This HHHH strategy phrase is made up by these lawyers. It's not like the Microsoft version their mimicking where Microsoft actually said it. It makes the headline misleading like it alleges they said it internally as their strategy.

>Microsoft actually said it

Not quite

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49400754

My local grocery chain does the same HHHH strategy:

1. Get new customers 2. Retain them as customers 3. Track what the customers do 4. Keep internal operations confidential

Honestly I dislike them but they are the closest store to me.