As a company that puts $7bn a year into R&D, we have a fiduciary responsibility to our shareholders
said Sam Ramji, Microsoft’s directory of Open platform solutions (what platforms again? oh the irony). $7bn on R&D, out of $12bn (net income). Not bad as a percentage, but what on earth do they do with all that money? It’s no secret that most of the things that come out of Microsoft, despite the funds and manpower available to it, are, well, crap. By comparison, the total net income of Apple Inc. for last year was around $2bn and I guess very little of that went into R&D (Of course Apple is not doing any research that matters). Google, the new kid on the block, has a net income of $3bn, but it is also cultivating a research-focused working environment so it’s hard to estimate how much really goes to research. Now, IBM, the worlds largest IT company has a net income of $9bn and let’s not forget that IBM has very extensive research activities, but I’m certain diverts less than Microsoft to them. So, really, what does Microsoft do with all that money, given their poor record in both research and commercial software output?
Cannot be true. That amount must be wrong. At least, I hope so. If not, RD in Microsoft must be on e of the best paid job in the world.
PS: How much must have been spent in IE 7?
I have no idea about IE7, but I read somewhere that Vista cost about $5bn. And that’s pretty hard to believe too considering how mediocre it is.
$5bn for maintaining all that legacy code from MS-DOS and doing something that works is not bad. Jeeeesus!
Any comment on last Nadal-Federer match? Roland Garros is very close, who will win? Any opportunity for Federer?
Well, that’s off-topic! Check your email :)