"Ballmer encouraged partners to begin by reselling hosted Exchange services such as email security."

Exchange? Security? How are those related? Oh, I see. It's like "there's no such thing as a useless man; he can always serve as a bad example to others."

We've recently been forced to move to Exchange 2007 at $DAY_JOB. It's more difficult to configure than previous versions, and if my inbox is anything to judge by, even less secure.

Hmm, I don't think people will flock to put their personal data to unsecure, unreliable online storage brokers, so I'm a troglodyte ? In that case, viva troglodyta ! Or something.

I think that, at the moment, 90% of all meeting minutes, reports and summaries gets printed. It may be that it has something to do with readability - some people have an innate distaste of reading things on a screen. I'm okay with that, even though I think it is a waste of tree matter. But I believe there is something more : paper is 100% reliable. It does not change version, it doesn't store malware, it does not bluescreen on you nor does it reboot, and it doesn't have connection problems. Plus it is actually quite difficult to change its contents unnoticed without changing the paper, so it is quite secure as well.

If, in 50 years starting now, ISPs and online storage brokers demonstrate the same uptime availability as my telephone company does for my phone, well I'll start thinking about it.

In the mean time, the PC is just about the most unreliable piece of kit I have ever owned, and certainly the most unsecure when I'm connected to the Internet. Put personal or business files on an online shop ? Are you freaking nuts !?

Welcome to the so-so

Its amazing how Ballmer hasn't brought anything new to his continued speculations about where the industry is going and what microsofts part will be, this is wearing thinner and thinner every time he speaks.

Anyone can see Apple is growing in popularity and they have ambitious plans which will grant them an important role in the future of IT. Especially with leopard server offering a better experience than 2003 with better features right out of the box. (Caldav, backup, anti-spam, anti-virus all inclusive!) Apple it seems are also breaking into the smartphone market with some success, a couple of generations time they'll have it sewn up, just like digital music players.

Linux will always remain in the server market, and will always have new deployments in every crack it'll fit into, Linux is like a fungus in the server market it grows into the smallest crevice, if you want a server now, install Linux, 20 mins you're up and running. Linux on the desktop is growing too ubuntu is massively popular and growing every day.

So whereabouts in this evolving market does microsoft sit?

Charging customers for software, and software services, while providing a middle of the road quality product which has a total cost larger than the rivals.

Not much of a change then.

If ever I need confirmation that Microsoft is merely a SnakeOil Salesman/Virtual Spying base, Mr Ballmer always delivers the Goods.