I like the fact that Microsoft gets it really right the third tie around. But I like more the fact that it's willing to go it three times, to matter how painful or expensive. Lest one develop the feeling that Mr. Gates only invests money times since Mircosoft Corporation has gone public. When attempting to understand Bill Gates one cannot spend all of their time examining the past simply because Bill lives in the future and the pull of the future that excites this man. When Bill Gates was asked how he saw the future of computer telephony, he responded that voice and data have always lived seperately.
Data can add richness to voice.
Voice can add richness to data. Bringing them together into computer telephony brings enormous benefits. We'll see those benefits explode soon. In a few years, we will distinguish voice and data by the imput and output devices rather than the network and transport technologies. Look at the phone system today.