4 ms·

My theory is that they're now a Cloud Services company with a bunch of legacy junk attached that they really don't know what to do with, kind of like a person w

My theory is that they're now a Cloud Services company with a bunch of legacy junk attached that they really don't know what to do with, kind of like a person who changed careers but can't let their old wardrobe go. Azure and everything in its orbit are the stars of the company now; Windows is more and more of a distraction and an expense that needs to find ways to fund itself since consumers aren't willing to pay for a desktop OS, much less for constant updates. The solution is to make the users the product that's for sale.

snozolli 2y ago
Windows is more and more of a distraction and an expense Is it? Or is it simply not the New Hotness with the biggest growth? If this source is to be believed, Windows accounted for almost $25 billion in 2022, up from $20 billion in 2018. To me, it sounds like the same problem that Microsoft has had for years: if it's not showing explosive growth, then it gets ignored.
- BeefWellington 2y ago
  Adjusting for inflation, those numbers suggest very minimal growth. But also, if you look at their 2023 report[1] it is contracting substantially: Windows revenue decreased $3.2 billion or 13% driven by a decrease in Windows OEM. Windows OEM revenue decreased 25% as elevated channel inventory levels continued to drive additional weakness beyond declining PC demand. Windows Commercial products and cloud services revenue increased 5% driven by demand for Microsoft 365. Some of that may be cyclical because hardware purchases went way up during the pandemic period and are coming back down to earth, but that doesn't matter anymore to stock value when investors are chasing quarterly or annual performance. [1]: https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar23/index.html https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar23/index.html
  - snozolli 2y ago
    Adjusting for inflation, those numbers suggest very minimal growth. Adjusting for inflation, that's still a two billion dollar increase. I wish I had problems like that. As for the rest, you're demonstrating my point. GGP talked about Windows being a "distraction and an expense" when it's still generating tens of billions in revenue. That's not a distraction and expense, that's a cornerstone.
exe34 2y ago
they could turn windows into a thin compatibility layer on Linux and open source that. they would never need to support it again.
- philistine 2y ago
  I fully believe at this point that Microsoft will port their GUI and APIs to Linux within the next 10 years.
  - hulitu 2y ago
    Which GUI ? They are busy reinventing it every couple of years since Win 2k.

snozolli 2y ago

Windows is more and more of a distraction and an expense Is it? Or is it simply not the New Hotness with the biggest growth? If this source is to be believed, Windows accounted for almost $25 billion in 2022, up from $20 billion in 2018. To me, it sounds like the same problem that Microsoft has had for years: if it's not showing explosive growth, then it gets ignored.

BeefWellington 2y ago
Adjusting for inflation, those numbers suggest very minimal growth. But also, if you look at their 2023 report[1] it is contracting substantially: Windows revenue decreased $3.2 billion or 13% driven by a decrease in Windows OEM. Windows OEM revenue decreased 25% as elevated channel inventory levels continued to drive additional weakness beyond declining PC demand. Windows Commercial products and cloud services revenue increased 5% driven by demand for Microsoft 365. Some of that may be cyclical because hardware purchases went way up during the pandemic period and are coming back down to earth, but that doesn't matter anymore to stock value when investors are chasing quarterly or annual performance. [1]: https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar23/index.html https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar23/index.html
- snozolli 2y ago
  Adjusting for inflation, those numbers suggest very minimal growth. Adjusting for inflation, that's still a two billion dollar increase. I wish I had problems like that. As for the rest, you're demonstrating my point. GGP talked about Windows being a "distraction and an expense" when it's still generating tens of billions in revenue. That's not a distraction and expense, that's a cornerstone.

exe34 2y ago

they could turn windows into a thin compatibility layer on Linux and open source that. they would never need to support it again.

philistine 2y ago
I fully believe at this point that Microsoft will port their GUI and APIs to Linux within the next 10 years.
- hulitu 2y ago
  Which GUI ? They are busy reinventing it every couple of years since Win 2k.