[Hidden-tech] How much of the $2 Billion pie is going to be yours?

[Garth]

I take all these reports (esp. ones commissioned by the producer!) with a
LARGE grain of salt.  These research companies have made millions coming up
with studies & predictions (and no one ever checks them on it 5 years later)
and fashioning themselves "pundits".  In fact, they have mastered the art of
lies, damn lies, and statistics.   It may have even been IDC, that
(in)famously predicted the end of the web and the emergence of push
technology back right before the Internet bubble burst...

Will there be a bunch of IT work in 2007?  You betcha!  Will some of it even
be due to Vista installation/software upgrades, yup indeed; sadly MSFT can't
make an operating system that can be seemlessly upgraded by the actual
users.  In addition, their near-monopoly in the corporate market will force
many other companies to release new versions/updates to their software [and
they will likely charge their users for it as well] 
 $2 billions divided by 1 million computers is $2000/computer.  A half-day
of training, updating a few key software programs, and some extra tech
support ('cause all of the sudden your computer doesn't work the same way
anymore) and boom there's yer $2000 (all out of the corp bottom-line).

I want to see a report about how some new feature will ADD $2 billion to the
economy thru increase effiency etc...  Near as I can tell (and I am not a
poweruser, but I do use my computer all day) there have not been significant
user improvements since Windows3.1/NT era.  Instead, the install has gone
from 1 CD to a stack of DVDs.  Sure there are features to ease the network
admins job, but for the most part it's bloatware!  Ditto for Office and
plenty of non-MSFT software (McAfee virus protection eats more of my CPU
than any virus ever did!).   Much like the "planned obsolescence" of
material goods companies, software companies feel it necessary to keep
adding features (and therefore bug) to software.

Starting to rant so I'll shut-up now...

-Garth 



-----Original Message-----
From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
[mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] On Behalf Of Nick
Braak
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 5:28 PM
To: Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
Subject: [Hidden-tech] How much of the $2 Billion pie is going to be yours?

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A just released report predicts that the imminent launch of Microsoft’s
Windows Vista operating system will generate a staggering $2 Billion in
economic activity in Massachusetts in 2007. That's not Microsoft's bounty,
it's what they are calling the "Vista Effect" which will benefit many
related businesses and will add 5000 IT jobs this year alone. 

The report from IDC makes for very interesting reading. There is a good
breakdown of the existing technology economy with some pretty impressive
stats. Please note that the report was commissioned by Microsoft, and
therefore must be taken as partial. Nevertheless the $ and headcounts are
big and getting bigger. Most of the activity is in the East, of course, yet
there must be opportunity for Pioneer Valley folks to get in on the action,
even the Mac and Unix types, as part of the knock-on or just the general
raising of awareness and opening of corporate/institutional wallets. 

The full PDF report is here
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/docs/01052007MassVista.pdf. 

There are also reports for New York, New Jersey and Florida at the same site
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/itanalyst/default.mspx

The reports are quite easy to read and IMHO well worth looking at. If
nothing else the numbers are encouraging. Perhaps a much needed boost to the
area might come from this private sector activity, rather than traditional
economic development. And when it comes to the private sector you don't get
much bigger, or wealthier than soft and cuddly ol' Microsoft :-)

Feedback is welcome.


Nick Braak
Internet Strategist and Commentator 






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