WisconsInnovation

In a recent article (full text found at http://blogs.zdnet.com/storage/?p=370) Ron Harris, of ZDNet.com, writes about Microsoft, referencing a very honest interview done recently by Microsoft's Chief Software Architect, Ray Ozzie (for those who are wondering, a guy named Bill Gates used to hold the same title).
In the article, Mr. Ozzie is actually quite critical of Microsoft, stating that their path to innovation in the past has been to demonize their competitors and define themselves in opposition to said competitors. By simply drawing a line in the sand, Harris argues that Microsoft fails to think about what they're doing. His argument: Microsoft is not, in fact, a particularly great innovator. Instead, they've bought products over the years and tweaked them. I'd agree that this is less innovation than understanding where to put your money. And is that such a bad thing?
What Microsoft does well is what they need to leverage moving forward. Mr. Harris seems to agree, stating that what Microsoft needs isn't revolution, but profitable evolution.
Ultimately, it's an interesting take on a company that many people - especially those with only a skin deep understanding of the industry - will cite as a truly innovative firm. I tend to agree with the assessment, and it sounds like some of Microsoft's recent misses have finally gotten them to take notice as well.