How Microsoft Lost the API War [2004]

Re:How Microsoft Lost the API War [2004] by ajg1977 on Wednesday December 22, 2010 @08:39PM (#2033214)

I don't think there really was an API war. What happened to what Joel considers "Microsoft's crown strategic jewel", the Windows API, was also largely irrelevant.

Microsoft's real problem was they spent far too long pouring resources into preparing for an enemy that never really arrived. Imagine instead if they had spent the last ten years pouring resources into keeping IE, Hotmail, and internet search, as cutting edge products.

It's kinda mind-blowing to think what the world might look like today if Microsoft hadn't basically surrendered these markets at the turn of the century.

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Re:How Microsoft Lost the API War [2004] by jackfoxy on Wednesday December 22, 2010 @08:52PM (#2033243)

I like your analysis, but bear in mind Joel wrote this in 2004. MS did waste time and resource trying to extend Windows to the internet, or somehow wish away the internet. Exactly in what year did MS realize this? Only interesting in so far as history is interesting.

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