Microsoft Skills Expanded

As much as everyone enjoys hammering Microsoft for their business practices and lackluster software, they do produce some gems, and lately they have been Internet services. Their Expedia http://www.expedia.com and CarPoint http://www.carpoint.com web sites are not necessarily revolutionary in concept, but are extraordinary in execution. Both are very effectively competing within their respective online markets.

Microsofts next big web winner could be Home Advisor http://www.homeadvisor.com. The site is still in its preview phase, so there are many bugs and a lack of data, but once those issues are corrected, it looks like it will have a big impact on the home buying process.

Home Advisor incorporates information beyond that of the physical house description and photo. Demographic information about people in the community, educational information about the schools, mortgage information, and crime statistics are available. Services such as a planning calculator, loan finder, and neighborhood finder are also options. The home search service is elegantly designed with just the right amount of technology and graphics to make it user-friendly.

Other software companies are not attacking these alternate markets with as much vigor or effectiveness as Microsoft. Someday Microsoft could generate more of its revenue from services rather than products sales. We are sure impressed with some these early projects.

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