Vista is the last of the Dynasty?

P/S Things you can find in a lift!

I want to share this piece of article I read from Wharton on Microsoft's Vista. It echoes the same theme as the return of Michael Dell back to Dell.

What is the theme?
A company cannot continue to do the same thing year after year. The business landscape will change. If you are not careful, you will find yourself in the middle of nowhere while others have moved on.

Here is the story on Vista
Vista OS should give the company a revenue stream that will run for years. But experts at Wharton say the end January's launch of the consumer versions of Microsoft's flagship software may be among the last of its kind.

What kind?
A product sold for a flat fee in a shrink-wrapped box.

What are competitors doing?

• The "oldest" competitors to shrink-wrapped would be pay per direct download.
• Or they offer open source stuff as per Linux.
• Or they ask consumers to accept advertising-supported softwares.
• The latest competitors say "You pay only when you use of the software." These softwares are not loaded on your PCs.

Reference - http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/1651.cfm