You would think that were true based on some recent headlines.

Perhaps I'm a little biased since I've worked in, with, and around phone systems for about 9 years, longer if you count my days as the systems administrator at three different companies.

We've been joking about Microsoft's Response Point for a while. Will we need more memory for our phones to run the latest version? What about stability - "I'm sorry, I can't talk right now. I need to reboot my phone." Instead of CTRL-ALT-DEL, we'll get used to 1-7-# as the new three-finger-salute.

We can't blame Microsoft for all the excitement. Sometimes people go wild for the latest and greatest anything.

All Microsoft jokes aside, I say competition is good for any industry. I'm sure they will find some feature or way of making thus-and-so work so much better than the others. Of course, everyone else will figure it out too and the status quo will be maintained. The question remains whether the other manufacturers of IP phones and PBXs will survive. Are they strong enough to put up with a little more competition or are they just holding on by the skin of their teeth?

Let's just see what happens.