____/ [H]omer on Thursday 10 January 2008 22:10 : \____
> Verily I say unto thee, that Roy Schestowitz spake thusly:
>
>> Softies seem to be just buying basketball teams instead...
>
> I don't know why Microsoft don't just become a bank or an insurance
> company. I mean after all, it's obvious they don't give a damn about
> software, they only care about the money, so why bother with the pretence?
[Typo in subject line corrected]
They already do something related to banking. Many things are intended to
replace the cash cows that gradually die in the sense that people
don't 'upgrade' (or give up on Windows altogether if Microsoft forces them to,
aka "squeezing the goose"). Examples:
Microsoft takes it to the bank
,----[ Quote ]
| Is the world ready for Microsoft Banking? Banks are traditionally
| very conservative with their software and hardware choices, and
| most still rely on expensive mainframes with multiple levels of
| failure protection. However, banks are also making a huge push
| to expand into other services, such as investment planning, and
| all these new services require new software. If they are
| successful, Microsoft will be laughing all the way to the, er, bank.
`----
http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2006/11/14/5956
Microsoft Looks Within to Design and Test Chips
,----[ Quote ]
| For more than two decades, Microsoft's software and
| Intel's processors were so wedded that the pairingc
| ame to be known as Wintel. But as that computing era
| wanes, Microsoft is turning to a new source of chip
| design: its own labs.
`----
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/19/technology/19soft.html?_r=1&ref=technology&oref=slogin
http://tinyurl.com/ydtq7k
China's Changhong seeks $136 mln stake in Huayi
,----[ Quote ]
| Sichuan Changhong Electric Co, a Chinese electrical appliance maker partly
| owned by Microsoft Corp, said it will bid for a controlling stake in Huayi
| Compressor Co 000404.SZ in a deal that could be worth about 1 billion yuan
| ($136 million).
`----
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idINPEK15028120071224?rpc=44
The importance of Zune to Microsoft Corp.
,----[ Quote ]
| Zune is Microsoft's attempt to integrate hardware and software *and*
| to become the channel for (music) content -- thus creating an integratedp
| lay far-different from its Window's OS business model where Microsoft
| mainly provides OS & important application software while hardware an
| content for users is provided by other companies.
`----
http://www.thebizofcoding.com/2006/09/the_importance_of_zune_to_micr.html
How will Windows survive the death of the PC?
,----[ Quote ]
| For Microsoft, the answer is critical, since Windows is still not a
| natural fit for a mobile platform that has no PC heritage.
`----
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/16/samsung_runcom_help_microsoft/
Microsoft to join municipal Wi-Fi fray
,----[ Quote ]
| Microsoft is jumping into the municipal wireless space with a deal
| to provide local content and ads for MetroFi's free wireless
| Internet service in Portland, Ore., by the end of this year,
| the companies are expected to announce on Wednesday.
`----
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1035_22-6135679.html
Gates to generate your electricity
,----[ Quote ]
| His personal investment vehicle -- a nice drive if you can afford
| it -- Cascade Investments is today expected to partner with New
| Mexico-based PNM Resources on electricity generation and trading.
`----
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35521
Microsoft Refuses To Acknowledge Major Wireless Headset Flaws
,----[ Quote ]
| Weeks after the release of the new Wireless 360 headset, many
| customers have complained about hundreds upon hundreds of documented
| flaws with no official response or product recall from MS.
`----
http://www.2old2play.com/News/Microsoft_Refuses_To_Acknowledge_Major_Wireless_Headset_Flaws
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pottsc/129800718/in/set-72057594107882520/
Spying the Gates Foundation: Diversified Holdings Stay Ahead of Market Weakness
,----[ Quote ]
| The foundation made moves in other sectors during Q3, as well, adding shares
| in Caterpillar and Canadian National Railway, while maintaining stakes in
| energy giants Exxon Mobil and BP.
`---- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
http://biz.yahoo.com/indie/071126/1004_id.html?.v=1
Gates Foundation Revokes Pledge to Review Portfolio
,----[ Quote ]
| ...the Gates Foundation took down their public statement on this
| and replaced it with a significantly altered version which seems to
| say that investing responsibly would just be too complex for them
| and that they need to focus on their core mission: 'There are
| dozens of factors that could be considered, almost all of which
| are outside the foundation's areas of expertise. The issues
| involved are quite complex...
`----
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/12/1756212&from=rss
Bill Gates Pours $390 Million Into Mexican Brewer
,----[ Quote ]
| Bill Gates has invested $390 million dollars in Mexican brewer Femsa through
| his Cascade Investment Fund, according to the brewer.
`----
http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2007/12/21/bill-gates-pours-390-into-mexican-brewer
--
~~ Best of wishes
Surely, Microsoft has given up on altruism in the IT industry
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