Yes, the personal OS market is rapidly reaching saturation, but it's not due to a lack of compelling new functionality. Highly sought after applications are popping up left and right. These just happen to be, for the most part, in the internet. Consumers very much want these new applications, and whether they own a PC or not, they don't need to spend additional $$ on a new Microsoft OS to enjoy them. Right now, there are many ways to get there. Keep your Widows 3.x/486 pc with a browser and a good modem. Or buy a used PC, or get an NC, or a mac, or use the internet from your PC or unix workstation at the office...And none of these options involves having to buy the latest Microsoft OS.
Gates sees this and is trying his level best to control access to the internet (giving away IE and IIS, buying WebTV, the default browser deal with Apple, investing in a cable company, MSNBC, and who knows what else). The open platform is anathema to him. However, he faces an uphill challenge trying to set internet standards, and then asking consumers to pay him in order to use these "standards". |
