Regarding this article:

http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/27/technology/microsoft_analysts/index.htm

which alleges that MicrosoftCoroporation is changing gears to focus on the web.

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MicroSoft does not know how to directly compete. They succeeded in the past mostly by leveraging their monopoly in OS and MicrosoftOffice. In fact, MS-Office domination was leveraged by using the OS. Winning by using a monopoly and winning by directly competing are two different things. They may survive as a 4th-place also-ran after a long learning curve, but they will never be the giant they are now.