Joe over at Microsoft Monitor weblogs talks about how Microsoft is missing the weblog product boat. Hey, I'm happy that we're missing that boat. I'd rather that Microsoft focus on making the best platform to build weblogging tools on top of!
Why does Microsoft need to do everything? I'd like to see Microsoft do less and let people build products on top of our platforms. It's healthy for Microsoft to see businesses build on top of our platforms. It's not healthy for our ecosystem to assume we need to do everything.
That said, if I was thinking of building a weblog product, I would not do what Six Apart or UserLand have already done. That won't help you build a business. Instead, come to the PDC and think about what weblogs will look like in three years. I can't wait to see a weblog tool that uses WinFS and Avalon and Aero and delivers a smart client that really rocks and that doesn't try to force all blogging functions into the Web client (Radio UserLand was FAR ahead of its time in this regard — and the really cool stuff in Radio was never exposed. There's a neat outliner in there that would really be something wild to think about).
Plus, in three years lots of people will have Tablet PCs. Lots will have SmartPhones with cameras. Those are where the emerging businesses are. Those are the ones where the opportunities are. Just copying Six Apart or Radio UserLand or Blogger is just gonna be the wrong path to go down. [The Scobleizer Weblog]