Re: Come on MS, say it... Windows Mobile is a dead duck.
"Didn't I read that there are 350,000 Qualified Engineers unemployed in India?"
probably, and there may be a reason why: If they are out of work, it may be because they're work (quality, quantity, outcome) isn't worth paying them the apparent low wage that a contractor in India might pay their employees as compared to someone working in Redmond.
A lot of this isn't due to a lack of education, or intelligence, or even real qualifications on the part of the 'out of work' engineers in India (or those who are working, for that matter). A lot of this is PROBABLY the 'rules of engagement' and the instructions given to the "body pack" that's ultimately hired to do the work.
Throwing bodies at a problem, i.e. 1000 previously out of work (and poorly paid) engineers are now working on "the problem". But they can't step outside of the box for fear of someone else quickly assuming their role at the company. And so REAL innovation goes out the window, problems are shrugged off and even HIDDEN to avoid conflict, and we get a lot of "yes sir" when there should be objections...
You can't blame them, of course, and I am just pointing out what I think is happening "over there" and why the phone support, engineering efforts, etc. seem to be 'below our standards' over here - and it's because 'boiler plate' is the rule of the day and nobody DARES go around it, against it, etc. - the nail that sticks up GETS THE HAMMER, right? Anyway... that would be the "rules of engagement" for doing the actual work.
So ultimately it has proven that off-shoring everything to India can be a bad idea, regardless of their intelligence or the apparent cost. It's the 'rules of engagement' that cause the fail and bureaucratic "solutions".
In any case, if Micro-shaft wants QUALITY people, they'll have to PAY for them. And you often get what you are willing to pay for, as long as you actually PAY for it. And don't "get cheap". etc..