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Robert Scoble, the corporate blogger who agreed with Microsoft CEO Steve Blogger to "put a human face on the company", is leaving the world's largest software company for a Silicon Valley startup, PodTech.net. In a world where Scoble was given free reign to both laud Microsoft's apparent successes and harshly criticize Microsoft's failures and product gaffes, the Redmond giant will be losing the most vocal and visible employee they have. Well, besides Bill Gates, anyway.
Scoble's blog here was and will continue to be a beacon to many in the blogging, journalism and media world as a rate glimpse into the Microsoft culture as well as what goes on behind the doors of Microsoft the global software company. Scoble often chastised the Windows Vista team for delaying the new operating system so long, and he also pumped the xbox 360 for being first-to-market and for being a superior product. Investors in MSFT would have been wise to have paid attention to Scoble's musing at his blog, as it was open and telling unlike many corporate blogs today, which are PR windscreens more than anything.
Astute media knows this and generally disregards the windpipe blogs, but Scoble's was quite different. Alongside Sun Microsystems CEO Jonathan Schwartz -- who is the only CEO blogger in the Fortune 500 -- this new way of communicating with customers and the media with all guards down was an exceedingly pleasant breath of fresh air. Global corporations who seemingly fail to move at the speed of the internet could take a serious communications note from these two examples. This is a new day, and communicating with customers and the media in this fashion -- blogging, unplugged from marketing filters -- is a grand way to one-up your competitors.
[Disclosure: I own MSFT shares as of 6-12-06]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-12-2006 @ 3:41PM
SD said...
The biggest global corporation incapable of moving at the speed of the internet is called Microsoft. I'm not sure anyone from there can give meaningful advice to Fortune 500 companies that actually make and sell products (as opposed to locking in revenue through predatory practices). My company's margins will improve when we can stop wasting money on expensive licenses for insecure Microsoft software. MS is a marketing company, not a high-tech one, and as such has merely been experimenting with 21st century marketing. When the bottom falls out - as is bound to happen, MS is very late at moving to software as a service and will never benefit from the open source movement - we will wonder how they managed to make so much money for so long.
6-16-2006 @ 9:47AM
Mrs. Jeanne Fraune said...
Technology update for Transition 15, a school for students receiving services in special education. Transition 15's goal is to teach these students Basic Life Skills including check book knowledge, house keeping, food preparation, education relating to basic life skills; and introduces the students to work opportunities as provided by RISE, Minnesota.
I am requesting 1 macintosh computer and 1 laptop computer for Transition 15's students to use. Our daughter will be attending Transition 15 the fall of 2006. After touring the Transition 15 site, I noticed that there is only 1 PC for the students' to use.
Most sincerely,
Jeanne Fraune
(A retired ART teacher and Special Education teacher specializing in the areas of
LEARNING DISABILITIES AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORAL DISABILITIES for students receiving services in Special Education).
THANK YOU!!!
6-16-2006 @ 9:53AM
Mrs. Jeanne Fraune said...
My husband and I and our children recognize your talents and dreams fulfilled.
As parents we only hope that our children demonstrate following the motivation, creativy, and faith that you have demonstrrated in sharing you skills and talents.
My husband and I have 1 biological son, a graduate of Hamline and former sales manager for the Best Buy stores in the Minneapolis and St. Psul, Minnesota regions. Our oldest adopeted daughter is a 2006 graduate receiving services in the area of special education. We have another girl and boy that we adopted.
Thank you for your Comment Page so I would Add my Comments.
Most sincerely,
Jeanne Fraune
22853 NW Rum River Blvd.
PO 171
St. Francis, MN 55070
(763-753-1914