经济学人下载:重振雄风的微软(2)

Third, work with regulators rather than try to outwit or overwhelm them. From the start Microsoft designed Azure in such a way that it could accommodate local data-protection laws. Its president and chief legal officer, Brad Smith, has been the source of many policy proposals, such as a “Digital Geneva Convention” to protect people from cyber-attacks by nation-states. He is also behind Microsoft’s comparatively cautious use of artificial intelligence, and calls for oversight of facial recognition. The firm has been relatively untouched by the current backlash against tech firms, and is less vulnerable to new regulation.
第三，与监管机构合作，而不是试图瞒骗或压倒。从一开始，微软就以一种能够适应本地数据保护法律的方式来设计Azure。它的总裁兼首席法律官布拉德·史密斯一直是许多政策提议的来源，比如一项旨在保护人们免受民族国家网络攻击的“数字日内瓦公约”。他还支持微软相对谨慎地使用人工智能，并呼吁监管面部识别。相对而言，该公司没有受到目前针对科技公司的反弹的影响，也不太容易受到新监管规定的影响。

True, missing the boat on social media means thorny matters such as content moderation pose greater difficulties for Facebook and Google. Still, others would do well to follow Microsoft’s lead. Apple has championed its customers’ privacy, but its treatment of competitors’ services in its app store may soon land it in antitrust trouble. Facebook and Google have started to recognise that with great power comes great responsibility, but each has yet to find its equivalent of Azure, a new business model beyond its original golden goose. Amazon, in its ambition and culture, most resembles the old Microsoft.
诚然，在社交媒体上错失良机意味着，内容节制等棘手问题将给Facebook和谷歌带来更大的困难。尽管如此，其他公司还是会效仿微软的做法。苹果一直在保护用户的隐私，但它在应用商店中对待竞争对手服务的方式，可能很快会让它陷入反垄断的麻烦。Facebook和谷歌已经开始认识到，实力越大，责任越大，但两家公司都尚未找到与Azure对等的业务模式，这是一种超越其最初的金鹅的新商业模式。亚马逊的雄心和文化与老微软最为相似。

Even a reformed monopolist demands scrutiny. It should not be forgotten that Microsoft got where it is today in part through rapacity. Critics argue that in its battle with Slack, a corporate messaging service which competes with a Microsoft product, it is up to some of its old tricks. A growing number of women at the firm are complaining about sexual harassment and discrimination. The new Microsoft is far from perfect. But it has learned some lessons that other tech giants should heed.
即使是经过改革的垄断者也需要审查。我们不应忘记，微软之所以到如今的处境，部分原因在于贪婪。批评人士认为，在与企业通讯服务Slack的竞争中（Slack与微软的一款产品存在竞争），谷歌使用了一些老把戏。公司里越来越多的女性抱怨性骚扰和歧视。新的微软远非完美。但它吸取了一些其他科技巨头应该吸取的教训。