From http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/feb/07/satya-nade... , which is linked at the beginning of the article:

"To add to all the advice being ladled out to Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s new chief, here’s another piece: stop bothering with Windows Phone. It’s a waste of money which will never pay off.

Instead, focus the efforts of Microsoft and soon-to-be subsidiary Nokia on forking Android .."

So at least someone with an audience is saying that MS should fork Android, and Ars is responding to that.

People with an audience say all kinds of idiotic things. Arguing that Microsoft should fork another OS is like saying that Ford should license the Toyota Prius design and concentrate on their core competency of putting Ford badges on cars.

> Why not just say - "Android is unforkable" and leave it at that.

Because that's the most ridiculous part. Amazon already did it. Microsoft's own mobile division is in the process of doing it themselves! Others have also done it. To say that something so many people have actually done is undoable is a little bit crazy.

>"I don't think anyone at this point can say that Windows Phone is a non-player."

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Just this week I read a comment suggesting the same forking android thing and that windows phone is over.

Would you like me to write a comment suggesting that Apple is opting for using Windows for their products? I can write some other comments as well.