they pivoted a few times since then in terms of what their core product is, though :D

rolandog 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Indeed... Their core product seems to be being an unavoidable blackhole of money where they are taxing all of society by virtue of inserting themselves into our lives by having acquired or squashed other competitors

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Dansvidania 3 hours ago | parent [-]

I agree, but I think their hold on the monopoly is starting to erode, what with the gaming on linux momentum and all.

What else is there that _needs_ windows?

	▲	saaaaaam 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		A bunch of things like Nuclear submarines (which I think still run on Windows NT?) and gas turbines and things I think. And then, presumably, their downstream supply chains and integration tooling and yadda yadda. Every time I am in a railway station it seems that digital signage runs on Windows, because the digital signs are always throwing errors. None of this stuff needs windows but most of the time I guess no one is going to switch away because they are all so embedded, and it requires work and a bunch of people to make a decision. Maybe the Windows execs were just modelling how they hoped corporate culture would look in their perfect customer. Which is why it’s nice when the Swiss and French and so on ditch Windows for more open alternatives.

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saaaaaam 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

But did they get any better at putting out fires by committee?

Or are there still groups of Microsoft employees saying “I saw a fire extinguisher in Bob’s office the other day. He was using it as footrest. I told Magda to warn him about the health and safety but she said it was Julian’s job… and the guy who pays for them to be filled and tested left three years ago and no one replaced him, so it probably doesn’t work anyway.”