Leaked Memo Gives Microsoft New Direction?

daria42 writes "An e-mail memo sent from Microsoft chairman Bill Gates to top execs at Microsoft has been leaked, revealing the executive wants his company to hurriedly change its focus and start to tap online advertising and services as new revenue sources. In the e-mail, Gates cites another, earlier memo, sent from MS exec Ray Ozzie, in which Ozzie also warns MS of the importance of focusing on the online medium. 'It's clear that if we fail to do so, our business as we know it is at risk,' Ozzie wrote. 'We must respond quickly and decisively. We should've been leaders with all our web properties in harnessing the potential of Ajax, following our pioneering work in OWA (Outlook Web Access),' he continued. 'We knew search would be important, but through Google's focus they've gained a tremendously strong position.'"

Comments

...A little late (after Halloween?)

[charleyb123]

Wasn't this supposed to be leaked on Halloween?

Re:...A little late (after Halloween?)

[dascandy]

Thank you. Now they're going to be known as the Late Memoes.

Yeah....

[Capt James McCarthy]

"Leaked."

investor: "Wow, Microsoft is really going to push that online stuff. Let me call my broker."

Re:Yeah....

[Mysticalfruit]

I agree. This is an ideology game. However, MS is in a tight spot.

They turn on the TV and they see Sun and Google standing up on stage saying into the mic "The age of Microsoft Office has come to an end!"

Now, microsoft could hold their own press confence and reply with "Um, not it's not!" but (as their PR firm rightly pointed out) that would make them look reactionary (which MS is)

Instead their PR firm said, "What you need todo is write up a memo discussing the Sun-Google partnership regarding the longstanding innovative stragetic work you've been doing on the Windows/Office side. Make sure you word it so that when people read it, they'll think you've actually got a plan and a strategy!"

"Then what we'll do is downsample the thing via progressive photocopying and then we'll fax it to a couple of trade mags from random locations through the city and we'll right stuff like 'The world needs to know about this!!!' with a black marker in the margin"

Gates responded with "Great idea!" the PR firm then gave him that look... he pressed a small little red button on the edge of his desk and a large sack of money fell into the trunk of a waiting car by the loading dock.

If it was posted on Slashdot....

[Doc Squidly]

...It must be true. Everyone knows that you can't fake an email.

Re:Next up

[GFPerez]

Slashdotters will be in pure state of joy when the next leaked memo says something like "...as I read in Slashdot, said by SilverspurG, we need to do this, this and this..."

And Linux

[Silver Sloth]

Do what you want and do it as well as you can (with a little help from your friends)

Advertising?

[Fear the Clam]

At last, Microsoft decides to specialize in annoying people as opposed to just dabbling in it as a sideline.

Re:Next up

[MyLongNickName]

Gates, Ballmer, Ozzie, et al: I'm going to give you a hint which will help you. I'm not supposed to do this because I'm a Linux fanatic but I'm going to do it anyway because you seem to be retarded and it makes me feel good inside to help those who are less fortunate than I am.

It is amazing how all the brilliant people are living in their mom's basement, posting on slashdot, while all the retards start and grow multi-billion dollar companies. if only the man wouldn't keep us down...

Re:Next up

[jkrise]

Slashdotters will be in pure state of joy when the next leaked memo says something like "...as I read in Slashdot, said by SilverspurG, we need to do this, this and this...

You set rather high standards for Slashdotters. Most of us will be in a pure state of joy if we can get clips of the MS chair-man in action.

Re:Next up

[MyLongNickName]

I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

Re:AJAX just another name for the same old?

[Anonymous Coward]

To us brits AJAX is known for been a cleaning product, to Microsoft it sounds like the next best thing but AJAX (not the cleaner) is already widely used for various things including the MSDN, so why HAS it taken M$ so long to jump on the already rolling bannedwagon?

Why was the wagon banned anyway?

Pioneering?

[Phatmanotoo]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

Re:Next up

[kalel666]

If your idea of winning a race is tripping all the other participants then, evolutionarily, you're going to get blown out of the water by the runner who can dance. Watch it happen to MS.

Well then, we need a competitor for MS who is Intelligently Designed to be untrippable while water dancing. Someone get Kansas on the line!

Re:Next up

[oldmacdonald]

Nice. You'll be qualified to serve me french fries or wash my car.

I hope he washes his hands first!

Re:AJAX just another name for the same old?

[QZS4]

Ozzie: Google approaching.
Bill: What do you mean, Google approaching?
Bill: Open fire all weapons!
Bill: Dispatch war rocket AJAX to bring back his body!

Too bad they didn't discuss certain Macromedia technologies, that would have made it even more appropriate!

Re:Coming to your neighborhood soon...

[maxwell demon]

While software with bugs is commonly accepted, I doubt that people will accept Pizza with bugs. Therefore I predict a failure of this service.