Gates said it was optimistic to think that 20 percent of U.S. homes would have a fast Internet link within four years. So that's the one thing holding us back. Some of the mania about this really changed. In those cases, because you know it's a reliable place, you know what to expect from them. As for his own business, Gates said software was becoming a tough sell.
Intellectual property has an interesting problem, which is that it lasts forever.
Your own installed base is serious competition. Microsoft has seen sales of its core products, the Windows operating system and the Office suite of software, slow down in recent years as sales of new PCs trail off and existing customers find little reason to upgrade. Microsoft is launching new versions of Windows and Office this year and plans to increasingly convert its products into fee-based Web services that provide a steady stream of subscription revenue. All rights reserved. Also on ZDNet Get FREE exclusive downloads, Web publishing, and more.