Now more than ever MS two monopolies are under threat - Windows and Office. How do they counter this? The traditional way, generating FUD.

MS aren't involving business or consumers in the development of these apps. They're just releasing tidbits of information about the development, after the development.

How is telling us that Office will export to PDF being open? What's earth shattering about knowing that they're gonna do PDF in Office? It's obvious, its marketing and its FUD.

If they were being open about Office 12 they'd blog about whether customers want an ODF format. And then they'd implement it. Instead, MS force their own XML file format down customers throats and broadcast it via their blogs.

Look at the new Office 12 UI. MS have already dictated a UI change in Office 12! They just did it and told people at a PDC conference like they would've anyway. Then they broadcast it via their blog.

Look at IE7. They're blogging how they're gonna support basic standards and a UI that's the same as every other browser. How is this open? Consumers aren't being asked what IE7 should do. Again, feel threatened by Firefox, they develop first and dictate the change after the fact. This isn't open or innovative. Just obvious and manipulative.

Now to the Apple vs MS openess issue. MS have a monopoly. What have they to loose by broadcasting their intentions to their captured consumers? Nothing! They gain, by keeping the sheep in the pen. What do Apple have to lose by blogging early about their (actually) innovate products? Their competitive advantage against a monopoly, and a significant method to communicate in a market flooded with MS FUD.

Blogs are a cool new channel/tool to influence people with. MS are using it for their marketing and FUD. And people think Steve has a reality distortion field! MS were built on one and it continues to power them!