Microsoft also has quietly granted broad powers to Brian McAndrews--an advertising executive who joined Microsoft last month through its $6 billion
acquisition of aQuantive. McAndrews is expected to help shake up the software giant's online business.
Some industry executives believe the Internet is facing the sort of turning point that the computer-operating-system sector confronted two decades ago: Whoever controls the technology platform for buying and selling online ads could hold tremendous power over the Internet industry --much as Microsoft was able to use its Windows operating system to shape the personal computer.
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