Customers await Sun-Microsoft integration

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There was a time when IBM was the bigest player on the street. That company survived an amazing series of transitions - from butcher scales and timecards through mainframes and DASD to PCs and a services-based organization. PCs and client/server in particular almost did IBM in.
Microsoft has successfuly negotiated exactly one (1) transition - from PCs to client/server. They almost missed the second - from client/server to the Internet. Across three to five year horizons their chosen market sets will morph at least one more time, and they very likely will not remain in a thought leadership role.
The oil companies held their breath as the world went from trains and ships to cars and planes. But nobody consults Big Oil about flying or driving; their input isn't sought, so they exert their control through the law and favorable tax policy. That will be Microsoft's next big role - influencing tax legislation to exact a favorable position as internet commerce infrastructure, possibly. Ready for it?
"We at Microsoft empower the little guy - if not for us, nobody would be able to be on the Internet. So why should we bear a disproportionate burden of the taxes on eBusiness? Let the big companies with the huge capital pay their fair share. Cut the litle guy a break."
So Microsoft supports tax policy based on relative coumpte power for e-comerce servers, and e-businesses see the tax advantages and move to fields of Wintel servers to secure the lowest rates, putting Big Iron out of business - at least in that growing segment.
Fantasy? Tax policy influenced by camel-owners led to the abandonment of the Roman roads, tax policy influenced by samauri led to mideval Japan abandoning gunpowder. Microsoft won't go away, but will become less of a leader and more of an expensive utility.

Posted by: wjmalik@...   Posted on: 05/12/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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