Digital Living

Microsoft Start Defending Vista

Microsoft start defending Vista. They have taken various "route" to make Vista truly "successful":

• Forcing hardware vendor to adopt Vista.
• Terminating Windows XP (as of June 30).
• Allowing people to buy Vista yet downgrade to XP if necessary.

Now, claimed their site:

• They are "humbled" by the fact that millions of users are adopting and VERY HAPPY with Vista.
• They are proud that NY Times raved "Windows Vista is beautiful".

This is exactly the kind of self-narcissism and typical self-lie crazy moves that is so "Ballmerian" by nature.

In the past, Microsoft never have to justify such claim at all. Microsoft products are simply works. Backward compatibility was just simply excellent. Bloated memory and slowness is rare.

I still remember:

• When IBM claimed OS/2 as the "next GUI based OS", Microsoft humbly simply say: "Windows is the GUI for DOS", the "next step" before transition to "OS/2". No arrogance attached.
• When DOS is being upgraded from version to version, Microsoft backward compatibility is always awesomely great. No "self-proclaim" necessary.

But that was the posture of OUR beloved Microsoft in the 80s, and early 90s.

Now, under Ballmer, Microsoft is trying to "pose a picture" that no matter how louzy, slow, photo-copying MacOSX everywhere, and bloated their software was, it is still a defacto standard and a "great" winning product that people (and the industry) will (or must?) consume and "adopt". People will "swallow" it anyway; by "trick" and "force" if necessary.

Microsoft becomes a tricky dinosauric "sales company", start loosing the strategic, competitive, innovative engineering root that makes it a great, competitive, fascinating, loveable "underdog" company in the past.

Intrinsicly, Ballmer is a perhaps "narcissist salesman", Bill Gates is a "budding entrepreneur". The difference in their inner-value system and leadership-style matters:

• Ballmer loves interpreting/justifiying number the way "he like", Gates loves creating a great,  winning product that win programmer's, industry's and market's heart.

• Ballmer is arrogant. Gates is working, supporting, collaborating, dominating (and competing at the same time) with everybody.

Being humble (a.k.a no arrogance) perhaps was one of the greatest "secret sauce" behind Microsoft greatness in the past. Microsoft never claim something in the past, they just passionately and systematically do. And over deliver it each time. As a consequences: People simply love (and truly passionate) working with Microsoft at that time.

These totally change during Ballmer reign and leadership.

There was a time when Microsoft was a really great loveable company. Everybody love building things on Microsoft platform. We understand Microsoft "internal" cause, competitive stand and  attitude as a company towards the growth and longevity of the "young" PC industry. We were passionate about their cause so much, perhaps as much as we understand and passionate about the  internal working of DOS's B800:0000, INT 21, FAT, and Windows WM_ event-driven messages at that time.

As such:

• We all simply truly passionate about the leading-yet-underdog Microsoft at that time. No need to for Microsoft to hopelessly shout "Developer, Developer, Developer ..." (like Ballmer strangely "does" these days), because developers indeed loves Microsoft at that time. We are all unified behind this great "vision" to make PC a truly great machine that contribute and dominates the computing industry.

• No need for Microsoft to do the "stupid, silly ugly, nerve wrecking, embarrassing" Ballmerian-monkey-dance act -- like what happen recently (which shocked and embarrassed everybody that supported and loved Microsoft in the past) as it resembles nothing about what Microsoft value system is all about.

Everybody in the past loves Microsoft for what it does and stands-for (a.k.a innovating the humble, simplicistic yet fascinating and fastly growing PC industry).

No need for stupid, silly, strange, embarrassing "monkey dance" act to "justify" all that. Great product justify itself. Great company speaks with less arrogance. All things are just naturally happen greatly, in a natural, fun, fascinating, "humbler" yet consistently magical way that was "truly Microsoft's".

Now -- under Ballmer -- Microsoft is just another Redmond company. A narcist to its greatest degree. Something we love to fight back.

Books I Do Want To Read :-)

While reading a book about "Microsoft 2.0" sounds totally boring to me -- as I expressed yesterday, reading these books (see below) is something that I really fascinatingly did (long time ago), and really look forward to  re-read again, perhaps -- someday -- if time permit. :-)

Techie Entrepreneurs:

• Akio Morita (Sony),
• Bill Gates (Microsoft),
• Steve Jobs (Apple, Next, Pixar),
• Henry Ford (Ford Motor)

Biz Entrepreneurs:

• Carnegie (US Steel),
• Joe Wilson (Xerox),
• Thomas Watson Sr (IBM).

Not only these books are fascinating to read. It also significantly differentiate the approach that these "techie entrepreneur & business innovator people" take towards work, from the "Ballmerian devilistic nature".

True entrepreneurs took their heart, dedication, idealism, imagination ("vision"?) and passion into the business. They put their heart and work towards contribution and advancement for society. They work extremely hard (and extremely smart) to build something "big", kind, useful, beautiful, wonderful and exciting. The bigger their business become, the kinder the "heart" of their organization become as well.

The "Ballmeristic approach" took "something wierd, awful, and cruel" into the business equation. For the "Ballmerian nature" it's about winning and getting bigger without substance. 

What's the fun of company growing bigger if -- in the process -- the heart of your company (and the heart of your people) getting smaller?

What a "monsterous" disaster.

Book I Don't Want To Read

I recently found a book that I don't want to read: "Microsoft 2.0 -- Microsoft post Gates era".

What's the fun of reading about Microsoft post Gates era? The early indication have shown that after Bill Gates no longer incharge as CEO, Microsoft execution is messed-up, very slow and totally lauzy.

Bill Gates -- in many ways -- is inseparable part of what makes Microsoft a truly dynamic, respectable, fun and exciting company. Under Gates leadership, it becomes a brand, a product and an unbeatable legend that people come to love, respect and admire.

Post gates era, Microsoft just becomes a company. A "nice food potpourri" ... but with no salt.

iPhone 3G Is Released Today!

Apple 3G is released today. And with it comes a new way to take a look at the internet from a totally different view, experience and perspective.

Not only the device is a 3G device. It is also offering a new whole way to buy and experience application, on and off the net. Awesome.

Mr. Ballmer will need to start "photocopying" these concept again I assume, and -- while his troop is busy photocopying -- he will, as usual, start announcing his "pooh pooh" statement of what his lauzy Windows mobile system can do (better?) against Apple iphone/itouch system.

What a lauzy leader.

Samsung Instinct & HTC Touch Diamon Is Coming!

If iPhone is not moving fast to dominate the market, these iPhone-look-alike might eventually creeping in.

 

The Last Week Of Bill Gates At Microsoft

This would probably be the last week of Bill Gates at Microsoft.
Here's a link to his whole fascinating "career", passion, strategy and story.

And this is one his best best best vision ever; of how computing could be, at those momentous, daring, beautiful time:

Microsoft in the 80s, 90s, early 2000s (when they massively shift to the internet) -- all under Bill Gates direct, intense, passionate leadership -- is really really passionately awesome.

And to those great works and passion which has changed society and humanity for the better, there's only one proper deep word to say:

THANK YOU.

The world is one step ahead to become a better place for everybody.

 

"You don't get it. You don't get it. We are going to put a computer on every desk and in every home". -Bill Gates to Steve Ballmer, back in the early days of Microsoft.

June 30: Bill Gates Officially Leaves Microsoft & Final Day Of Windows XP

Photo of Microsoft whole team - 1978
The Microsoft that we all (once) love

June 30, 2008 would be an important date that the world would remember. It would be the date when Bill Gates -- the founder and key driver of Microsoft would officially leave Microsoft. At the same time it is also planned to be the date when Windows XP would be stopped released from the marketplace.

This becomes significant because it might marks a new era. A day when the great entrepreneur and business builder start to focus/pursue on his other interest; also the day when the greatest hits of his long term works being replaced by a new "era" that still have to found its relevance and meaning.

After Gates, new leadership such as Mr. Ballmer, Ray Ozzie and the likes will start take over. So far, they haven't got any great hit product yet. Gates legacy is still what makes Microsoft great. DOS, Windows, Office , IE, XBOX -- these are all happening during the great Gates era.

OOXML, Office 2007 new interface, Vista, Zune -- these "floppy" failure (or "delayed success"?? -- as Mr.Ballmer would always love to "phrase" it?) are all happening during the "post Gates era".

We shall see how the days at Microsoft goes after Gates left. The long time veterans of Microsofts now will take over, later even the new comers will start to take over.

Whether Microsoft will stay relevance and exciting as a company after the post-Gates era remain to be seen. But for sure Bill Gates is one of the greatest entrepreneur of all time. The era of the 80s and 90s are still -- after all these years -- the best era, when we see Microsoft as our greatest company that we would fully support with our heart, the same way we get excited, dedicated and support open computing, horizontal scaling architecture, innovation and dedication to great software craftmanship that is happening in the world today.

Larry Dignan of ZDNet writes a great video wrap-up about the many hits (and few misses) of Gates works. It worth to take a look. Although -- to be in all fairness -- in my opinion, many of the failure I think is really happening more in the "new Microsoft leadership era" (which is not Bill Gates') rather than being Bill Gate's misses.

Here's the link to the video: http://news.zdnet.com/2422-13568_22-207992.html?tag=nl.e539

Firefox Sets A New Guiness-Book World Record As The Most Downloaded New Released Software!

The formal announcement is not yet made, but the official is now preparing to announce Firefox as the most downloaded new-release software on the internet.

We always believe in the power of the people. The magical act of people doing things together.

But the way they do it is really really awesome. How they come up with an idea that makes people around the world do something great and really excellent together is really really awesome.

And -- at the end -- the way they let everybody that is involved to keep a "token-of-rememberance" of such world-scale accomplishment is really really wonderful. Truly wonderful too. This is how they did it:

People around the world. We can create truly magical things together.

Truly awesome!!

ps: I'm waiting for my "banner" too :-) Such would be really really awesome to keep and remember. :-) :-) :-) Once, in a lifetime occassion. :-)

Steve Jobs & Bill Gates - The Mind, Vision, Dedication, Works & Passion Of A True Legend!

At D5 last year, two legends talk and share something that the world will listen and will always remember.

Through their separate work, practically these two passionate leaders invent, create, grow, evolve, and innovate the personal computer and the micro computer industry that we can not ever live without today.

Through their style, passion and work, they really produce great awesome accomplishment that enhance and improve the texture and living standard of worldwide society as a whole.

This year, one by one, time by time, each one of them might start to fade away from the world stage that they once crafted, created, nurtured and invented.

Yet, their believe, passion, ideas, work, vision, bet and accomplishment would always be something that world will always remember.

They are just deeply passionate about their work. And they really deeply truly know (and want to) make it really happen!

These are "works" of a legend. And these are "words" that they passionately express, share and say, during the D5 stage talks and discussion, last year:

Steve Jobs Looks So Skinny At WWDC 08 -- I Sincerely Hope He Gets 100% Perfectly Well Soon Once More

Steve Jobs looks very skinny during his WWDC08 performance. I sincerely hope he's really quickly back in perfect health and shape.

He's one hell of a great charismatic IT leader of the century. His ideas, vision, persistence, determination and achievements will always be legendary.

Take a look at some of his magnificent, confident, wonderful, legendary performances:

Truly awesome!

• "When you announce your new groundbreaking great idea, do so with confidence. Don't ask for people to like it -- assume that people will like it!" -- Anonymous

Steve Jobs is one of the great master, excellent executioner and superb practitioner of such magical "craft".

Jobs displays utmost confidence in how his fans will receive his products — stop worrying about the users, stop worrying about the developers, and start trusting his gut -- and that, not merely his presenting style, is what makes him so compelling.