Top 10 not flops

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https://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1977870,00.asp

How can something you DIDN’T do be a flop? Sure, Microsoft-Watch has captured some of our…how shall I put this….less great moments but not doing a version of Linux? Does that really count? Several of the others featured in PC World’s 25 Worst Tech Products of All Time so I think a more unusual list would have been the Top 10 cool stuff Microsoft has done. I suspect that doesn’t make as good copy but here is my starter for 7….wanna help me add 4 more?

  • Outlook RPC over HTTP. Okay this is a feature, not a product and perhaps one of the worst named EVER. But in terms of a revolution? Yes…I hardly ever need a VPN now.
  • XBOX 360. Have you seen it on HD and the Media Centre Extender?
  • Windows Mobile Smartphone. Okay, I’m biased here as I helped launch it with Orange a few year ago and it was less than great but it’s getting ever more popular and along with RPC/HTTP has had the greatest change (for good) in my workstyle over the last few years.
  • Messenger – okay we didn’t invent it first but Messenger allows me to keep in touch with friends and family around the world easily and for free
  • ClearType
  • SharePoint. I worked on it back when it was called Tahoe and it just gets better and better. We learnt from Lotus :)
  • Windows. Okay, not until 95 but it changed things (largely for good) and created a whole new industry.
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[UPDATE 1] nice to see The Guardian agrees with me :)
[UPDATE 2] well this little post has generated a good bit of interest. What do I add….ummm, Flight Sim Pivotal Tables, .NET Framework, intellisense, Small Business Server. Choices, choices. I’m going to sit on them for a few days and then decide which to add. (hoping I get more!!). Maybe folowing that I’ll do the list Matthew asked for on ten worst Microsoft things. Does the speed that free fruit from our pantrys disappears :) ?