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Microsoft plans new Quests

Ina Fried Former Staff writer, CNET News
During her years at CNET News, Ina Fried changed beats several times, changed genders once, and covered both of the Pirates of Silicon Valley.
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Ina Fried

Microsoft is in the early stages of planning a system where its employees will be able to work together online to plot the company's vision for the future.

In an interview, CEO Steve Ballmer and Chairman Bill Gates said the system, known as Quests, will be used to help shape Microsoft's vision of the home, office and data center of the future.

The system will use the "wiki" approach to help employees collaborate and is based on the company's SharePoint portal technology.

Ballmer said the new tool is part of an effort to allow Microsoft to better distribute its strategic planning among its many technical leaders--a move that appears all the more important now that Gates has announced plans to step down from full-time work in 2008.