Can Microsoft save itself?

In a recent editorial in The New York Times, former Microsoft vice president Dick Brass speaks of a "dysfunctional corporate culture" at the world's largest software company and questions whether it can still compete with the likes of Apple, Google and Amazon. Has Microsoft lost its "creative spark" — and are the software giant's best days behind it? (Watch an expert give a positive prognosis for Microsoft)

They’re still earning record profits, but...: "Microsoft is nowhere close to financial failure," says Nick Eaton in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Just last week, the company "reported record revenue of $19 billion and record profit of $6.7 billion in the second quarter of fiscal 2010." But considering the dawdling pace at which Microsoft releases new products these days, there is reason to be concerned about the company's future...

"Microsoft has 'dysfunctional corporate culture,' ex-exec says"

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'Speed' isn't the best way to measure success: Dick Brass's argument obviously hurt, says Microsoft corporate vice president Frank Shaw on the Official Microsoft Blog. But "obviously, we disagree." Of course, "one could argue" that we haven't innovated fast enough. But the "speed" at which we introduce new products isn't nearly as important as the benefits Microsoft products bring to "the vast numbers of people" who use them. On that front, we win.

"Measuring our work by its broad impact"

Microsoft is failing, but can still regain its dominance: If Microsoft wants to survive, it's going to have to "get the web right," says Sebastian Rupley in Gigaom. So far, the company has lost "billions of dollars" in failed efforts to create internet brands, like MSN and Bing. "This could change, though," if Microsoft can finally create effective synergies between their online ventures and their "traditional software business."

"3 surprise scenarios for Microsoft's future"