I make no secret of my opinion that Microsoft should never be allowed the dominance on any form factor that its enjoyed over the years on the desktop. After many years of introducing users to Linux and indeed other alternatives, it always amazed me that such simple features of Linux that I take for granted were seen as a huge benefit by those used to a Microsoft operating system. A solid stable experience, no need to battle malware and faster operations were but a few things that users coming from Windows mentioned when they had Linux introduced to them.
Today times are changing and despite what some might say, the traditional desktop is going. Thats great news for choice since we have Android and even Apple products offering users the experiences they want, that’s not good news for Microsoft who have, to be fair, struggled in almost every facet of new tech. Even the Xbox One has a derogatory name and it hasn’t been released yet.
Recently Microsoft announced that it was giving away free ebooks in multiple formats for users to download. These ebooks – surprise, surprise for Microsoft products. Good news? Well not in my opinion. Lets look back a few years at what Bill Gates had to say:
“They’ll get sort of addicted, and then we’ll somehow figure out how to collect sometime in the next decade.”
That was Bill Gates talking about piracy and taking Microsoft products for “free”. Now as we see people moving away from Microsoft is so many area’s, one has to wonder if this give-away is all about getting people “addicted” again.
I don’t think Microsoft has a belief in free. It’s actions if hidden under a banner of “free” are to lock you into an ecosystem of theirs “One Microsoft Way” or as Bill Gates said, “to get sort of addicted”
I think Microsoft knows that the new generation of customers, the ones in school or college are getting competitors products. Microsoft in my view can see that if left unchecked very shortly Microsoft will be an afterthought – Just look at the tablet and smartphone market now, Microsoft barely registers on the scale and has to get a living from Android “licenses” and if these form-factors are the mainstream of the future as the current market stands, Microsoft has a very small and unremarkable future.
I wouldn’t recommend people accepting anything for free from Microsoft, as in my view there’s always a price to be paid.
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