You have to take both sides with a gain of salt. Obviously the first guy stated he worked as MS before but upon leaving he had troubles getting them to cooperate with them. The other guy however is a clear PR guy for Microsoft so you're not going to get any negative comments out of him.

Frankly, I've heard both sides of the coin a million times, from people who've worked for the company, still work at the company and people who just hate them period. From what I can tell, his main point that MS lacks a real 'true system of innovation' is sort of right...but only half right. They spend billions (yes billions) on R&D a year, but many reports, including MS itself, will show you that much of that R&D goes to established properties including WIndows, Office, etc. In recent years the higher ups have done a 180 and have tried to steer the company away from that, trying to get the company to focus on new markets such as web searching (Bing), game consoles (XBOX), music apps and music (zune and accessories), and a host of other products in development. However, as we've seen these products are either still relatively small or getting killed by other companies. And the argument can be made that its partially because Microsoft both doesn't know how to handle them and because Microsoft isn't putting as much behind them as the companies who focus entirely on those items.  Because eventhough they're putting a lot more money into these ventures now, the majority of money still goes into their established ventures like Windows, Office, Excel, etc (look what just came out, a whole new OS called WIndows 7).

In short, Microsoft is the king of Operating Systems because they focused on them and created a solid operating system. And Apple is king of MP3 players...cuz they focus on those. Microsoft doing a quick 180 and trying to come out with a competing media device isn't going to overthrow ipod and Apple. It didn't work for Sony.

dick brass was very right on that stuff

i love their comebacks, rang pretty hollow

running Twitter, Facebook, or any other services via a browser will never count as a dedicated service nor a service to gloat about. I'm sorry it just doesnt work that way. When the iPhone was first released, it was never really praised for its integrated Safari browser, it was praised for the APP store and the apps that was available to the public. NOBODY uses Facebook via the Safari browser, its all done straight through the app. As far as I'm concerned accessing an online service via a browser, isnt something to state, "yeah we were the console to have it first." Yeah tell the world its got a browser, but its given to access any online content, so its not the same thing as a dedicated app. Almost everything has an integrated browser, even dated phones, I didnt hear any of them get praised for accessing an online social service via its browser? No I didnt think so! It just doesnt make any sense whatsoever to say we have Facebook and Twitter, when its all done via the browser! Here's an example, SKY on the Xbox 360 isnt the same as SKY via the browser on the PS3 or the Wii or the PC or the Mac or the public phone booths with browsers.

Everything today is pretty much application orientated, all the new phones, tablets, etc are pushing apps! Using a browser isnt what you call a dedicated service.

With regards to the EyeToy comment, ridiculous as it sounds, the EyeToy isn't the same thing as Project Natal, it doesnt even come in the same vicinity as project Natal. I tell you what the EyeToy is equivalent to, is the Xbox 360 Live Vision Camera. You cant compare the Live camera to Project Natal, like you can only be insane to compare the unsophisticated tech that the Eyetoy possesses! Just because you can dance around in front of the camera, without a controller, doesnt mean its the same as Natal, doesnt make any sense, lol. Great for 7 years ago, good starting point, but not even close to the same thing that Natal offers, its that simple!

I read just a week ago that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is donating $10 billion over the next decade to vaccine research (after already donating $4.5 billion) and now I'm reading a post that is basically belittling the guy's philanthropy?  How about the $1.5 billion they gave to the United Negro College Fund for scholorships for minority students?  Also do you really think that Warren Buffet would be giving billions of dollars and eventually the bulk of his money to that foundation if it was basically just teaching people how to you Microsoft products?  Feel free to hate Microsoft and Bill Gates all you want but at least have the decency to give the man some credit for his philanthropy.

They make a lot more money on windows. Gaming is one of the least important divisions to them

DICK got owned ^_^!!

You don't know what the fuck you're talking about, so do a little research next time before posting something this stupid.

from what I understand this kind of shit is less and less of a problem as more and more of Microsoft adopt the Xbox Team's stance... inovation at a much more rapid, but controlled pace and I also think that the division is probably the best place to move a new idea into... a place where your idea can go from start to release in less than a year depending on it's scale

Interesting piece, a change of pace from the usual way these types of topics are presented.

That statement has been true of Microsoft since day one.....please read the quote from Bill Gates under my Av