Ask HN: Why is Microsoft not part of FAANG?

FAANG doesn't make a lot of sense as a category, but it the kind of glib thing that rolls off the tongue.

For instance, Apple is a hardware manufacturer. The other ones aren't. Amazon has a major presence in e-commerce. The others do not. Netflix has more in common with the Walt Disney Corporation and 20th Century Fox than the others. Facebook and Google do look similar if you squint, however.

In another world not too far from this one, Netflix might be off the list, Microsoft might be on. Maybe Tesla would be on the list.

Microsoft may be part of that sooner than later. They are actively discouraging folks from using the Office suite of products and instead using their cloud solutions, similar to Google docs.

Then there is the gaming side of the fence. With time, less people will have games installed locally. As is, you may find it difficult to play any M$ games without internet connectivity. Combine this with cortana staring into your soul, and they might start to slip into the name.

What can you spell if you add the letter M?