Microsoft: An Interesting Case Study

Doctor Jekyll (continued)

Microsoft would go on to include some of the best features of the competition into their Office suites and before you knew it, you pretty much had all of the tools you needed to get your job done. They acquired a database that would later become Access, and increased the power of PowerPoint. The programmers were doing a solid job of adding value to their consumer and business lines, and I know that in general, I was happy in spite of all the problems.

Another key contribution in my mind was the introduction of Microsoft Publisher. For many of us, PageMaker was about the only option on the PC side if you wanted a capable graphics oriented desktop publisher. Even one or two page documents often needed features that Word just did not have. But much as they had done with True Type fonts, Microsoft programmers helped break the stranglehold that other companies had on a specific market niche, and as a result those of us with simple to moderate desktop publishing needs now had a solution that cost far less than the $600 to $900 that other products commanded. They even threw in some basic clip-art collections to further the value, and I for one was extremely glad to see this product hit the market.

Another great area where Microsoft programmers gave some great contributions was in the rise of the Basic programming language. Quick Basic 4.5 will forever be burned into my mind as one of the most useful rapid development tools I've ever used. There was a rocky period with Basic Pro 7 and Visual Basic for DOS, but when Visual Basic hit Windows with full force, there was really no stopping the momentum. In short order it blew away the competition and even the great Turbo Pascal could not maintain a foothold. By the time Visual Basic hit critical mass, it was all over for the other guys. Unfortunately, Visual Basic has been diluted somewhat in recent years and has lost that "Super Easy To Use" feeling, but still, the contribution can't be knocked. The only thing I have seen challenge it lately has been Delphi, but I'm not sure if it will be able to remain a top-level RAD player.

Then, there is of course, the legendary Microsoft Mouse. What more can be said? It set the standard for how things are done, and frankly, still does. From the scroll wheel to the optical eye in their latest offerings, these beauties have become a mainstay in homes and companies across the globe. Very few people have even come close to the level of awesomeness that these bad boys possess, and even when the competition does catch up, Microsoft engineers seem to find a way to beat them back with an impressive new entry. When Microsoft gets something right, they sure don't mess around.

As you can see, the developers at Microsoft have added a lot of good things to the fabric of our computing experience. While they have not been known for their innovation, they have a tendency to keep on beating their head against the wall until they find a good balance between features and value. Not everything they make is perfect, not by any means, but there have been some truly shining moments in the history of Microsoft development, and I'm glad that they have invested so much into the PC world. I use Microsoft products every day, partially out of necessity and partially out of want. I've fired up Linux and have found Apple OS X to be as compelling as they come, but when I want to get my work done, I still find that most of the effort revolves around Microsoft products.