Barney's Blog

Blog archive

Do Top MS Execs Stifle Innovation?

This all may be sour grapes, but an ex-Redmond exec now claims that other Redmond execs are more concerned with holding back competition than taking risks and innovating.

Dick Brass (now that's a great name for a guy who likes to take shots) wrote an editorial in The New York Times arguing that Microsoft's biggest groups, Office and Windows, care more about protecting their turf than breaking new ground.

While this might seem like the typical complaints of an ex-employee, Brass seems reasonable, and his very public comments should be a wake-up call. With immense sales and profits, Microsoft should take more risks -- and, in particular, channel more of its R&D efforts into real products.

Is Brass right or wrong? Share your thoughts by writing [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on February 10, 2010


Featured

  • Report: Cost, Sustainability Drive DaaS Adoption Beyond Remote Work

    Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service reveals that while secure remote access remains a key driver of DaaS adoption, a growing number of deployments now focus on broader efficiency goals.

  • Windows 365 Reserve, Microsoft's Cloud PC Rental Service, Hits Preview

    Microsoft has launched a limited public preview of its new "Windows 365 Reserve" service, which lets organizations rent cloud PC instances in the event their Windows devices are stolen, lost or damaged.

  • Hands-On AI Skills Now Outshine Certs in Salary Stakes

    For AI-related roles, employers are prioritizing verifiable, hands-on abilities over framed certificates -- and they're paying a premium for it.

  • Roadblocks in Enterprise AI: Data and Skills Shortfalls Could Cost Millions

    Businesses risk losing up to $87 million a year if they fail to catch up with AI innovation, according to the Couchbase FY 2026 CIO AI Survey released this month.