Microsoft lost $7 billion with Xbox and MSN over last four years

Forbes has published a new article about Microsoft. This company is now thirty years old and the magazine takes a look at Microsoft's current situation.

One of the facts they posted is that Microsoft has lost over $7 billion in four years time with newer products like the Xbox console, MSN online services and the wireless and small-business software. The software giant's major income stream is Windows and a couple of desktop applications like Office.

Moreover, the next 18 months could be filled with blockbusters. Fifteen product releases are set, including new versions of Windows, Office and the SQL database; the much-hyped Xbox 360 is to debut this holiday season. Microsoft is at its best when a new threat looms--as Netscape did a decade ago--and now it has the next one. Ballmer revs up the troops with a new battle cry: "Goo-GLE! Goo-GLE! Goo-GLE!"

"Tone comes from the top," he says. "People have to be reminded that there's nothing that stands in our way of competing. Our capacity to learn is amazing."

Ballmer is one of the richest men in the world. His 3.78% stake in his employer is worth $11 billion. Bill Gates owns 9.42% and, with other assets, has a net worth of $51 billion. And while Gates sells 20 million shares every quarter to diversify his assets, Ballmer rarely disposes of shares, and even then mainly for charitable purposes. He drives a seven-year-old Ford to the office every day.

Read on over at Forbes.