We will have more data points on that 'observation' when Windows 8 launches
Sorry, but I just find this statement hard to agree with. Microsoft is forever shipping some "game changer" "pretty soon now", but they haven't managed to change any games in a very long time now.
If Microsoft, or anyone else, has some revolutionary thing, it will be interesting to see it when it happens. But I am certainly not anticipating any such event in the next year.
> "I'm beggining to wonder if MS are actually scared of being innovative."
This might actually be a pretty good summary of MSFT's corporate culture.
The impression I always get from the inside is that it's a company dominated by middle managers. They've got so many PMs in so many layers that you'd wonder if it's just PMs all the way down.
The combination of mature, gigantic company, lack of strong leadership, and extremely generous benefits has combined to create a population of people who are there for the stability and extremely afraid of rocking the boat or killing the golden goose.
Instead, they are slowly bleeding the goose dry. Granted, the golden goose is still pretty fat and could sustain them for decades without doing anything significant. As it is though, Microsoft is pretty low in the innovation front. I don't think anybody has been "wowed" by any of their products since maybe Windows XP.
If you haven't read this, this is a short article on what Apple does so differently than almost all of its competitors - never announce something before it is shippable (e.g. production-qualified and vetted, supply chain and all)
We will have more data points on that 'observation' when Windows 8 launches(April, say the rumors).