Microsoft wants to write, not buy software

What Microsoft will bank on is creating new software based on current an in-house developed portfolio of software that includes SQL Server and Office.

For the past several years, Microsoft purchased many small companies, absorbing their assets and intellectual property. The fruits of its acquisitions usually end well, and the company has demonstrated its tactics since the very early days of DOS -- which was written by an individual software developer and then bought by Microsoft during its startup years.

"I've never been opposed to the idea of looking at players in the industry. We've looked, to be quite honest. We just thought organic development would get us to the real solution faster," said Raikes.

Microsoft is in the process of developing software to help business track progress and make forecasts. A new product called PerformancePoint Server 2007 is being designed to help executives and managers on issues such as budgeting, forecasting and performance monitoring. A new version of SQL Server will also launch later this year.