In the Tech World, Sometimes it's OK to Hug the 800-lb. Gorilla

Everyone likes to pull for the underdog. And maybe more, we like to rebel against the "evil empire". But that just demonstrates that we can be poor judges of what's best for us.

Companies like Microsoft are magnets for animosity. Sometimes whole marketing strategies are built around that disdain; recall the hilarious "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" commercials from Apple. Though there are some cases in which those feelings might be warranted, and watchdogs should keep a sharp eye for market bullying, we shouldn't make the mistake of generalizing that to be our whole image of the beast, nor should we let our jealousy of their success cloud our view of what they do.

The technology world is all about change, innovation, and trial-and-error discovery. I'm constantly amazed at how we strain against the current of progress, grasping desperately at the Start Buttons and pull-down menus of the past. Embrace the risk! Let the success or failure happen naturally. Don't poison the well of potential customers by decrying attempts to innovate before they even get off the ground.

I happen to believe Microsoft is doing some great things. They are taking a big chance on Windows 8 by introducing a new interface, but I think they're brilliantly positioning themselves for the post-PC era. So much so, in fact, that when I'm using my Windows 8 PC, I keep trying to tap and gesture on the screen as if it were touch-enabled. That WILL be the future of computing, and they're doing us a favor by releasing this awkward, multiple-personality version of Windows so we can move into that world a little at a time.

They're also doing great things for consumers in general. With Office365, Microsoft introduced changes that make Office, the most powerful productivity suite, amazingly affordable. Their new subscription model is $99/year (broken down monthly if you want, for slightly more), putting it much more within reach than it's previous $300+ entrance fee. It can be installed on up to 5 PCs or Macs on a single subscription, so the whole family can run Office at no additional charge. Not only that, but subscribers are entitled to get all new versions as they're released for as long as their subscription is current. These are amazing things to see from a company that really doesn't need this sort of model to survive.

I find myself wanting to give the software industry's 800-lb. gorilla a big hug for dragging us, kicking and screaming, into the future and throwing the little guy a bone or two. I will use Office365 on my 2 PCs, my Mac, and iPad with relish because it was a great deal, great software, and just plain cool. I will live with a little head-scratching with Windows 8 because it carries the promise of something truly new to come, and I'll be thankful to Microsoft for taking me down the bumpy road to get there.