QUOTE THAT WILL RING TRUE FOR EVERY MICROSOFT PARTNER IN THE WORLD “Its latest r

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f8630150-656d-11e2-8b03-00144feab49a.htmlA QUOTE THAT WILL RING TRUE FOR EVERY MICROSOFT PARTNER IN THE WORLD

“Its latest round … shows an attempt by Microsoft to defend its castle. Like a feudal lord, it once milked a peaceful populace, collecting generous taxes from the industry that laboured to keep the Windows economy going. The farmers never starved, but it was Microsoft that grew fat.” – FT.COM

I TRIED TO BUY MICROSOFT PARTNERS IN 2006-2007 AND LOOKED AT 200 OF THEM.

I knew what would happen to the industry. I knew the change in the customer. I wanted to provide an alternative to Avanade for the marketing customer. But I couldn’t find more than single digits out of the lot who made more than six percent net, and had any scale. Why? Because Microsoft impoverished its community. They played begging small vendors for freebies they were successful enough to make requests. Then they repeated the game with someone else.

The only way to defeat that tactic was not to depend upon them at all. To build your own (expensive) sales force.

And what kind of partnership is that?

It isn’t one. It’s feudalism.

Bill understood the value of vendors. That’s when it was good to be a Partner. THe company is a ‘Rent Seeking” machine. And has been now for the better part of a decade.