Microsoft on the way dowwwwwn?

[RedRock]

Last week it was reported that for the first time, Apple has surpassed Microsoft in total company value, even though Microsoft still sells more units. And now we read that Google is ditching the Windows OS in favor of the Mac OS and Linux, for security reasons:
www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6501P420100601
snippet:

Google phases out Microsoft Windows use: report
LONDON
Tue Jun 1, 2010 6:20am EDT

Credit: Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann

LONDON (Reuters) - Web search group Google Inc is phasing out internal use of rival Microsoft Corp's Windows operating system because of security concerns following a Chinese hacking incident, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

Citing several Google employees, the FT said the decision to move to other operating systems including Apple Inc's Mac OS and open-source Linux began in earnest in January after Google's Chinese operations were hacked.

Internet security firm McAfee Inc said at the time the cyber attacks on Google and other businesses had exploited a previously unknown flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, which was vulnerable on all recent versions of Windows.

I'm beginning to smell the beginning of the end for Windows!

What say you?

[Death's Shadow]

Well a couple points stand out right away.

1. They are using McAfee? WTF it is one of the worst AV out there.

2. IE exploits have been known for many years. Every off the shelf machine is going to have IE on it, thus the hackers are going to break that code for the most potential infiltrations. ( DUH!!)

That is why most of us do not use IE. Mozilla or a derivative of that is the way to go. I use Flock.

3. Google will have the same problems with using Mac OS or Linux. The hackers will just switch over to hacking that OS if they want in. BTW most hackers are already using linux based systems to hack with.

It is the same as locking your doors and windows at home. It is a deterrent but if some one wants in they will get in.


4. There seems to be a movement happening where govt. and corps want more control over the internet, and how we access it.

Installing Mac OS , Linux or any other proprietary OS would give them that control and power they are craving.

[Lamron]

Apple being worth more than Microsoft doesn't surprise me. I probably would have guessed that was already the case. But the comparison isn't meaningful. Microsoft doesn't compete with the Apple company, they compete with the Mac OS. You'd have to compare Microsoft to the software division of Apple.

Microsoft's only potential customers are computer users, and their main competitors are pirated copies of their products or open source alternatives. Its hard to compete with a zero-cost competitor.

Apple's customers include computer users PLUS everybody else. iEverythings appeal to pretty much everyone. And when Apple sells computer hardware, they automatically get the sale of all the Mac software with it. A widely diversified company like Apple should be able to financially beat any software company. Its only taken this long because of the huge world-wide head start the Microsoft had.



If I could go back in time 20 years, I would definitely buy Apple stock over Microsoft stock. Then I would use the money I made to buy a sweet Windows 7 PC. ;D

[RedRock]

LOL, thanks guys for pointing out different points of view!