Battling Google, MS changes how it builds software

[Malisk]

This story was originally posted at Slashdot.

Story: http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB1127436...ays_us_page_one

Snippet:

REDMOND, Wash. -- Jim Allchin, a senior Microsoft Corp. executive, walked into Bill Gates's office here one day in July last year to deliver a bombshell about the next generation of Microsoft Windows.

"It's not going to work," Mr. Allchin says he told the Microsoft chairman. The new version, code-named Longhorn, was so complex its writers would never be able to make it run properly.

The news got even worse: Longhorn was irredeemable because Microsoft engineers were building it just as they had always built software. Throughout its history, Microsoft had let thousands of programmers each produce their own piece of computer code, then stitched it together into one sprawling program. Now, Mr. Allchin argued, the jig was up. Microsoft needed to start over.

Mr. Gates resisted at first, pushing for Mr. Allchin's group to take more time until everything worked. Over the next few months, Mr. Allchin and his deputies would also face protests from programmers who complained he was trying to impose bureaucracy and rob Microsoft of its creativity.

"There was some angst by everybody," says Mr. Gates of the period. "It's obviously my role to ask people, 'Hey, let's not throw things out we shouldn't throw out. Let's keep things in that we can keep in.' "

Ultimately, Mr. Allchin's warning proved cathartic and led to what he and others call a transformation in Microsoft's most important product. A key reason: the growing threat from rivals such as Google Inc., Apple Computer Inc. and makers of the free Linux operating system. In recent years these companies have been dashing out some software innovations faster than Microsoft. Google has grown particularly effective at introducing new programs such as email and instant messaging over the Internet, watching how they perform and regularly replacing them with improved versions.

IMHO the most interesting article about Vista development so far.

It explains why we have Vista going from the 4xxx builds to 5xxx, why WinFS was dropped, why Longhorn build 5048 had "the markings of a shipwreck", and so on, even with quotes from MS executives Bill Gates and Jim Allchin.

In short, a great read I recommend to everyone interested in the "behind the scenes of Vista". I think it's good enough stuff for the Vista community to be made as a front page article myself. ;)

[BigCheese]

Very interesting read. Thanks.

I remember reading somewhere recently that Microsoft now builds daily versions of Vista, so it was interesting to read this article.

[Mr. Chronopoulos]

good read (Y)

[KzR]

Great article! Competition definitely benefits consumers in this case. I wonder if Google would ever release an OS to compete with monopoly M$.

[DanManIt]

Nice Read!

[Menge]

very cool read :)

i always like to hear those development stories

[TwIzTiD_Juggalo]

thanks, that was a good read.

[AcdShdw]

nice article

[Kelsenellenelvian]

Thanks for the article.

[Soham]

nice reading and i think google is trying to give those programmers jobs

[ThunderRiver]

Thanks a lot for the article.

The public really needs to know what's really behind the scene for Microsoft. Over the years, I find Microsoft has been too slow at moving foward. It is so sad that I constantly wonder if I still have faith in Microsoft.

I am glad to know that they actually started over with fresh code for Longhorn. I could tell that Windows Server 2003 has been more stable than Windows Xp, and that's good.

[amrinders87]

Thanks for the article.

[y0sh]

Ah, I love Google's effect on companies. It turns them into overdrive.

I call it "gmail effect"; where one company offers such generosity that the other companies have no choice BUT to follow suit. It's becoming the trend.

Good to see Microsoft stepping up the ante. (Y)

Thanks OP

[BigCheese]

Ah, I love Google's effect on companies. It turns them into overdrive.

I call it "gmail effect"; where one company offers such generosity that the other companies have no choice BUT to follow suit. It's becoming the trend.

Good to see Microsoft stepping up the ante. (Y)

Thanks OP

586573186[/snapback]

There's already a word for that. Its called "competition".

[Rudy]

ms should have done it from the begining ...........

[y0sh]

There's already a word for that. Its called "competition".

586573199[/snapback]

Right, but sometimes we have weak competitors who don't offer anything special. This case, however, is different due to the generosity.

[Mx]

ms should have done it from the begining ...........

586573205[/snapback]

Always one negative demon. Yea it is a great article.

[mswarts]

I agree with you. This news has drastically affected Microsoft stock. I can't believe Neowin didn't report it. The meat of the article: largest software company in the world facing new challenges that threaten its stronghold on its flagship product - Gates and Exec discuss alternatives. Is that not newsworthy?

[User6060]

mmm good read

[Rudy]

Always one negative demon. Yea it is a great article.

586573225[/snapback]

not really, i love MS but i think this should have been done to begin with

[configure Veteran]

The public really needs to know what's really behind the scene for Microsoft.

Since when does the content "behind the scene" of any corporation has to shared with customers?

[megamanXplosion]

Okay, they do not let Slashdot posters know little details like wether or not the sidebar will remain a part of Windows Vista but I'm supposed to believe that a Slashdot poster was invited into the offices while they talked about how Windows Vista's development was doomed to failure? Yeah, sure. You guys believe what you want to believe - I'll believe what is believable.

[Crazysah]

Interesting read there! :whistle:

[L3thal Veteran]

Good article and yet another reason why I don't mind if Vista is delayed past its due ship date.

[Matt T]

Nice read - thanks for sharing.