As the Apple folks admitted, they made such dramatic changes "as a matter of survival". I don't expect MS to make such sweeping changes unless it is for them too a matter of survival.

Until then, business as usual.

Of course, last ditch survival efforts don't always work out as successfully as Apple's did.

"So far, Microsoft hasn't had to pay a dramatic price for the current state of Vista, and that's a powerful incentive to continue business as usual."

They're paying everyday.

Apple's sales of laptops jump 61%.
Corporations are admitting that they're all using Macs now.
Developers are jumping on the bandwagon in droves.

Just read the headlines daily.
It's going to be a hefty price for Microsoft.

Given that Open Office can make a reasonable if not perfect job of opening MSOffice files and Samba can interface with Windows all done with no co-operation from MS at all, think how much could be achieved if they co-operated.
When it's change or die, IF they get the message before Apple and Linux have taken too much of the market, then the actual mechanics are the least obstacle. It's the Microsoft mindset that could prove to be their undoing.

I agree with the other posters here that MS is already in a downward spiral. The simple fact is the only way they can "innovate" is to copy Apple or illegally crush competitors through their monopolistic behavior, or just buy them out if the have to (is there anyone except paid MS shills like Dvorak and Enderle who don't already know this?).

Look at the whole MS/Yahoo debacle... the only good thing that came of this is that MS saw that it would be a bad idea to buy Yahoo in the first place... MS would end up with nothing more than Yahoo's name; all their talent would end up at Google, or Apple, and MS would have lost really big... It all shows they still can't change their way of thinking...

Billy G. is the biggest rat yet to leave the sinking ship that is MS... Now with only Sweaty Steve running things, it will all go downhill from here. I say good riddance to them; the sooner MS dries up and blows away, the better the world will be.

Funniest thing I ever heard about this guy is a comment from a reader on el reg or the inquirer on Bill G leaving MS.

"Help! I don't want to be left alone with Uncle Fester"

Maybe this is the time when Google launch into the OS business - maybe an easier-than-even-the-easiest-to-install-and use Linux or maybe a Linux with a built in virtualisation for your existing WindowsOS and a pile of apps to go with it - obviously there are already loads of Linux apps and stuff out there, but with a big, fairly well trusted name like Google behind it, who knows?