Microsoft faces problems and it's not a good time for Gates to leave.

In June this year, Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, will step down from day-to-day management duties and remain only as Chairman of the Board.

At that time, Gates will devote more of his time to charitable endeavors. But for Microsoft, 2008 will not be an easy year either, as it faces at least the following eight major challenges:

1. Online business is still struggling

Last year, Microsoft's $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive demonstrated its determination to develop its online advertising business. However, in the search market, the gap with Google continues to widen. According to Hitwise data, Google's market share reached 65.1% in November this year, equivalent to nine times that of Microsoft.

2. Windows Vista adoption issues

Due to problems such as compatibility and high hardware requirements, the普及程度 (adoption level) of Windows Vista in 2007 did not meet expectations. In 2008, Vista will still face the problem of slow adoption.

3. Software as a Service (SaaS) challenge

As more and more competitors offer SaaS...