Responsive: The company should work effectively with business partners such as software developers and computer manufacturers. When it can, it should grow in a way that allows opportunities for others as well.
Innovative: It should try to be first to develop innovative software and is investing heavily in research and development.
"If we are not going to be first, we had better be first to be popular, and [if not] first to make money."
A growth company: It should find new opportunities for software beyond the personal computer. These include operating systems for mobile phones, music and video applications, and software for cable companies.
Law-abiding: The company has reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice over anti-trust charges. It is now appealing against a European Commission finding that would force it to amend its Windows operating system.
Pragmatic: Rather than being "religious" about pursuing its own views of how technology and markets should work, it must acknowledge the view of others. Outsiders should realise "we now have a practical side to us".
Open: Instead of battling to establish it Windows Media format for encoding and playing films and music, it will aim for its software to be inter-operable with that produced by other companies, such as Apple and Real Networks.
