As Sun Microsystems, AOL Time Warner and Oracle struggle with low stock prices, revenue declines and layoffs, the company they all love to hate had a phenomenal year.
Microsoft rang up record revenue in its most recent quarter, launched a flashy new video-game service and rolled out the Tablet PC, a pet project of Chairman Bill Gates.
Just how long can Microsoft's roll continue?
Much of that depends on whether Microsoft can mature, said Matt Rosoff, an analyst with Kirkland-based Directions on Microsoft, an independent research firm. Microsoft needs to outgrow bad habits of missing deadlines for delivering new software and become a leader that can clearly articulate its vision of the future.
It also needs to prove to angry customers that a new licensing program Microsoft forced on them was worth the cost and trouble.
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