Microsoft at crossroad

I still remember that my first computer was a 386, which used DOS 4.0 (if I remember correctly), and I used to remember every command in order to run various programs. Afterwards Windows 3.1 became available and looked much more user-friendly and fancier, but I did not use it much as it was more like a compliment for DOS instead of a true operating system. At that moment, I did not quite know where Apple was.

From 1995, as Microsoft released Windows 95, I had became a loyal user of Windows due to its compatibility and easy to use infrastructure until the shocking Vista came to the market. Suddenly I questioned whether Microsoft was still a market leader or had fallen behind as a market follower. Ironically, thanks to the failure of Vista, Apple's Powerbook that boosted internet security, stability and better graphic performance started to attract attention and gain more market share.

So WHERE IS MICROSOFT STANDING NOW?

In my opinion, Microsoft may still be the market leader in terms of the market share. Companies and organisations still use Windows as it is preloaded with the purchase of computers, and most of programs are only compatible with Windows, not Mac. For example, Mac's iWork or office for Mac cannot install various add-on for Excel, which may be a pain for engineers or analysts. Various games still rely on Windows, although more and more games have been put online.

However, Windows is continuously criticised for its internet security problem (every PC needs an anti-virus program) and imitating Apple's OS. The list can go on and on.

In sum, I think the company is at the crossroad. In terms of operating system, Microsoft is not as innovative and attractive as before when comparing to Apple. Microsoft doesn't only need to compete with Apple, but also face the new threat of Google Chrome. The company definitely needs more attention on developing a program that can at least match Apple's OS and understanding customers' need. At the end, I just wanna confess that I switched from Mac back to PC due to its better compatibility and stability; Windows 7 has improved a lot and I feel satisfied so far.