, etc.). I still basically stand by that, but Google and Apple take their built-in advantages much farther than MS was ever able to.

They were rules a MONOPOLY. Different rules than if a non Monopoly does the same thing.

Microsoft had a lead on Apple to create an iTunes store but ignored it.

Microsoft should've had a popular mobile OS available from jump... matter of fact THEY HAD ONE AND DIDN'T USE IT.

They bought out Nokia only to waste it on their trash OS.

We shouldn't need an Apple TV when Xbox already had the lead into the living room but M$ blew it.

The Zune should've been more popular than it was launching earlier than the iPod.

Microsoft should've launched a tablet earlier than Apple.

Ditto for the education market that Google and Apple now fight over.

Chromebooks should've exist since Microsoft had a lead there with netbooks earlier but blew it.

Should I continue?