What to do when nobody cares about you anymore? (Windows 7 Saga)

It has to be a tough time at Microsoft.

Trying to excite the public about the notion of another Windows operating system, in a climate where all their tech enthusiast fans who would have blown up their systems on the new beta now have new toys.

Microsoft has lost the cool edge. That now goes to Apple and Linux.

Microsoft has lost the cutting edge. That now goes to guys collecting gadgets and playing with the Web 2.0 apps.

Microsoft lost it’s partners loyalty. I think I’ve said a word or two about that.

What to do, what to do…

Microsoft will surely get a ton of advice from people who are not in charge of software projects and don’t run software companies. I’m sure they will also ask inconsequential focus groups that are not going to rush to the new release.

So what is Microsoft looking at?

Let’s consider the evolution of the Microsoft Partner:

90’s – “We’ll figure out all this tech crap you want to use for a small fee.”

00’s – “For a small monthly fee we’ll keep all your systems up without surprise fees or downtime.”

2009 – “We do it all.”

Microsoft finds it’s former ground troops, VARs, partners, resellers and OEMs who are no longer dependant on Microsoft. Microsoft has to go to market on their own, convince every segment of technology using audience that this isn’t Vista and try to bring everyone back from thinking that this is a boring software services business – look at their CES presence, it’s all about convergence and Microsoft as a cool media company. Eh, it ain’t. But there is no shame in that.

How do I make money?

This is the key question for many IT solution providers to answer and that answer seems to be void of the word “Microsoft” more and more. Successful IT providers are no longer Microsoft Partners of the 90’s, the MSPs of the 00’s or the hype seeking flashes in the pan.

The successful business of 201x is the one that offers a solution portfolio.

As much as technology has become commonplace and easy to use, it still sucks. It still breaks. It still needs a geek every now and then. But now those geeks won’t come to your office with a can of WD40 and an antispyware-ladden USB key. Oh no. They will come with their own stack, their own offering, their own brand and an expected commitment.

The IT solution provider of 201x offers hosted Exchange with their logo but can also deploy Exchange and Zimbra if you’ve got the money. The same shop offers their own branded offsite backup agent with a local network storage device, backed with a disaster recovery plan and ability to restore workstation images and productivity within hours. Modern IT solution provider delivers and develops their own solution, supports and backs it 24 hours.

It does so without on staff developers. Without a data center. Without a tech support payroll. Without a room full of monkeys watching every data point 24/7/365.

The IT solution provider of 201x responds to the demand.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, it does squat to generate that demand. And when it does, it generates demand for it’s services, not for Microsoft’s stuff that no longer matters.

Microsoft, Amazon, Google, X, Y and Z get this as well – which is why they are creating their own tools that also go direct.

Everyone gets to fend for themselves. The market determines who is the best.

Welcome to Capitalism. You want the money, pick it up it’s yours. If you don’t I have no sympathy for you. 🙂