Here is my spring technology column for China Economic Review. It's a little spot of woolgathering speculation on the future of Xbox in China. Flatteringly, it's been syndicated on the BusinessWeek website. No, I didn't get paid extra for that.

The editors at CER thoughtfully removed my Roman Empire-in-decline metaphor, including the line where I suggested that, given some of Microsoft's current challenges, trying to launch XBox in China had a touch of "self-immolating, Nero-esque grandeur". God bless editors. They save me from myself.*

Actually, it's a relatively positive piece with regard to Microsoft. That surprises no one more than me.

Microsoft's Great Xpectations for China
As the computer company is poised to bring Xbox and Xbox live to the mainland, questions remain about Internet standards and profitability

One year ago, during a visit to Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, President Hu Jintao said: "Because you, Bill Gates, are a friend of China, I am a friend of Microsoft."

It was a stunning recovery. Years of fumbling had left Microsoft's business in China a shambles. In 2004, it had struggled to save its government business from a campaign urging Chinese government bodies to purchase local software. Beijing had even flirted publicly with that home-wrecking vixen, Linux.

All of those bad memories vanished into the recycle bin as Microsoft earned the most public of endorsements from the most powerful man in China.

--more at China Economic Review, via BusinessWeek-- 

Previously:

All is in chaos... (December, 2006)

*Tim, the editor at CER, is a great guy. He really does save me from myself.