Microsoft Fesses Up To Longhorn Screwup

Interesting Microsoft spin in today's Wall Street Journal.

In the wake of the company's big reorg and news of Jim Allchin's planned departure next year, the Journal reports that Allchin told Bill Gates more than a year ago that the Longhorn plan wouldn't work. The promised gagillions of lines of code that would offer all the features and UI perks hyped to the hilt at PDC 2003, were all in jeopardy.

The story is pure Microsoft. Take a massive screw up, admit to it, and declare victory.

Meanwhile, as the Journal story states, Google and Apple manage to turn out software and services people actually can use and love. Sometimes even pay for.

The beauty of Google's search is the simplicity and speed of its interface. You click on Google and you don't wait long for results. Now, Microsoft and others say the results need fine-tuning—a valid point. Too much information in many cases. But does anyone seriously think Microsoft will do a better job of that than Google itself?

By way of contrast, it still takes Windows forever to load. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's the rich client vs. the browser blah blah blah….But seriously folks, who prefers the Windows or Office interface to Google?

Now that Google's really started its enterprise push, complete with channel partners, it'll really be great to watch this battle of the titans.