How Open Source Has Changed Microsoft
Even though Google is considered as one of very competitive threats for Microsoft, but the bigger scary thing that face Microsoft today is open source. This is at least what Microsoft’s Chief Software Architect, Ray Ozzie said at the Sanford C. Bernstein Strategic Decisions conference in New York. According to Ozzie, Google is a strong competitor, but the main threat for Microsoft business model is the open source. Open source programmers have greater power in software market nowadays.
So, why is open source considered as bigger threat for Microsoft? There are two reasons said Ozzie, first is that open source has strong foundation to face Microsoft. Google, Facebook, Yahoo are among open source’s ‘children’, and they are Microsoft competitors too. Second, the presence of open source change consumers perspective about a software value, to become US$0 aka free. Nevertheless, Ozzie said that open source has make Microsoft a stronger company. Want it or not, Microsoft has to change their business model to adapt with open source, such as making compatible softwares with open source products.
