Microsoft Tries to Rebuild Strained Relationships
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5. EU compromise
Microsoft has been forced to deal with government regulators for far too
long. Its
battle with the European Union was arguably one of its worst. The EU had
big plans for hurting Microsoft and its operating system. But through a series
of tough negotiations, Microsoft worked out a relatively beneficial deal: It
needs to give users the option of using one of 12 different browsers. No
biggie. They're still buying Windows.
6. A stronger focus on security
Security has long been a thorn in Microsoft's side. Windows has been
inundated with malware that has not only ruined some users' computers, it has
pushed some consumers to other operating systems. But in 2009, Microsoft did a
better job of confronting security issues. It released Security Essentials. It
also did a better job of patching problems. Microsoft's focus on security is
improving, but it still has a long way to go.
7. The death of Vista
Vista
might be Microsoft's biggest blunder of the decade. The operating system
that was supposed to carry the torch after XP was a disaster. It damaged
Microsoft's relations with the enterprise, consumers and vendors. But 2009 was
the year Microsoft could finally put Vista in the past.
And it did that the right way-it ignored Vista and tried
to shift everyone's attention to Windows 7. Smart move, Microsoft.
8. Opening retail stores
I always felt that Microsoft was leaving money on the table by not opening
retail stores. In 2009, the
company finally did. We don't know yet just how successful those stores
will be, but they should substantially improve customer relations, PC
availability and Microsoft's ability to offer support. It's a good first step.
9. The retaking of the enterprise
The enterprise was most negatively affected by Vista.
Companies were forced to keep outdated hardware running XP out of fear that Vista
would wreak havoc on their operations. When Microsoft prepared for the release
of Windows 7, it offered an Enterprise Edition for a trial period. Once those
users tried it out, they found that Windows 7 offered more "enterprise-friendliness."
XP Mode is arguably the best proof of that.
10. Control of the netbook market
The netbook market is the next frontier in the PC space. For a while, Linux
reigned supreme. But over the past year, Microsoft
has consolidated its power in the small PC space, making Windows 7 Starter
Edition a practical must-have for those who want the best netbook experience.
Kudos, Microsoft.
