Everybody talks about how Apple and Google are driving the future of technology, and in a way there are. They’re hip brands that fashion-conscious technophiles want to associate with. But let’s not pretend there’s parity in the marketplace, especially when it comes to business practices. Microsoft is still the giant in the room and they’re putting out a lot of products and services that aren’t getting nearly as much attention as they should.
Apple might dominate the media player market, but their reach in the computer market is grossly overestimated by most people. Despite how evolutionary Apple seems to be, they still only make up a tiny fraction of users. For every Mac, there are countless PCs. Google might dominate in search, but for every Gmail user, there are countless Outlook (Exchange) users. And for every Chrome, Firefox, and Safari user, there are countless Internet Explorer users. That’s not to say that Apple and Google aren’t innovating and growing, only that they’re still planted firmly in Microsoft’s shadow when it comes to the world of everyday computing.
I’m a big user of Google’s core services and apps, but I’m not a fanboy for any company, operating system, browser, or device. I use a Mac at work and a PC at home. My wife and I have an iPhone and an Android phone, respectively. But when it comes to getting business work done and sharing it with others around the world, there’s no substitute for Microsoft Windows and Office.
To exaggerate that point, Microsoft put out this short video that knocks Google’s foray into the world of document management. It’s pretty effective, if you ask me.
