Must Be Memo-Leaking Time

David Card | November 09, 2005, 11:36 AM

Whoops, better remind everybody that Microsoft's still relevant, since the "Live" announcements got such little pickup. I guess it's time to leak a BillG memo, and one from Ray Ozzie, for added heft. Colleague Michael Gartenberg calls it deja vu, and links to a site where you can actually read the memos. It's a little generous to call this proactive, though. I'll just add, Told Ya!

They point to a variety of threats to Microsoft's Windows and Office franchises, from advertising-supported Internet businesses like those being pursued by Google and Yahoo to, as Mr. Gates notes, a new "grass-roots adoption and popularization model" that has made it easier for start-up companies to reach large audiences at low cost.

The document written by Mr. Ozzie, titled "The Internet Services Disruption," criticizes Microsoft for moving too slowly to capitalize on technologies it developed and for failing to capitalize on industry trends.

UPDATED: Colleague Joe Wilcox is more thoughtful than my snark.