Borg fast becoming “the General Motors of software”

Vista

Vista

So says a management consultant in an article for Fortune or CNN or Money — I can’t tell which.

Highlights:

The best thing that could happen to Microsoft would be successes by Apple (AAPL) or Google (GOOG) that cause a significant loss of sales and market share.

I couldn’t agree more. Although I might go further and say the best thing that could happen to Microsoft would be for a huge meteor the size of Texas to fall down from outer space and land on the Borg campus, obliterating every bit of it.

Then this:

The more I learn about the current situation in software, the more Microsoft’s position seems to mirror General Motors’ position in the auto industry a few decades ago. Like Microsoft (MSFT) today, GM was an icon in its industry, held a quasi-monopoly, produced eye-popping profits and was often distracted by antitrust lawsuits.

Also, both continued to make outrageous profits while selling incredibly bad products. But as GM has demonstrated, this can’t go on forever. Somewhere around 2040 the Borg is going to fade out. We’ll be there waiting to swoop in.