Microsoft Goes Out Hunting for IBM Consultants

A week ago, an IBM representative announced during a speech that his company has cancelled their contract with Microsoft as of October this year, which means that IBM will not make the switch to Vista and will gradually give up Windows.

Microsoft's reaction was prompt, the Redmond company announcing that it will invest $500 million to persuade businesses to adopt proprietary software instead of hiring IBM consultants.

"Getting the most out of their people is on the mind of every business leader I speak with. Successful businesses understand that people drive business success and growth. At Microsoft, we understand that and are passionate about the idea that the right software can provide the tools to empower workers to become the drivers of business success," CEO Steve Ballmer said during the conference where it announced the „People Ready" initiative.

Reuters cites Microsoft's press release in which the company says that new software systems like Vista, Sharepoint, the new Office suite, are the result of $20 billion investments in research and development.

Jeff Raikes, Microsoft's business division, states that these kinds of software services will help employees to be more successful.

"IBM has an army of relatively expensive consultants. They enable their people to run your business. We enable your people to run your business, not take our people to run your business," said Jeff Raikes.

It didn't take long for IBM's answer to appear: "Microsoft's marketing campaign, you can't really call it a strategy, is Window-dressing for a pitch to keep a one-size-fits-all, proprietary Windows world."