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The Pulse #153: Is Microsoft too early to agentic OS – like with smartphones?

Deep Dives

Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:

  • Windows Phone 1 min read

    The article directly references Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6 error and draws parallels to their current agentic OS strategy. Understanding the full history of Microsoft's failed mobile OS attempts provides crucial context for evaluating whether they're repeating past mistakes.

  • Software agent 12 min read

    The article discusses 'agentic OS' and 'agents becoming the default way to write code' but assumes readers understand what software agents are. This Wikipedia article explains the computer science foundations of autonomous agents that underpin the entire discussion.

  • Vendor lock-in 15 min read

    The article's core tension is developers potentially moving from Windows to MacOS or Linux due to Microsoft's agentic OS plans. Understanding vendor lock-in dynamics and platform switching costs illuminates why this developer exodus threat is significant for Microsoft's strategy.

The Pulse is a series covering events, insights, and trends within Big Tech and startups. Notice an interesting event or trend? Hit reply and share it with me.

Today, we cover:

  1. Microsoft too early to agentic OS – like with Windows phones? The tech giant wants Windows to be an “agentic OS”, but developers hate the idea and could move to MacOS or Linux. Is Microsoft in the process of repeating its Windows Mobile 6 error?

  2. Industry pulse. Agents becoming the default way to write code, more AI-coding startups adopt metered pricing, Cursor the highest-valued dev tools company, 1-day onboarding at AI-native companies, and more.

  3. Inside Cursor’s unique engineering culture. A completely different way of hiring, rapid shipping as the norm, many former founders at the company, and more.


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