Paul Thurrott at winsupersite writes an interesting article comparing Microsoft to IBM and mentions how Microsoft is becoming the next IBM. The article is pretty lenghty and there are quite a few valid points. However, being a staunch Microsoft follower and a current IBM employee, I beg to differ in some ways, and unlike Paul, I will just write them in point form instead of a lengthy article:

1) IBM, over the years has become a software/services vendor for large/medium sized corporations only. They have no consumer offering at all. Microsoft has corporate as well as consumer offerings, which makes it a different beast.

2) Microsoft actually has a meaningful mission statement and has lived on to fulfil it. Windows runs on servers, desktops, laptops, tablets, netbooks, Pocket PCs and smartphones. Anything with a micro-processor can run Windows. IBM's spectrum is nowhere close to being this wide. IBM's mission statement of "Smarter planet" sounds pretty vague too.

3) Microsoft has a lot of innovation and is open to new ideas and newer trends in technology. They are willing to adapt and change as time changes. Last time, I checked, IBM's latest version of DB2 or Lotus Notes was not 21st century stuff.

4) This one if my favorite. Try installing any Microsoft stuff; be it SQL Server, Windows or Office. The process is like this: Next, next, next, finish. And the product works out of box. Try installing DB2, Lotus Notes, Websphere or any other IBM product. One needs training to even learn how to install this stuff.