What If … Open Source Windows?

Will Microsoft ever move Windows into an Open Source business model?  In a recent Information Week article, Charles Babcock explores the possibilities.   The real lesson here for business leaders is to consistently ask the question:  What If?

Entrepreneurial leaders are curious.  In the quest to find opportunity, they consistently ask the question "What If?"  They play mental gymnastics in their own minds and with their friends.  They consistenly explore the possibilities and implications of a path of decisions.    What would happen if Microsoft did indeed go down the path of Open Source?  What would it mean?  Who would it impact?   Who would benefit?  Where is the opportunity?  How likely?  And then the key question — what do I need to do to capitalize on this opportunity?

For established companies, the same lessons apply.  What are the core assumptions that drive our business model?  What if those assumptions were no longer true?   What would that mean for us? 

Unfortunately, most established companies either don't ask those questions or ignore the implications.  They ignore the possibilities of digital photography (like Polaroid or Kodak) or digital music (record labels) or of online classifieds (traditional newspapers).  Instead of reinventing their business models, they try to preserve the old one — until it is too late.    Perhaps Microsoft is asking these questions — time will tell.