What every developer should know about Microsoft

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What every developer should know about Microsoft

• David Strom
• Technology Editor VARBusiness
• LI Java Users Group 2/04

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Pogo once said
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General Patton once said

• I have studied the enemy all my life. I know
  exactly how he will react under any given set of
  circumstances. And he hasnt the slightest idea
  of what Im going to do. So when the time comes,
  Im going to whip the hell out of him. (From
  Forbes magazine, 4/98)

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Why Java developers should care

• It isnt because they will ultimately write .NET
  apps
• Or because they are going over to the dark side
• Or because their apps will eventually run on
  Windows

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Heres why

• Javas success is closely tied to its performance
  and behavior on Windows first and foremost
• The best Java toolsets are also proven for
  Windows developers
• Microsofts version of Java on more desktops than
  anyone elses

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Why Microsoft Wins

• Its not because of better software
• Or superior products
• Or coincidence
• Or getting a pass from the DoJ

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Some Signs That Linux Has Bill Gates Worried

• New numbering scheme. Instead of Windows XP, it
  is now Windows 3.1.plXP.5.9.3
• Flowers sent to Janet Reno with a note saying
  "What's a little anti-trust between friends. --
  from Brian Lantz, 3/95

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Planned Improvements at MSNBC-TV

• CNBC will include a new section - "Microsoft
  Upgrades Available This Week".
• New voice-over "You're Watching MSNBC, version
  1.5, release F"
• All graphs showing the economy improving should
  be done using Microsoft Excel.

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Microsoft and software bugs have a long history

• Headline in PC Week (1986) Microsoft is Fixing
  Bugs in QuickBASIC 2.0
• Headline this week in Bugnet
• Front Page will erase your hard disk!

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What else was going on in 1986?

• 2400 bps internal modems from Hayes 800
• 80386 PC 18 Mhz clones with 512 k bytes of RAM
  for 4500
• Microsoft selling Windows 1.03, Word 3.1
• 3Com's 3servers cost 6000 and came with 70
  megabyte disks!

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OS/2 Magazine (1990)
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Things Gates probably wouldnt say today

• 640K ought to be enough for anybody." (1981)
• If you don't know what you need Windows NT for,
  you don't need it."
• "I believe OS/2 is destined to be the most
  important operating system, and possibly program,
  of all time.
• There is nothing in this industry that Windows
  3.0 isnt going to change. (1990)

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Remember these technologies?

• Loser
• Digital Research DOS
• Netware
• Stac disk compression
• Word Perfect
• Spyglass Mosaic
• Central Point utilities
• Lotus 1-2-3

• Winner
• MS DOS
• NT, WinServer 2003
• Part of Windows
• Word
• IE
• Part of Windows
• Excel

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Microsofts Internet timeline

• 1/93 NCSA Mosaic 1.0 released
• 4/94 Netscape founded, MS hold first Internet
  meeting
• 9/94 Netscape 1.0 released
• 12/94 MS licenses Spyglass Mosaic for IE
• 11/95 IE 2.0 released
• 12/95 MS finally has Internet strategy
• 5/96 IE 3.0 released
• 10/97 IE 4.0 released

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How they win developer relations!

• Office provides easy upsizing capability to move
  from Excel to Access, from wizards to Visual
  Basic programs. As trite as it sounds, suites
  such as Office Professional can empower the user
  and developer to grow. -- Kevin Boynton

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Microsoft understands developers

• What tools they need
• How they think
• What sodas they drink
• What snacks they eat
• What games they need to play when not coding

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How they win (2) bundling

• Look what you can get for MS Small Biz Server
  2003
• Web Server
• Database Server
• Email Server
• Etc.

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My open standards scorecard

• The REAL Standard
• Suns Java
• Apache
• Web browsers
• Tomcat, JSP, etc.
• SMTP
• Java DB solutions

• The Microsoft Way
• Microsoft WinJava
• FrontPage and IIS
• Built-in to Win98
• .NET Framework
• Exchange
• ODBC

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How they win (4) Everything Windows

• What cross-platform really means to Microsoft
• Eventually, everything becomes part of the
  operating system
• Include interfaces initially for features
• Then extract performance
• Case in point Java support. It just works better.

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Lets review

• Superior technology and developer relations
• Bundling strategy for software and desktop PCs
• Buys everyone in sight
• Better run company by the numbers
• Desktop OS monopolist
• Superior PR tactics