<i>&quot;Microsoft will...return to what they do best: making money by creating software.&quot;</i><p>Isn&#x27;t that the crux of the problem, though? As software has become commoditized it&#x27;s very difficult to make money by creating software. Now it&#x27;s all about service - and even then it&#x27;s difficult to get people to pay to use a software-only service; especially when there are (usually) free alternatives.<p>I don&#x27;t envy the position Microsoft is in. They need to pivot and it&#x27;s not at all clear where they can pivot to and still maintain their substantial income stream.