Enterprise Applications: 10 Lessons Microsoft Has Learned Since Bill Gates' Departure

The technology industry has changed dramatically since Bill Gates left Microsoft in 2008. In a little under two years, Microsoft has gone from a company attempting to sell consumers, vendors and the enterprise on a hobbled operating system to a company that's trying desperately to take on Google in a market where the search giant is powerful and entrenched. But it hasn't all been bad for Microsoft. The company's Windows 7 launch was one of its best. Its efforts in the gaming market are strong. And just as before, the company is extremely successful. But Bill Gates' departure has certainly been felt by Microsoft. All the while, Steve Ballmer has been attempting to do right by his company's investors as Apple, Google and the rest take aim at Redmond. Microsoft has learned some lessons since Bill Gates left. This eWEEK slide show tells what they are.