

Ask HN: Should Microsoft be broken up? - numair

We used to ask this question 10 years ago with the government in mind; today, looking at articles such as the one in the NY Times today (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/business/18msft.html) it seems like a question worth asking from the standpoint of shareholders, Windows/Office users, etc.  Would love to hear the HN community's perspectives on pros and cons, and what a division would look like.
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numair
Here is how I would break up Microsoft:

    
    
      - Office: all productivity software, including Exchange and SQL Server
      - Microsoft: operating systems and platforms - server, client, mobile,
       Xbox, developer programs
      - MSN: all internet properties + Internet Explorer, along with all
       home/etc apps
    

... Can't think of what else there is in the Microsoft portfolio; I am sure I
have left out a ton of their product offerings, but there's a few companies in
the split-up I'd like to see happen. I think there'd be a ton of innovation
that such a move could unlock.

~~~
ErrantX
MSN as a separate entity probably couldn't survive. I cant see that it has the
solid revenue stream / secure market that the other 2 portions have.

Arguably even the Office segment would struggle too (possibly depends how well
online office does).

~~~
numair
MSN needs a fundamental rethink of its business. No better way to encourage
that than to force it to take care of its own P&L. It's really no different
than Scripps' spinoff of its newspaper business.

