tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post116813761975206397..comments2024-03-18T12:52:48.117-07:00Comments on Mini-Microsoft: The Good Manager, etc, etc, ...Who da'Punkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18205453956191063442noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169511287837906712007-01-22T16:14:00.000-08:002007-01-22T16:14:00.000-08:00Maybe he will. And your assumption that he will do...<I>Maybe he will. And your assumption that he will do no good there may in fact be dead wrong.</I><BR/><BR/>Holy cow! I guess <I>anything's</I> possible, isn't it, but is it that likely that the guy who steered Vista into the infamous reboot is going to make a brilliant name for himself elsewhere? Microsoft should build a light rail system just for Jim that takes him straight to One Infinite Loop, no stops! You should be so lucky.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169448777724137302007-01-21T22:52:00.000-08:002007-01-21T22:52:00.000-08:00>> Maybe Jim will join Apple Inc. nowMaybe he will...>> Maybe Jim will join Apple Inc. now<BR/><BR/>Maybe he will. And your assumption that he will do no good there may in fact be dead wrong. <BR/><BR/>You know I read Sinofsky's blog from time to time and I can't help but think that the worst times are ahead for WinDiv. Sinofsky is a process demon from hell. Even his blog posts are bureaucratic in tone. Good god I feel for you folks. You're about to get IBMed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169430475627613672007-01-21T17:47:00.000-08:002007-01-21T17:47:00.000-08:00>At least one person at SoftieLand has a sense of ...>At least one person at SoftieLand has a sense of humor.<BR/><BR/>If incomprehensible blithering is funny, then, yeah, I guess your post qualifies as humor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169367319228026202007-01-21T00:15:00.000-08:002007-01-21T00:15:00.000-08:00"Your finger slip, Mini?"At least one person at So..."Your finger slip, Mini?"<BR/><BR/>At least one person at SoftieLand has a sense of humor. Right Whoda?<BR/><BR/>"I respect Allchin quite a bit more after that email."<BR/><BR/>Amen to that. At least Alchin realizes there is a problem. MS can't fix a problem unless it knows it exists.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169347361797811752007-01-20T18:42:00.000-08:002007-01-20T18:42:00.000-08:00I respect Allchin quite a bit more after that emai...I respect Allchin quite a bit more after that email. At least his head is not up his ass and when he sees BS he calls it BS. <BR/><BR/>Case in point: http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/library/PX08636.pdfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169331177330370812007-01-20T14:12:00.000-08:002007-01-20T14:12:00.000-08:00Going back to this because it's still in today's n...Going back to this because it's still in today's news:<BR/><BR/>>><A HREF="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/110354.asp?source=rss" REL="nofollow">JimAll's email</A><BR/>>>By Anonymous, at Friday, January 12, 2007 9:48:47 PM <BR/><BR/>Jim Allchin refers to Longhorn as a "pig" and says if he didn't work for Microsoft he'd buy an Apple computer.<BR/><BR/>Nice that Jim's putting that in writing for all the world to see when it becomes evidence in court (as all embarrassing Microsoft employee emails seem to do).<BR/><BR/>Clearly he's one of those "Good Managers" who is deserving of millions of dollars in bonus money.<BR/><BR/>With execs like JimAll and the crowd that promoted him to senior VP status, who needs competitors.<BR/><BR/>Maybe Jim will join Apple Inc. now that he's no longer delighting Microsoft's customers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169322014487090872007-01-20T11:40:00.000-08:002007-01-20T11:40:00.000-08:00>BTW, you all ought to know, Fry's is just a junk ...>BTW, you all ought to know, Fry's is just a junk hardware outlet, selling predominately obsolete, refurbished and formula failed production lots. You would be advised to steer clear, especially since Mini is about to pull his AR out of the closet.<BR/><BR/>Your finger slip, Mini?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169256139936201132007-01-19T17:22:00.000-08:002007-01-19T17:22:00.000-08:00Ship it stuff.LW6, basic plaque with a couple DVD'...Ship it stuff.<BR/><BR/>LW6, basic plaque with a couple DVD's on it saying thanks.<BR/><BR/>Manager passes it on telling me how I was recognized for all the hard work I did.<BR/>Co-worker got the same plaque, I am sure with the same BS, though he sat and surfed the web through the LW6 period.<BR/><BR/>Oh I feel so special....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169234757345596752007-01-19T11:25:00.000-08:002007-01-19T11:25:00.000-08:00A nice softie said, "Oh, who cares, he's just anot...A nice softie said, "Oh, who cares, he's just another Slashdot fanboy". <BR/><BR/>Mini, how do you know I'm a he talking about DRM? Besides DRM is being ABMed by about a dozen other posters here talking about DRM. And, well your anti-DRM customers are Pennywise and thrifty wondering 'Is Anyone Listening'? DRM is DRM after all, and without DRM we would not be here talking about DRM at all. Balmer thinks DRM's the best thing since slip n' slide. Hey, Mr. B. you might as well rename Zune the Super Soaker.<BR/><BR/>And the same nice softie said, "Seriously: go to hell, whiners. I swear to God if I hear one more geek bitch about DRM I am going to go Columbine in the motherboard section at Fry's."<BR/><BR/>BTW, you all ought to know, Fry's is just a junk hardware outlet, selling predominately obsolete, refurbished and formula failed production lots. You would be advised to steer clear, especially since Mini is about to pull his AR out of the closet.<BR/><BR/>So, as the DRM Dog is backed in a corner at the local ABM store he knows he's committed now and its looking like a last ditch FUBAR scenario; but the Slashdot Animal Control officer is ready and waiting with her trusty tranq squirt gun waiting for the call. Meanwhile, she's laughing her arse off at what softies are really concerned about: Starbucks mochas in the lunchroom, crappy ship gifts, free towels, and weeks and weeks of limited 2 Kim. Oooooh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169221075593811172007-01-19T07:37:00.000-08:002007-01-19T07:37:00.000-08:00"Well it symbolizes how..." (they think). It doesn...<I>"Well it symbolizes how..." (they think). It doesn't symbolize squat. It's a petty gripe from someone who isn't getting enough attention at home. You could fill any discussion with similar petty gripes about Linux, Apple, Dell, Sony, etc. Doesn't move any discussion of value forward. It just keeps attention focused on the whiner. Seriously: go to hell, whiners. I swear to God if I hear one more geek bitch about DRM I am going to go Columbine in the motherboard section at Fry's</I><BR/><BR/>Well, that just about sums it up. In one short paragraph you have captured everything that is wrong about Microsoft.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169185269022307722007-01-18T21:41:00.000-08:002007-01-18T21:41:00.000-08:00At least you get real ship-its. In MSN, we used t...At least you get real ship-its. In MSN, we used to get blanket ship-its on a irregular basis, regardless of whether we had anything to do with that release. Actual project releases receive nothing.<BR/><BR/>Message to leaders: When giving out recognition, do it right or do nothing. Half-assing it basically says "I don't really give a **** about what you did and, on top of that, I'll insult your intelligence by faking it in front of everyone."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169172571672536772007-01-18T18:09:00.000-08:002007-01-18T18:09:00.000-08:00For got to mention that I'd really like to access ...For got to mention that I'd really like to access my Outlook mail addres while on the road via my Office Live scrip then back at the office recieve these mails regularly. Calendar works but not email. Another damn shame missing revenue source for you guy's...<BR/><BR/>CustomerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169170460142743462007-01-18T17:34:00.000-08:002007-01-18T17:34:00.000-08:00It's a big leap from "I can't get my DVD's to play...<I>It's a big leap from "I can't get my DVD's to play" to "Microsoft has denied my use"</I><BR/><BR/>Oh, who cares, he's just another Slashdot fanboy who has found a Microsoft-related comments section to crap all over to make up for his own inadequacy at life. The filter is getting a little looser than it should and we are seeing tons of off-topic BS whining. I mean, complaining about things like CD keys and basic content protections...these are time wasting topics and only time wasters enjoy discussing them.<BR/><BR/>"Well it symbolizes how..." (they think). It doesn't symbolize squat. It's a petty gripe from someone who isn't getting enough attention at home. You could fill any discussion with similar petty gripes about Linux, Apple, Dell, Sony, etc. Doesn't move any discussion of value forward. It just keeps attention focused on the whiner. Seriously: go to hell, whiners. I swear to God if I hear one more geek bitch about DRM I am going to go Columbine in the motherboard section at Fry's.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169141859327813862007-01-18T09:37:00.000-08:002007-01-18T09:37:00.000-08:00I couldn't agree more with what former MS employee...I couldn't agree more with what former MS employees are saying about the typical "successful ladder climber at MS" being deceptive, Macchiavellian under-achievers skilled simply in the art of knowing with whom to align. In my years there (DC office, marketing), I saw a LOT of smart, decent people get thrown under the bus for no reason other than it served their manager's upward mobility interests. Many VPs have never worked anywhere else, so the NOT INVENTED HERE mentality prevails. Outside ideas are seen as threats and dealt with accordingly. When I saw my manager's utter dearth of integrity in action for the umpteenth time (and saw HER manager condone the behavior) I took my toys and left.<BR/><BR/>It all comes from the top down, I'm afraid. Nothing's going to change unless Bill's successor cleans house of the dead(ly) wood on every branch.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169112084139465762007-01-18T01:21:00.000-08:002007-01-18T01:21:00.000-08:00These are just excuses and you know it! You just n...<I> These are just excuses and you know it! You just need to face your fear. Will your families be taken care of if you find a job at Apple/Google? Even if you're waiting for your green card, you'll have no problems getting one at apple/google. It might take longer but you'll be well compensated for financially and you'll definitely enjoy your work more. </I><BR/><BR/>Fact check - its not easy to switch jobs during the green card process. For one, you may have to start all over again (we are talking years of time wasted). If you have maxed out your 6 years on the work visa, then you simply cannot leave your current job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169102058720183192007-01-17T22:34:00.000-08:002007-01-17T22:34:00.000-08:00>How about the ship-it plaque? Traditionally, you ...>How about the ship-it plaque? Traditionally, you get a piece of engraved metal that has the product name and ship date.<BR/>><BR/><BR/>Except the one for XPSP2. It was like a little piece of cardboard.<BR/>That one really pissed me off. Seriously, someone actually decided to save 50 whole cents on the thing after we had worked for years on the product. I even sent mail to the shipit people and complained. Sure it's a trivial little thing, but it says so much when they won't even give you that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169092891857523142007-01-17T20:01:00.000-08:002007-01-17T20:01:00.000-08:00>>User error. Post it notes are cheap. Write the k...>>User error. Post it notes are cheap. Write the key on one, put it inside the CD case/sleve, then put a few rubber bands around it to make sure it doesn't fall out. This isn't rocket science. :)<BR/><BR/>and<BR/><BR/>...but there's also some user education that has to happen...<BR/><BR/>You. Don't. Get. It.<BR/><BR/>At all.<BR/><BR/>Not the original poster here, but I assume you wouldn't whine to Ford cos you lost the key to your Escort and couldn't drive it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169092471507150582007-01-17T19:54:00.000-08:002007-01-17T19:54:00.000-08:00>>Vista Ship-It Gift SUCKS!>>One of the lousiest g...>>Vista Ship-It Gift SUCKS!<BR/><BR/>>>One of the lousiest gift I have ever seen.<BR/><BR/>Wow! What group are <B>you</B> in? We all got jet skis. I'm reaaly pissed about this - I wanted a fleece.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169088296736960922007-01-17T18:44:00.000-08:002007-01-17T18:44:00.000-08:00Should have mentioned that Office Live is a great ...Should have mentioned that Office Live is a great concept/product/service and have enjoyed testing/using this "live" while we manage our main site. Hopefully we will be able to transfer to OL when the bugs are worked out, then deactivate our current expenditures. The offer is worth the $ spent for the service and current interopability with or desktops and mobile laptops vs our current provider. Great job so far!<BR/>Lamentations aside...<BR/><BR/>CustomerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169087584394731952007-01-17T18:33:00.000-08:002007-01-17T18:33:00.000-08:00Mini, you may not post this, but I think this spea...Mini, you may not post this, but I think this speaks volumes--<BR/><BR/>In response to:<BR/><BR/>Re: Vista Ship-It Gift SUCKS!<BR/><BR/>How about the ship-it plaque? Traditionally, you get a piece of engraved metal that has the product name and ship date. The Vista one is a piece of metal with a clear sticker on it. Several people removed the clear sticker, thinking it was just a protective covering as in the past, and ended up with a blank piece of metal. I guess bringing back towel service meant that cuts had to be made elsewhere.<BR/>By Anonymous, at Tuesday, January 16, 2007 11:10:47 PM<BR/><BR/><BR/>This reminds of "There's no there there." It's the appearance of something that isn't exactly what it seems. This isn't a slam against Microsoft, but if you don't see the obvious connection, you guys are in trouble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169084054957890062007-01-17T17:34:00.000-08:002007-01-17T17:34:00.000-08:00"That does not change the fact that Microsoft has ..."That does not change the fact that Microsoft has denied use of media content I purchased for the purpose of viewing on my notebook. It is still failure to provide reasonable use of a purchased product."<BR/><BR/>It's a big leap from "I can't get my DVD's to play" to "Microsoft has denied my use" (and since you mention AACS, I assume you're only talking about DVD's here). That's quite an accusation, which I assume you will back up with proof very soon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169076894077814812007-01-17T15:34:00.000-08:002007-01-17T15:34:00.000-08:00First, my deep apologies for the too-long did'nt-r...First, my deep apologies for the too-long did'nt-read post below, but it kind of is an integration of many of the topics of this thread and I think important to discuss.<BR/><BR/>I have to give Kudos to Mini for fostering a real debate for Microsoft to consider. To me, all these issues are interrelated, i.e., DRM, visionary vs manager, success vs failure etc. My earlier comments about vision were referring to hardware and designed products, but several of the Redmond posters have indicated it applies corporate wide because the software experience requires astute vision just as much as the hardware experience. I picked the following four quotes (comments added after each) from different posters over the last ten or so posts on Mini: <BR/><BR/>1. "Can the DRM-related experiences that Microsoft DOES have control over be better?" <BR/><BR/>I think what your customers are saying is Microsoft should exercise visionary influence over that which it does not have control because Microsoft is in the center, being the host control of the intellectual property usage experience. Think of it as a task to implement the following spec: <BR/>'All customers of Microsoft will be able to use any media they have, whether from Apple, Walmart or the Zune store or any physical DVD etc. without the current obvious built in glitching that causes DVDs or CDs to not work or to work erratically in computers.' <BR/> <BR/>How would you get there from here? Management first has to decide if it wants to embrace that vision. If not, your customers will go elsewhere. Have you asked them? <BR/><BR/>Other Microsoft choices like buying an XBOX or not playing DVDs on a computer or downloading limited use media over the internet won't work for everybody because the majority of your customers do not want those choices.<BR/><BR/>Clearly, resolution is going to require cooperative instead of competitive interaction between the studios, MPAA, RIAA, Linux authors and computer manufacturers to come up with a customer desired solution. It would be better for everybody but it would require significant conversation and negotiation with all of the parties involved, especially the copyright owners. This would probably be in the form of a mutual neutral regulating body formed from the industry players with the primary directive in it's charter to be to give the customer a seamless positive experience to media used on computing devices.<BR/><BR/>The fact is, no one involved has asked the customers what they want or at least listened to and embraced their responses. It is pretty obvious they do not want what is being offered. Standards regulatory bodies are not anything new, just something that has worked very well until everybody started getting greedy. <BR/><BR/>I am talking about a standards governing body. If this is not done, havoc will continue and so will media sales continue to drop and the providers will continue to be looked at as 'evil' by their customers. Choices like allofmp3.com and emusic.com will continue to gain advantage and the industry will be left with their unrealistic TOS and EULAs that nobody will accept. Microsoft customers do not accept being stripped of access and use of the entertainment media. In addition to their vote with their wallets, they also have some cultural and corporate claim to the content just for being part of the culture that is the source of the content. This 'mutual ownership doctrine' cannot be ignored and at the very least implies reasonable access to the content. The intellectual property owners need to understand they do not hold all the cards in this matter.<BR/><BR/>2. "Not sure if we're doing this enough now to try and make DRM more consumer friendly or not. One example of a "win-win" possibility is subscription and rental services: DRM is much less odious for a $15/month all the music you want plan, and $4 movie rental, . . " <BR/> <BR/>The subscription model has already demonstrated failure because customers have figured out that it is just a ploy to get them to buy temporary use of the media. This is where you really need to use focus evaluation or common sense to understand that your customers want.<BR/><BR/>The idea of downloading all media is a long way away, as there are still hundreds of millions of customers who cannot afford it or do not have this option available, nor would they want it in the first place if it was available. The DVD buying customer base will not give up their preference to purchase a disk and play it as many times as they want.<BR/><BR/>3. "The "digital locker" functionality built into Vista is one example of a much better solution: Safe online purchases tied to a passport / hotmail account, with product keys and installers stored for you on a Microsoft web service." <BR/><BR/>Has anyone really asked your customers if this is what they want from Microsoft? Personally, I do not want to use hotmail or passport, both of which I consider too cumbersome and too intertwining with my OS supplier. If forced to go this route, I would just switch OS manufacturers and dump MS altogether. There are dozens of other more reasonable integrated solutions that Microsoft has not yet explored or has not been willing to invest R&D in.<BR/><BR/>4. "Grab 5 ICs at random. Ask what the division is doing now. I promise you'll either get five different answers or mere shrugs."<BR/><BR/>Just another indication of a ship without a rudder. Lack of vision or visionaries to steer the ship. If you were to ask your customers, you would find out that the lack of customer driven direction has really stifled their (your customers) wlingness to purchase more Microsoft products.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169070585531257962007-01-17T13:49:00.000-08:002007-01-17T13:49:00.000-08:00My car keys and house keys exist for MY convenienc...My car keys and house keys exist for MY convenience--to control access and use of things I own. <BR/><BR/>MS's and other software manufacturers' keys exist to exert control over products they've sold to me. They don't exist for MY convenience. <BR/><BR/>Imagine what our lives would be like if we had to use keys to make coffee in our coffee makers, to use dishwashers, air conditioners, heaters, hair dryers, and the like. Sounds like Big Brother-ville to me!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169067671758846302007-01-17T13:01:00.000-08:002007-01-17T13:01:00.000-08:00If you are really just completely fed up with Wind...<I>If you are really just completely fed up with Windows, go purchase something else.</I><BR/><BR/>Except, a large majority of people fed up with Windows *can't* purchase something else; they're using the hardware/software mandated by their employer. The home user is *not* the only use fed up with these crappy experiences. Plenty of people who use computers every day at work are.<BR/><BR/>And it's usually not just a one-time deal with the install/key. I know people who have to reformat their hard drives and re-install everything twice a year, because it just gets so corrupted/whacked out. <BR/><BR/>Someone mentioned needing a manual for digital clocks, and how we just have to "live with" technology being so arcane. I question WHY do we have to live with it? Why shouldn't the makers of software/hardware/applicances make it as easy as possible? Why should everything be a struggle?<BR/><BR/>Someone mentioned driving a car being difficult; yes, and every year, the design improves to make things easier. Think about this--most people don't buy manual transmission cars because they want the easiest use experience--they get automatic transmissions. This pressure for ease of use means that the newly redesigned Ford Thunderbird did not even have a single model that had a manual transmission (sucks for those who like to drive a manual tranny, but lovely if you didn't). <BR/><BR/>We have so much to do in our daily lives, and so little time. I am loathe to spend extra time on anything, and do get upset when I have to waste precious time figuring out something that should have been made easier from the start. Computers are no longer just for geeks who like to spend hours tinkering and dealing with this stuff; the vast majority of computer users view it as an appliance, and want to just use it and go on with their lives, rather than devote even more time to it.<BR/><BR/>To tie this to the theme of the original post--good managers will recognize these facts (users just want to get on with their lives, not devote themselves to learning the computer's arcane ways). They will work to see that this vision is implemented. Bad managers just want the coolness factor, because they're of the opinion that everyone is like them and wants these hard-to-use experiences.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555958.post-1169051817786869412007-01-17T08:36:00.000-08:002007-01-17T08:36:00.000-08:00Reality check for commenters: folks who want to us...Reality check for commenters: folks who want to use the comments as a place to just dump on Microsoft / Microsofties need to indulge their writing passion elsewhere. <BR/><BR/>And there are plenty of welcoming places for that.<BR/><BR/>E.g., saying something sucks or is doomed or that I need deprogramming does not leave much room for a productive engagement or enlightenment.Who da'Punkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205453956191063442noreply@blogger.com