More Microsoft billions

Do the claims from Facebook make any sense?

Wayne B writes:

” Microsoft claiming a billion users is a bit of a stretch, but not as much as we might think. Facebook says they have over a billion users and there are many people with a PC not on Facebook, so 1 billion Windows users is a possible (but unlikely) number. I wonder if they’re counting all the people who connect with Windows Server or Exchange?

I trust McDonalds claim of billions served more than I trust Microsoft’s claim. “

I don’t think much of Facebook’s claim either.  None of the ‘billion’ claims are properly audited.  In Facebook’s case they can count incomplete and inactive accounts as well as multiple accounts created by one person and accounts for organizations, companies and one-off events.   Facebook’s ‘billion’ is also unlikely because they are blocked from 1.3 billion potential customers in China.

You’re right that Microsoft is doubtlessly doing some tricks to come up with their ‘billion’ number for Windows.    Counting all the sales of Windows licenses plus accounts into Windows Server or Exchange Server would help boost the count. 

For Microsoft Office you could add all the Windows/Hotmail accounts since they all have access to Office Web Applications.

All this is assuming there was any counting done at all!  It’s quite possible the ‘billion’ numbers for Windows and Office weren’t counted as such but are merely wishful thinking / hubris from Microsoft.

See Also

• Microsoft’s billions
• Office has a billion users – true or false?