possibly an illegal agreement being played out?
Yes, it might be that Microsoft is just closing out a losing product line.
Or, it could be that Microsoft and Intuit have entered into an illegal agreement.
Back when Microsoft wanted Intuit to drop support for the Netscape browser and go exclusively with IE, an illegal agreement between Microsoft and Intuit was very likely. Microsoft defers from possibly bundling Money with the OS and Intuit agrees not to support Netscape.
Today the agreement is likely to be Microsoft dropping Money altogether (or supporting it so poorly that it might as well drop it) and Intuit agreeing to limit or refuse to offer client software for Linux.
Why do I suggest such an illegal agreement between Microsoft and Intuit?
Hey, if I can think of it, clearly Microsoft and Intuit can too and most likely have. They are not dummies. And clearly both Intuit and Microsoft would like to have certain markets to themselves and not have to compete.
Of course such an agreement between Microsoft and Intuit would be illegal. But, Microsoft knows that illegal agreements are the best kind. It is those agreements that preclude competition the best. That is why they are illegal. And that is why they are often not written down either. Just sort of an (illegal) understanding.
We will see how quickly or slowly Intuit puts all of their client software on Linux for desktop, laptops, netbooks, smartbooks and nettops. Every day that those Intuit products do not show up suggests an illegal agreement between Intuit and Microsoft.
Or, maybe Microsoft just does not know how to compete?
Maybe Microsoft should leave the search marketplace too? It is doing lousy there as well. Of course, there is not another company in search that it could use to put together an illegal agreement.
Why always suspect Microsoft of illegal conduct?
Microsoft is always involved in illegal conduct. Microsoft continues to commingle the code between the OS and IE even though the US appellate courts found such practices to be illegal. And, yes, Microsoft appealled that specific illegality to the US Supreme Court and they refused to hear that specific issue. So each of the Microsoft lawyers know for a fact that they are continuing illegal conduct. They can not be so stupid to claim otherwise. With that knowledge a secret illegal agreement with Intuit is easy to sleep with.
Hey, you can not figure this out?