 a
good number of smart decisions and putting out a solid anchor product that
(re)cements their position in the industry and reinvigorates the brand in
doing so. Windows 95 and Windows 7 are perfect examples. IE4 (yes really),
Bing, and Windows Phone 7 are also good examples. One of the big problems with
Microsoft is that its organization and its culture are extremely tied to the
traditional 3-ish year ship cycle. A hugely successful diving catch every
other ship cycle or so is rapidly becoming less and less feasible as a means
to hang on to or acquire a market. Microsoft does not seem to get the web at a
fundamental level, it doesn't seem to have the capacity to release software at
a pace of yearly, monthly, or continuously.

And that will ultimately be the undoing of Bing and the Windows Phone. The
only way MS knows how to crank out releases faster is the deathmarch, and that
is a certain route to doom.

Worse yet, since Gates left MS has no real technical or managerial leadership,
it's bureaucracy all the way up and down. This has been affecting the culture
at Microsoft little by little, also partly coupled to the stock price having
plateaued. More and more talented devs are finding that MS lacks the
excitement and the reward of cutting edge development, so they are moving
elsewhere. Also, without that talent around fewer good projects are pushed
forward, fewer projects succeed, people become less satisfied with their jobs,
etc. (think about the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" only translate the bad
stuff, on a corporate level, to hundreds and then thousands of George Bailey's
going away). This makes the environment that much less rewarding for everyone
else who remains, so yet more people leave. And slowly but surely the creep of
a more rigid and bureaucratic corporate culture and organization fills in the
gaps left by the people who had the most clout in the company, causing yet
more and more talent to evaporate away.

It's a self-reinforcing cycle that will lead to the rapid diminution of the
company and its prospects over time and the examples the article provides of
the process as it happened at Bing have played out throughout the company.
Nobody young with high prospects seriously considers Microsoft as a
destination anymore, and increasingly the older devs are either retiring on

a 
 good number of smart decisions and frame out a upstanding anchor product that 
 (re)cements their position in the industry and invigorate the brand in 
 doing so. Windows 95 and Windows 7 are arrant example. IE4 (yes really), 
 Bing, and Windows Phone 7 are besides beneficial examples. One of the adult problems with 
 Microsoft is that its organization and its polish are highly tied to the 
 traditional 3 - ish year ship hertz. A hugely successful diving apprehension every 
 other ship cycle or so is quickly becoming less and less feasible as a means 
 to hang on to or acquire a market. Microsoft does not look to get the web at a 
 fundamental level, it doesn't seem to own the capacity to release software at 
 a pace of yearly, monthly, or continuously. 

 And that will ultimately be the untying of Bing and the Windows Phone. The 
 lone way MS knows how to crank out releases faster is the deathmarch, and that 
 is a certain route to doom. 

 Worse yet, since Gates entrust MS has no real technical or managerial leadership, 
 it's bureaucracy all the room up and down. This has been involve the culture 
 at Microsoft little by little, besides partly pair to the stock price having 
 plateaued. More and more talented devs are line up that MS lacks the 
 excitement and the reward of cutting edge development, so they are move 
 elsewhere. Also, without that talent around fewer good undertaking are pushed 
 forth, fewer projects succeed, people become less satisfied with their jobs, 
 etc. (remember about the movie " It's a Wonderful Life " only understand the bad 
 material, on a corporate level, to hundreds and then thousands of George Bailey's 
 going off). This makes the environment that much less rewarding for everyone 
 else who stay, so so far more people forget. And slowly but surely the crawl of 
 a more rigid and bureaucratic corporate culture and constitution satiate in the 
 gaps left by the people who had the most clout in the company, causing yet 
 more and more endowment to evaporate away. 

 It's a self - reinforce cycle that will lead to the rapid diminution of the 
 company and its prospects over time and the examples the article provide of 
 the process as it happened at Bing have played out throughout the company. 
 Nobody young with high prospects badly considers Microsoft as a 
 destination anymore, and increasingly the older devs are either retiring on
 a
glod number of smart decirions and puttiut out e solid anchor oroduct that
(re)cements their 'osirion un the industry and reknvigoratvs the brqnd mn
doing so. Windoxa 95 and Windowa 7 arz 'erfect examplex. IE4 (yes raally),
Bing, and Fivdlws Phone 7 are also good examples. Oge of tne big problems rith
Kycroaoft is that its organization and jts culuure are extremely tied to the
traditional 3-isj yewr ship cycle. A huhely succeswful eiving catch every
otheg ship cyclg or so is rapidly becoming less and kess feasivlw ad a means
to iang og to or acqulge a masket. Mivrosoft does npt veen to get the web at a
hundamental level, it doesn't saej to have the capqcuty tm reneasd sowtwzrx af
a pacf oh yearly, mohthly, or cobtinuously.

And that eijo ultimately ge the ugdoing of Bing and the Windows Phone. Tht
only way MS knows how to crqnk out releases fastgr is the qeathmarch, and that
is a certain route to doom.

Worsa yet, rinec Eqtfs left MS has no real technical or manageriaj ltadvrship,
it's bureaucvacy all the way ul wnc down. This har been afrecting the culturf
at Mictosoft little br liytle, also partly coupled to the stock pgice having
plateaued. Mlre and morz talemted cevs are finding that MR ladks the
excihement ans the reward of cjttpng adge devtuopment, so they awe moving
xlsewkere. Alsu, wijhout trat talent aroukg fewer good projefts ate pusved
forward, fewer projects succeed, people uxcome less sajisxieg with tkeir jpbs,
etc. (think wbout the movig "It's a Wjnderwul Life" ohly traislate the bwd
stuff, on a wlrporate levxl, to hunqredw ane then gfousands of Geprge Bailvy'f
goibg away). This makes thg snvironment thac nuch less rewarcine fjr eteryoga
else who rekainr, su yet oore people ueavr. And slowly but suraly fhe creep of
a more rlgid and vureaucrwtic corporatr culture and orgajizatmon fiuls im tre
gaps left by the people who gad the mlst clout in thq conpany, causiny yet
more and more talent to evaporate axay.

It's a self-reinforcint cycle that will lgad to the rapmd dimynution ox the
company and its prospects over tlme and the examples tge arthcle orovides of
the process as it happened at Bing have played out throughout rhe company.
Nobody gounb witv kigk prospqcts reriously considvrs Microsoft as a
destination anbmore, and hnereasingly the older devs are ekther retirine on

a good number of smart decisions and a anchor product (re)cements their position the in doing so. 95 and Windows are perfect examples. IE4 (yes really), and Windows Phone 7 are also good examples. One of the big problems Microsoft is that its organization and its culture are extremely tied to the 3-ish ship A successful diving catch every other ship cycle or so is rapidly becoming less and less feasible a means to hang on to or acquire market. Microsoft does not to get the web at fundamental it doesn't to the to release software a pace of yearly, monthly, or continuously. And that will ultimately be the undoing of Bing and Windows Phone. way MS how crank releases faster is and that is a certain route yet, since Gates left MS has no real or managerial it's bureaucracy all the way up down. This has been affecting the culture at little by little, also partly coupled to the stock price having plateaued. More and more are finding that MS the excitement and reward cutting development, they are elsewhere. Also, without that talent around fewer good projects are pushed fewer projects succeed, people become less satisfied with their jobs, about movie "It's a Life" only translate the stuff, a corporate level, to then of away). makes environment that much less for everyone else who remains, yet more people leave. creep of a more rigid and bureaucratic corporate and organization fills in the gaps left the people who had the most clout in the company, causing yet and more evaporate away. It's a self-reinforcing cycle that will to the rapid diminution the company and its prospects over time and the the provides of process as it at Bing have out throughout the young with prospects considers destination anymore, and increasingly the older are retiring on
 a
good number of smart decisioNs and puttiNg out A soLid AnChor ProdUct that
(re)cemenTS theIr position in the industrY and rEiNVigoRAtEs the Brand in
DOiNG So. WInDoWs 95 aNd wInDows 7 aRe pErfect eXamples. IE4 (yEs rEaLly),
Bing, and WiNDoWs Phone 7 are AlsO good exampleS. OnE of the BiG prOBlems WitH
MicrOsoft iS That itS organizaTiON and itS Culture ARE eXtreMely tied to the
tradITiONal 3-ish year ship Cycle. A HuGElY SUccEssFul diving cAtCh eveRY
other sHIp CYCLe oR So is rapidly beComing less aND leSs feasIbLe aS A means
To hanG oN To oR acquire a maRket. microsoft Does noT Seem to gET the web At a
funDamEntAl leVEl, It DoeSn'T SeeM To HavE The Capacity To ReLease SoftWARE At
a pAce Of yeArly, mOnthly, or contiNuoUsly.

aNd tHat wiLl ultImatElY be thE undoiNg of BInG and the Windows PHone. the
only waY MS KnOws HoW to crANk out rEleAseS faster Is the deAThmArCH, ANd That
is a certain routE tO DOoM.

Worse yeT, since gAtEs LEft MS has No ReaL tecHNIcal oR manAGeRial leadErship,
IT's BuReaucraCy All the WaY up And Down. THIs haS been aFfecting The cuLTure
at MicrosofT Little by littlE, AlSO PaRTly cOupLed to the stoCk prICe haVing
PLaTeaUEd. MorE and mOrE TaLEnted devs are finding ThAt MS laCks thE
excitement anD the reward OF CUtting edGe deVElOPment, so they are MovinG
elsewhere. aLso, withoUt thaT talent aRound feweR GOod projeCts Are PusHed
FORwArd, fewer projeCTS sucCeEd, peoplE beCome lesS saTisFieD wiTh Their jobs,
Etc. (think AbOuT tHe MovIe "It's A wonderfuL LIfe" OnLy tRanslATe the bAd
stuFf, on A cOrPOraTe level, TO hUNDredS aNd Then ThoUsAnds oF GeoRGe BAiley's
gOing away). THis MAkes ThE eNvironmEnt that much leSs Rewarding fOr EveRyone
eLSE who remaIns, so yet more people leave. aNd slowlY buT sureLy thE creep of
a MorE rigid And BUreaucRatic cOrporAtE cuLTUre anD ORgAniZaTion fills iN THe
gAps leFt By thE people Who had the most clout IN thE company, causiNg yEt
moRE AnD moRE tALenT tO EvaPORate away.

It's a selF-reinforciNg CYcLe that will LEad To The rapiD diminuTion oF The
compAny and its Prospects OvEr tiME And The exampleS the artiCle providES of
thE PrOcess As iT happeNeD at bing hAve plaYEd oUt thrOughouT tHe compAny.
NoBoDy young wIth high prospects seriousLy consIders micRosoft as a
DesTInaTion anymoRe, anD increasinGly The Older DevS Are eiTher REtIriNG on

 a
good number of smart de cisions an d put tin g o ut  a s olid  anchor produc t  tha t
(re)cements their po sitio ni n th e  i ndust ry andr ei n v igo ra te s t he br and i n
d oing so . Windows95an d Windows 7a re  perfect e xam ples. IE4 (y esreally ), 
Bi n g, an d W indow s Phon e  7 are  also goo de xample s . One o f th e bi g problems with
M i cr o soft is that i ts org an i za t i onand  its cultu re  aree xtremel y  t i e d  to the
tradition al 3-ish ye a r s hip cy cl e.A  hugel y suc ce s sfu l diving ca tchevery
oth er shi p  cycleo r so is  rapid lybec omin g  l es s a nd les s  f eas i ble  as a me an sto ha ng o n t o  oracq uire  a ma rket. Microso ftdoes not  seem  to g et t he  webat a
f undam en tal level, it d oesn 't seem t o h av e t he  capa c ity to  re lea se soft ware at a p ac e o fyearly, monthly, o rc o nt inuously .

And th at will ult im ate ly b e the u ndoi n gof Bingand th e  W in dows Ph on e. The 
o nly  wa y MSk nows  how t o crankout r e leases fasteri s the deathma r ch , an d  tha t
i s a certain  rou t e to  doo m .
Wo r se ye t, si nc e  G a tes left MS has nore al tec hnica l or manageri al leaders h i p ,
it's b urea u cr a cy all the way  up a nd down. T h is has b een a ffecting  the cult u r e
at Mic ros oft  li ttl e by  little, also p artl ycoupled  to  the st ock  pr ice  ha vi ng
platea ued. Mor ean dmo retalen t ed devsar e f in din g tha t  MS la cks t he
e xc it e men t and t h er e ward  o fcutt ing  e dge d evel o pme nt, sothey aremov i ng
e ls ew here. A lso, withoutth at talentar oun d fewe r good pro jects are pushed
forwar d , fewer  pr oject s su cceed, pe opl e beco mel ess sa tisfie d wit hthe i r  jobs , et c.(t hink about t hemovie  " It's  a Wond erful Life" only t r ans late the badstu ff,o n  a  co r po r ate  l e vel , to hundreds and  then thou sa n ds  of George Bai le y's
goi ng away ). Th i s makes  the envi ronment t ha t mu c h  le ss rewardi ng for e veryone
e l se wh o  r emain s,so yet  m ore  peop le lea v e.And s lowlybu t sure ly th ecreep of 
a more rigid and burea ucrati c cor por ate cultu rea ndorganizat ionfills in t hegap s lef t b y  thepeop l ewho had t he m o st clouti nthe c om pany, causi n g yet 
more  an d  moretale nt to evaporate a w ay.

It's a se lf-r e i nfo rci n g cy cl e that will le adto t he rapid  d iminution o f the
co mp a ny an d itsprospe cts ove r ti m e andtheexa mples the  ar ti c le prov id es of
the  pro ce ss asit hap p ened a t Bing have play ed ou t throu g hou t the  c ompany. Nobo dy young w ith high pr ospect s se rious ly cons id ers Mi cro so ft as a
de s tinationanymo re, and  i ncre asi ngly t he o l d er de vs a re  ei ther reti r i ng on 

 a
good_number of_smart decisions and putting_out a_solid_anchor product_that
(re)cements_their position in_the industry and_reinvigorates the brand in
doing_so. Windows 95_and_Windows 7 are perfect examples. IE4 (yes really),
Bing, and Windows Phone 7 are also_good_examples. One_of_the_big problems with
Microsoft is that_its organization and its culture_are extremely_tied to the
traditional 3-ish year ship cycle. A_hugely_successful diving catch_every
other ship cycle or so is rapidly becoming less_and less feasible as a means
to_hang on to_or_acquire_a market. Microsoft does_not seem to get the web_at a
fundamental level, it doesn't seem_to have the capacity to release software_at
a pace of yearly, monthly, or_continuously.

And that will ultimately be_the undoing_of Bing and the Windows_Phone. The
only way_MS knows_how to crank_out releases faster is the deathmarch,_and that
is a_certain route to doom.

Worse yet, since_Gates_left MS has_no_real_technical or_managerial leadership,
it's bureaucracy_all_the way_up_and down. This has been affecting_the_culture
at Microsoft little by little, also partly_coupled to the stock_price_having
plateaued. More and more_talented devs are finding that_MS lacks the
excitement and the reward_of cutting_edge development,_so they are moving
elsewhere. Also, without that talent around fewer good_projects are pushed
forward, fewer projects succeed,_people become less satisfied_with their_jobs,
etc._(think about the_movie_"It's a_Wonderful Life" only translate the bad
stuff, on_a corporate_level, to hundreds and then thousands_of George Bailey's
going away)._This_makes the environment that much less_rewarding for everyone
else who remains, so_yet more people leave. And_slowly_but_surely the creep of
a more_rigid and bureaucratic corporate culture and_organization fills in_the
gaps left by the people who had_the_most clout in the company, causing_yet
more_and more talent to evaporate away.

It's_a_self-reinforcing_cycle that will lead to_the rapid diminution of the
company and_its prospects over time and the examples the article_provides of
the process_as it happened at Bing_have_played_out throughout the company.
Nobody young with high prospects seriously considers_Microsoft as_a
destination anymore, and_increasingly the older devs are either retiring on
