Comments

Switzerland LIFT conf - must get more active on blogging to make it next time - maybe open an account while there.

Posted by Sean at March 2, 2006 11:00 AM

A good addition, but make no mistake, it is a Microsoft view of the world.

That said, we all bring some "junk in the trunk" (that's the boot to you Trevor!)

Posted by Jeff at March 2, 2006 11:42 AM

I disagree Jeff, its not the Msft view of the world. Its a good book. Have you read it ??

As for Channel9, yes that is the view inside MSFT

Posted by /pd at March 2, 2006 12:08 PM

To its credit though MS seems an open "society" - new $1+Billion add-on to its Redmond campus and eastern Washington new campus success - plus the Gates Fondation has donated $100's of millions world-wide - apply for MS grants - become a partner.

Posted by Sean at March 2, 2006 1:12 PM

/pd, I was referring to Scoble's blog.

Sean, MS is the most closed/proprietary company in their industry. The Gates Foundation, I assume, is not MS.

Posted by Jeff at March 2, 2006 2:57 PM

Jeff, you've gotta be kidding. At some of our competitors employees are told they can not blog.

And if you're talking about open source and all that, well, then, I can name at least two companies that are far more proprietary than Microsoft is, but I don't want to look like a jerk here.

Posted by Robert Scoble at March 2, 2006 5:24 PM

TWO companies, Robert ... is that a lot?! ;-)

Posted by Lars Olufsen at March 3, 2006 5:05 AM

Great interview guys! Keep your eye on podcasting - to reach critical mass by 2010 - interestingly, just in time for the next winter Olympics in Vancouver. With all of the public dismay expressed about this years coverage by NBC, expect more independent vlog/blog/podcast coverage next time around. Happily, I'll be in Bellingham WA this year and well settled before it kicks off. Mt. Baker in WA is the birthplace of snowboarding!

Thanks for some great insights. Only to be expected with your interviews! BTW - when are you starting to offer the interviews as a podcast?

I'm already addicted to checking Memeorandum.com

Posted by Tom O'Leary at March 3, 2006 5:44 AM

Speaking of the 'Microsoft View'. Do we really want them to speak from a different view? Microsoft should express their view, Google should express theirs, I should express mine, etc.

Each view has it's merits, and to form my own opinions, I want to hear each of their views without some PC shrowd over it so it doesn't come across as biased. I want to hear their biased take on their vision. That way, I know where they're headed.

It's not different from Political parties. Being overly objective with everything shields content consumers from what they (as a company/party) are thinking and doing.

We're all intelligent enough to process information from different soucres/views and, with that information, make up our own mind.

I don't understand the anti-MS mentality. I suppose that it's akin to a staunch republican not being able to ever admit that a democratic representative had a good idea or vice-versa.

There's no denying that MS has and continues to play a dynamic role in the evolution of technology, especially on the use-ability of that technology. So what if there is some nasty beaurocracy in the organization. I haven't seen an organization of that size without some. So what if they're closed. Even open source gurus have some things that they keep locked up in the recesses.

I'm a big open source/social app fan, but I don't think that we have to necessarily go completely socialistic about it.

Posted by Tom O'Leary at March 3, 2006 6:05 AM

Robert, I was referring to your blog which contains numerous mentions upcoming products, meetings with code-named teams, congratulatory words for someone that gets to speak to Gates, etc. Great stuff and a great channel for MS to reach out. I'm for it. My simple statement was that it is a MS point of view. That's it. No harm intended.

Tom O'Leary writes, "Speaking of the 'Microsoft View'. Do we really want them to speak from a different view? Microsoft should express their view".

I couldn't agree more.

Posted by Jeff at March 3, 2006 6:33 AM

Jeff - Oracle is Darth Vader compared to MS.

Posted by Sean at March 3, 2006 10:14 AM

Sean, funny comment re: Oracle.

It's interesting. I haven't said anything bad about MS. I just said that the new Cool Friend's blog was a MS view of the world. There's nothing wrong with that.

Posted by Jeff at March 3, 2006 1:55 PM

Hi Jeff – I love the 'junk in the trunk' reference.

Blogging is a great way of discussing openly our differences.

I never discuss so many diverse subjects face to face at work as I do on this Blog. Tremendous!

I know of some folks not allowed by bosses to have a Blog or make comments on Blogs. How sad is that???!!!

On the other hand I heard Google employees are allowed to spend 20% of their working week (1 day) doing what the hell they want to do. This is on the basis they are likely to do something ‘interesting’– I agree with that logic.

NOT allowing people to ‘Blog’ is likely to give the opposite message to employees – i.e. WE DON’T WANT YOU DOING ANYTHING INTERESTING AROUND HERE.

Am I right or am I right?

Posted by Trevor Gay at March 3, 2006 2:54 PM

You're right Trevor! Funny that you say that. My Grandfather was quite politically involved in Bayonne, New Jersey when my Dad was a young boy. Dad remembered him popping in to say a few words at community gatherings when they were on their way to the park or baseball field. When he was recognized and asked to speak, he would say his piece with conviction and end by asking:

"Am I right [Joe]?"
"You're right Denny." the person would call back
"You're God damn right I'm right!" he would shout back.

Never met the man, but he seemed like he spoke his mind and believed in what he said.

Posted by Tom O'Leary at March 3, 2006 5:36 PM

I agree wholeheartedly with Scoble re: the power of blogging. And its not just for companies. As a free agent English teacher, a blog serves my career just as powerfully. Though it "got me fired" from my last job... it was the prime reason I was hired to my new one.

My blog gave me a tremendous edge over other job seekers. They had to condense their "teaching approach", their strengths, their successful projects, into a one page cover letter and a one hour interview. My cover letter (cover email, actually), on the other hand, basically said "here's a link to my teaching blog... it will explain my approach in detail." Interested employers could then read PAGES of information about me and my approach.

PS: Check out Kathy Sierra's blog for an example of teaching to build authority on a subject:
http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/

Posted by AJ Hoge at March 3, 2006 6:16 PM

Trevor, you're right! Blogging is a great breakthrough in communicating. What's next is brand identity of blogs. Not necessarily like that for a company, but the surely the trust factor.

The Times of London and Washington Post have developed a brand for trustworthy reporting though they trip once in awhile. They also have developed a reputation for a certain point of view. The key is, when you read them, you know what you are getting.

The same is beginning to be seen in the blogging community. We can't just state, "I read it on the web" or "it's true, I read it on a blog". Those blogs that develop trust will become the go-to places for information and opinions on the web.

Likewise, when we know their backgrounds and have read their blogs for a period of time, we know what we are getting.

Posted by Jeff at March 3, 2006 6:54 PM

"Sean, MS is the most closed/proprietary company in their industry."

Jeff - the closed part reads as negative toward MS - so yes you did impart such to me anyway.

And "Washington Post ... brand for trustworthy reporting ..." - that is totally false to me and many who've lived in the DC area - they are fishwrap at best!

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Their circulation is shrinking - even selling it at $.35 a copy it is a tough sell. Katherine Graham, et al had/have been rabid Dems forever - zip for credibility re any fair political analyses.

Posted by Sean at March 4, 2006 10:43 AM

Sean, re: negative towards MS.

I can see how it could be read that way. Read a different way, I'm just describing a brilliant strategy for which MS should be commended. They have monopolistic marketshare in a business that is approximately 85% gross profit and are doing everything possible to keep it that way. Being a big proponent of open source is not compatible with that strategy. Being closed/proprietary is a good thing for them.

As for the Post, your comments are exactly what I was attempting to point out: you know what you are getting. Their circulation is shrinking because newspapers are a dying form of news circulation.

It'll take decades, but printing 100 pages for hundreds of thousands of people and having someone drive around throwing it on your door step is a model that has seen it's prime pass by. The fact that the news they print is old by the time you see it makes it even worse.

Posted by Jeff at March 4, 2006 11:42 AM

Tom O' - your Grandad sounds like my sort of man! He also sounds a lot like my late beloved Dad – a man of few words but they were usually ‘spot on’ words. He wasted few.

Jeff - astute comments. There are 6 Blogs I read every day. I have got to know those Blog owners very well - even if only virtually. I am a great believer in self regulation and not having censorship imposed. You are right – we will all make up our minds about Blogs that are worth returning to.

sample viagra free I am interested what keeps us hooked on certain Blogs. For me it is a few things and I would love to hear others views about why we keep ‘coming back.’

Here’s my list for starters;

I like:

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Regular postings
Variety of postings
Originality
No jargon – simplicity please
No pretentiousness
Professional yet some light relief as well
Links to other resources (e.g. Tom’s slides)
Feeling like I am part of a community
Friendliness
Good quality argument
Non confrontational
Plenty of smiles with comments
A Blog where the owner makes me feel like a customer
Some personal stuff about their life by the owner - stories please

Posted by Trevor Gay at March 4, 2006 4:33 PM

Jeff - you are quite the diplomat. Trevor - thanks for the list :>} ... it reads like a runners' endorphin level production.

Customer service Wal$Mart story - their $3 severe markdown sports wear rack is amazing - picked up many former $12 retail items early this AM - and at the cash register they made it $2 a piece - gifts for all I say - must graze the markdowns more often.

Posted by Sean at March 4, 2006 6:42 PM