When Microsoft executive J Allard announced that he was leaving the software giant, he sent a letter to the company's employees. In that message, Allard said Microsoft should look for talent that will "redefine" what the company has become. He indicated that doing so would be best for Microsoft as it prepares to take on Apple, Google and other competitors that will crop up over the next decade. Allard's comments make a lot of sense. Microsoft is the same company that it was when Windows 95 was released, as the company quickly became the biggest story in the industry. Since then, Microsoft has attempted to reinvent itself in some ways, but time and again, it has failed. It's still the big software company that controls the operating system and office-productivity markets. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but that won't last forever. Microsoft needs to redefine itself. And it needs to make it clear to both consumers and the competition that it's here to stay.
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