Comments on: the microsoft question

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 13:26:10 +0000

Scoble had nothing to do with the number of Microsoft bloggers. It was happening anyway!

By: Stevep

Stevep — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:07:26 +0000

Rick, I find it somewhat curious that the Novell deal came on the heels of Ray Noorda’s passing away. I’m sure he’s turning over in his grave about now.

By: Rick

Rick — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 23:29:36 +0000

As long as Microsoft is still mainly in the business of screwing people over, I will continue to find them utterly disgusting.
The Novell deal is just the latest dirty trick. Publicized by clueless media as a move to work closely with Linux, it’s actually an extremely sick attempt to kill off free software via a percieved loophole in the GPL. Nice PR-job though.
And Novell will catch most of the flak when free software developers start sueing them for distributing their software in violation of the GPL. Brilliant.
Real nice people, those MS guys. Just don’t forget to count your fingers after shaking hands with them…

By: Robert W. Anderson

Robert W. Anderson — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 23:03:56 +0000

Ironic. I guess I never really grokked your actual argument about GG content.

By: Michiel

Michiel — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 15:27:48 +0000

“a large part of the human experience is [a] getting oneself into a rut”
nevermind [b] you are getting part [a] wrong.

By: Roger Wilks

Roger Wilks — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 11:23:35 +0000

Yes, I think MS is trying to reinvent itself, look at the Novell deal.If they really really do want to re-invent themselves why not try offering MS for $25.00 if you want to give it to another person one of you will have to pay say $5.00 to pass on the info. This would save MS from having to give up their claims of exclusive rights. They could drop the idea of making each version hold everything of all previous editions. It would be affordable for me to cheaply up grade.Does this make any sense?

By: KJ

KJ — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 08:02:17 +0000

Blah blah blah… I just bought my first four bottles of Stormhoek and will sit in front of the fire drinking the first of them (the computer will sit dark and alone in the office).

By: V-+a%S(p#E*rsT=`hE..]gra_Te[

V-+a%S(p#E*rsT=`hE..]gra_Te[ — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 04:30:50 +0000

I like Microsoft, though I sympathize with those who have some complaints against them.
A client recently asked for my help in usability testing and promoting a new API (Application Programming Interface) for a product. I did some research and at one point, I emailed the top usability lab guys at Microsoft with some specific questions.
They were prompt, thorough, and extremely friendly. I shyly said that I might trouble them with more questions further down the road. They said that was fine, they were at my service.
When I told the client about it, suddenly my own credibility and expertise was magnified in their eyes. The client thought it was amazing that I could get their attention and favor.
As you say, Hugh, many other companies are not anywhere near this kind and altruistic. Oh, and Scoble is a great guy, too. He is the same, very open to helping others and replying swiftly to emails.

By: Mike Peter Reed

Mike Peter Reed — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 00:34:15 +0000

Rebirth — like a convict on parole, you mean?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2000/microsoft/700702.stm
Franky forgets that Ms Office Standard Edition costs around £300. And it requires activation to ensure you are not a pirate.
iWork costs less than £60. Apple trusts you not to rip them off.
Sure Microsoft, change the world in your little bubble. If you don’t trust anyone, you cannot have true success. True success does not come from within.
As I’ve said before, with thousands of servers to maintain in the company I work for, Microsoft is supplying me a commodity (server OS, licenses, engineers, etc) and because they do not add any “real” value in today’s world they are below the line and therefore that commodity service is prime for outsourcing. Do you have any idea how much my family hates patch Tuesday?
Virtualisation seals the fate as software as commodity.
Now wine is a commodity, but also there are wine conessuers. Last time I looked, nobody gave a stuff about what software they were running so long as it meets the task in hand. Unless it happened to be Apple, then users get all passionate for some reason.
Microsoft does need to reinvent itself, for sure. Will they be as successful, and open, as Apple have been in this reinvention process? (Microsoft’s SEC filings do make interesting reading, but are are hardly definitive transparency … http://www.microsoft.com/msft/SEC/default.mspx )
Where is the Jonathan Ive poster boy of Microsoft? Oh yeah, in india singing developer songs … http://www.microsoft.com/india/ready2005/song/default.aspx
As Jack Trout says, you have to start with the public’s perception of you and your product and work from there. And the public perception of Microsoft is as bug ridden as their monolithic patchwork of code, which is unlikely to be a silk purse any time soon.
The fact the BBC has recently buddied up with Microsoft and shafted everyone not using Microsoft Windows Media is typical of their monoculture thinking and great “partnerships”. I pay my license fee, why should I not be able to access that media just because I “think different”.
Tread carefully, Hugh. You will be assimilated

By: AndrewH

AndrewH — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 22:36:47 +0000

a good friend of mine told me once, it is always easier to be the baby elephant following an adult elephant……
the baby elephant has the luxury of never having to smash down the tall grass.
rock on hugh!

By: franky

franky — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 20:30:26 +0000

I can surely appreciate Apple, geek as I am, but MS really is the best thing that could happen to IT… and the world.
MS might not always have been original [cough, if I compare the timeline of iTunes 7 and WMP11, Apple loses this battle all over, except for podcasts], but MS has made IT accessible to anyone.
$300,$400,$500 software? Almost 90% of the users have MS preinstalled on their computer anyway. In those cases the OS even doesn’t cost $100 anymore.