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Fascinating stuff from Scobleizer today. After asking whether he would be as interesting outside Microsoft, he then proceeds to give us 12 reasons why startups shouldn’t buy Microsoft. Sailing close to the wind, or what?
This is getting to be a habit. He’s been reflecting on his position for a while now, dropping huge hints that there’s a hinterland beyond Redmond, Wash. If I were a betting man, I’d say he’s trying to tell us something. More, he’s trying to take us with him into the world of open-source startups. Or Google, perhaps?
Here’s just a flavor of his mood today :
Now, why am I telling you this stuff? After all, I’ve just given you a list of perceived competitive advantages for Linux, Ruby on Rails, MySQL, and others. Isn’t this yet another example of why Scoble should be fired for being negative on his own company?
No.
See, I don’t want uninformed customers. That doesn’t help me. It doesn’t help Microsoft. It doesn’t help the customers. I want you to ask your Microsoft salesperson the tough questions before you buy into any of our new Web stuff. And, I start with the presumption my readers are smart enough to use Google or MSN or Yahoo to find out this information anyway. If you don’t get the right answers from Microsoft when it comes time to consider new Web technologies/methodologies/tools, er, if we don’t answer these points above, then I want you to run to the competition.
Now, a man who can see the opposition’s point of view is on a spiritual journey, whether he knows it or not. The question Scoble must ask himself is whether that’s compatible with a company that says it will use “brute force” to dominate web-based services, while looking for a “more elegant” solution for the longer term? Such musings rarely end with status quo.
Keep telling it like it is, Scoble. If Microsoft’s got any understanding of the world, they’ll sense your tone is totally compatible with the very world they want so much to enter.
[Source: Scobleizer]
Update: Robert Scoble replies to this on Scobleizer : “John Evans thinks I’d leave to go to work for Google. Hmmm, no, I’m quite happy at Microsoft thank you very much!
That said, if I did leave, it wouldn’t be to work for two kids from Stanford. My wife went to Cal. That just wouldn’t go over in the family very well. ;-)”
Well, OK, but I think the wink says it all. ;-)
Update: Further clarification by Scoble : “John (Microsoft Weblog): I am on a spiritual journey, but I’m not leaving Microsoft. The world is about to change, though, you’re right! Microsoft is going to need to change with it. ”
2166 days ago
[...] Yes, he is leaving. No, he isn’t going to Google, as I predicted on Microsoft Weblog a few months ago. He’s actually going to a podcast network as a video vlogger, i.e he’s going to be doing virtually the same job he did at Redmond. [...]
2386 days ago
[...] I think Seth is getting at this too. And I’ve written a lot recently about Robert Scoble’s deliberations (agonizings?) about his role at Microsoft and the lure of Web 2.0 and Open Source. One such article I penned this week in Microsoft Weblog struck a chord and became one of the most talked about pieces in the blogosphere for 24 hours ~ a bit like the life of a mayfly. [...]
Pandora’s box indeed, Sam. But with thoughts like that you should be a publicist. :-)
It will be very interesting what Gates and Ozzie have to say in SF. It could change the whole shape of the Internet. Or maybe it will just be another half-hearted gesture. We’ll know tomorrow.
I think Scoble maybe cleverer than you think. Tonight Microsoft announce their new “live” services strategy – think hosted services. Maybe Scoble is putting out all the reasons why “Opensource is better than Microsoft” so that after the announcement he can new post the 12 reasons why Microsoft is now better than Opensource (or at least as cost-effective). In addition he has a host of comments telling him how stuipd/wrong he is in doing so. I think he will love to post a very simple I told you so post.
On the otherhand if Microsoft/Scoble do not make an immediate repost then I think Scoble has shot himslef by publically opening up this Pandora’s box.
That’s usually the case, Brandon :-)
Maybe Scoble knows something you don’t ;)
2388 days ago
[...] John Evans thinks I’d leave to go to work for Google. Hmmm, no, I’m quite happy at Microsoft thank you very much! [...]
Well, I’m sure Bill Gates is very relieved to hear that. I can’t help imagining a new blog called Scobleoogle, though :-)
Nah, I’m not leaving. That’s a major hint right there. :-)