The IT industry can be separated into two aesthetic camps/schools/philosophies. There is the less is more camp, dominated by Apple and increasingly Nintendo and there is the Microsoft and Yahoo camp.

A good example of the differentiations between the two camps can be found here. Also, if you haven’t already seen it, you should watch the follwing video:

It seems a not too difficult formula to emulate - keep things simple, keep things focused, but Microsoft and others seem not to be content to let their products stand on their merits. And plenty of us snap up their offerings.