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Should Microsoft split up and lose the baggage?
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Administrator  Join Date: May 2000
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Last I heard, only the Windows, Office, and Servers divisions were profitable. Gaming for example keeps losing dough. So all the other divisions would fold if they don't recover dang fast.
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The Xbox has been profitable for quite some time. Since 2007/2008 I believe.
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Slick shoes?!! Are you crazy?!!
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Yes.
Apple needs competition to stay frosty.
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Moderator  Join Date: Jan 2001
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Originally Posted by Stogieman 
The Xbox has been profitable for quite some time. Since 2007/2008 I believe.
Yep. Their most recent fiscal report cites good numbers overall, even with the Zune in that particular division: Xbox 360 Ships 13.7 Million Units in Fiscal 2011, Profit Doubles - IndustryGamers
It does seem as late that their overwhelming motive to have everything a part of the windows/office hegemony has cost them some opportunities. I was honestly surprised at how much the Zune/Phone 7 OS moved away from their traditional Windows interface and paradigm.
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I'd love to see Redmond cut the fat. Too much crap, too much management, too much design-by-committee, not-invented-here syndrome. End result, piles of junk.
They certainly seem to be learning from past mistakes (Xbox 360 and WinPho 7 for example).
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Originally Posted by Brien
I'd love to see Redmond cut the fat. Too much crap, too much management, too much design-by-committee, not-invented-here syndrome. End result, piles of junk.
They certainly seem to be learning from past mistakes (Xbox 360 and WinPho 7 for example).
I think Microsoft has some brilliant ideas, but the bureaucracy gets in the way. For example, they recently closed one of their Seattle design firms (the studio that created the Courier concept) because it was unprofitable. Also, the teams that head Xbox and Windows Phone development seem like they are at the top of their field. I don't know if Ballmer is 100% to blame, but I have to question why these teams can come up with amazing ideas and a company as powerful as Microsoft can't put them to market and execute 100%.
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Microsoft seems to be on their game lately. I see no reason to split them up.
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Originally Posted by subego
Define "lately".
Well, Windows 7, XBox 360, Windows Phone 7 are all strong products, so, since then.
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The only brilliant ideas Microsoft seem to have are the ones they buy.
The Xbox is the only piece of hardware they haven't totally screwed up on and it took two versions and how many years to stop making a loss? (Its profitable now but has it covered its prior losses yet?)
All their phones and mp3 players have been junk. Is the Xbox a case of "we learned from our mistakes and now we know what we're doing" or "stick with it long enough and you'll get it right in the end by fluke"?
They should probably stick to what they have traditionally been, a software company. Windows, Servers, Office and I suspect Xbox would look much less healthy without games sales like Halo (another bought 'idea') etc. Trouble is they see what Apple has done and think they can copy it. Its too tempting to them but hardware wise they are just like everyone else. As mentioned above, too many committees and accountants making design decisions plus they never had a visionary like Jobs when Gates was there now they have Steve "The iPhone will never amount to anything" Ballmer.
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Originally Posted by Waragainstsleep
They should probably stick to what they have traditionally been, a software company. Windows, Servers, Office and I suspect Xbox would look much less healthy without games sales like Halo (another bought 'idea') etc. Trouble is they see what Apple has done and think they can copy it. Its too tempting to them but hardware wise they are just like everyone else. As mentioned above, too many committees and accountants making design decisions plus they never had a visionary like Jobs when Gates was there now they have Steve "The iPhone will never amount to anything" Ballmer.
In case you haven't noticed, the only two pieces of hardware Microsoft make are the Xbox and Surface, which are both wildly successful.
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Originally Posted by imitchellg5
In case you haven't noticed, the only two pieces of hardware Microsoft make are the Xbox and Surface, which are both wildly successful.
What about the Zunes?
The Xbox is successful because of software. The hardware was/is an unreliable piece of crap. It has taken a long time to get to the stage where it is considered successful too.
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The Kin was awesome. 
Bing is a huge money sink. They need to sell it asap.
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Originally Posted by imitchellg5
In case you haven't noticed, the only two pieces of hardware Microsoft make are the Xbox and Surface, which are both wildly successful.
Surface is wildly successful?
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Moderator Join Date: Apr 2000
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MS results by division, paraphrased:
* Office: a license to print money. In fact, the mother of all licenses to print money.
* Windows, client versions: Makes a small profit over the development cycle. MS really isn't making money here, because they have to spend huge amounts on development and testing, and they have the million manhour problem. OTOH, this development leads to profit in other divisions, such as...
* Server & Tools: Makes a decent buck these days, but it's not big.
* Entertainment & Devices: Currently being saved by Kinect. The 360 does well in the US, but is absolutely dead in Japan and only middling in Europe. While MS likes to report profits for this division to hold down calls that it should be sold off or closed, they are still billions in the hole over development of the 360 and the original Xbox. The RROD problems didn't help either.
* Online Services: Has AFAIK never broken even.
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The low-end Mac Pro is the most overpriced Mac since the IIvx
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