Steve Ball invited Buzz and I over to a party at his new house tonight. He’s the guy who runs the media teams on Windows. Quite a good guitarist too.
What’s fun is you can listen to his music too.
But at the party I met some interesting technologists. Steve introduced me to David LaVallee.
Don’t know who David is? I didn’t either.
But he worked with Steve Jobs for years and, while at Apple, was the guy who pushed Jobs to buy Garageband. He also worked on the original Java team and at Disney for a while.
He’s now working at Microsoft on the MSN Messenger team. His blog is fun to read.
What else did he do? He helped Steve Jobs do his presentations. We talked about why Gates’ presentations are never as good as Jobs. We joked that he should go to Bill and say “you can only put three words on each slide.”
Ahh, that’s what we do for fun in Seattle on a Saturday night.
Oh, and Steve said the guy who runs the Google Video team was at the party too, but I missed him.
Steve said that he learned that Google video was done by four people over four months. That reminds me to go looking for small teams at Microsoft that are doing kick ass things.
Well, hope your Saturday evening was as fun!
Oh, and while we’re talking about Garageband, I see that Mary Jo Foley says that Microsoft is developing a Garageband competitor. Hmmm, I love it when Mary Jo finds out stuff that I don’t know about Microsoft. I gotta ask about that one on Monday when I’m back in the office.
Scobleizer 
What does he do for messenger? And come on Scoble, it’s Windows Live Messenger, or at least soon to be. I’ve gotta get my jaw muscles in shape to say all those extra syllabols.
Going from roll’n with CEO’s and what not to Messenger seems to be an interesting career move.
As for Google Video being done by 4 guys in 4 months. Now that sounds like fun. It’s as if a startup company had taken up residence in one of the Google offices.
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What does he do for messenger? And come on Scoble, it’s Windows Live Messenger, or at least soon to be. I’ve gotta get my jaw muscles in shape to say all those extra syllabols.
Going from roll’n with CEO’s and what not to Messenger seems to be an interesting career move.
As for Google Video being done by 4 guys in 4 months. Now that sounds like fun. It’s as if a startup company had taken up residence in one of the Google offices.
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Samuel: he's a senior software engineer. And he still rolls with CEOs. 🙂
As to the names, I like messing with marketing types who give us such wacky long names.
Google Video was done by four guys up in the Kirkland office which is about 10 minutes from my house.
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Samuel: he's a senior software engineer. And he still rolls with CEOs. 🙂
As to the names, I like messing with marketing types who give us such wacky long names.
Google Video was done by four guys up in the Kirkland office which is about 10 minutes from my house.
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Geez Scoble. I post a comment here and check again like 5 minutes later thinking…”nah, there’s no way he’ll have read it by then”. Not only have you read it, you’ve managed to post like 2 more entries. You’re a machine.
As for the names, I myself when evangelizing for MS (because somebody in my circle of friends has to) just lop off the Windows part and call everything Live X where X is Mail, Messenger, Spaces, etc.
Only problem is, just saying Live and not the Windows part really makes no connection to MSN or Microsoft. I also can’t call it Windows Mail, because that’s another product, which to me seems very similar to Windows Live Mail Desktop (another mouthful). Ohy Vey.
Now I know why they expect it to take 9 months for new hires to catch up, they’ve gotta learn to differentiate all the names.
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Geez Scoble. I post a comment here and check again like 5 minutes later thinking…”nah, there’s no way he’ll have read it by then”. Not only have you read it, you’ve managed to post like 2 more entries. You’re a machine.
As for the names, I myself when evangelizing for MS (because somebody in my circle of friends has to) just lop off the Windows part and call everything Live X where X is Mail, Messenger, Spaces, etc.
Only problem is, just saying Live and not the Windows part really makes no connection to MSN or Microsoft. I also can’t call it Windows Mail, because that’s another product, which to me seems very similar to Windows Live Mail Desktop (another mouthful). Ohy Vey.
Now I know why they expect it to take 9 months for new hires to catch up, they’ve gotta learn to differentiate all the names.
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Vista, Microsoft’s answer to OSX *.
Max, Microsoft’s answer to iPhoto.
Movie Maker, Microsoft’s answer to iMovie.
Monaco, Microsoft’s answer to GarageBand.
Time to stop coming up with “too little, too late” answers and start developing software that aren’t just a bunch of blatant knock-offs.
* Okay, I was just kidding here.
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Vista, Microsoft’s answer to OSX *.
Max, Microsoft’s answer to iPhoto.
Movie Maker, Microsoft’s answer to iMovie.
Monaco, Microsoft’s answer to GarageBand.
Time to stop coming up with “too little, too late” answers and start developing software that aren’t just a bunch of blatant knock-offs.
* Okay, I was just kidding here.
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“That reminds me to go looking for small teams at Microsoft that are doing kick ass things.”
— PLEASE do more of this!
I have to imagine that a few very smart people with a few months without the constraints of a massive project schedule can come up with some really good stuff. I’m sure this is probably happening in MS Research or whatever but it would be good to see you showcase something brilliant and usable out of the box.
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“That reminds me to go looking for small teams at Microsoft that are doing kick ass things.”
— PLEASE do more of this!
I have to imagine that a few very smart people with a few months without the constraints of a massive project schedule can come up with some really good stuff. I’m sure this is probably happening in MS Research or whatever but it would be good to see you showcase something brilliant and usable out of the box.
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Could you do something on the Microsoft-Automobile division? (Not MSN Auto 🙂 )
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Could you do something on the Microsoft-Automobile division? (Not MSN Auto 🙂 )
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God forbid you guys in Redmond ever came up with an original idea! You might have the marketshare but you still have lost the mentality that you (MS) are losers! Get over it, and really, just for once, INNOVATE.
Innovate does not equal copy other people’s ideas!
(here’s where Scoble gets uber defensive and lists a bazillion stupid things that MS has done before Apple or Google)
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God forbid you guys in Redmond ever came up with an original idea! You might have the marketshare but you still have lost the mentality that you (MS) are losers! Get over it, and really, just for once, INNOVATE.
Innovate does not equal copy other people’s ideas!
(here’s where Scoble gets uber defensive and lists a bazillion stupid things that MS has done before Apple or Google)
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Neema: I went shopping for a laptop with Maryam yesterday. Funny, I didn’t see an Apple Tablet PC. I didn’t see an Apple ultra mobile PC. I didn’t see an Apple media center. I didn’t see an Apple game console. What I did see was a $2,000 laptop that had about the same specs as ones from HP and Acer that cost $1,200.
So, who’s copying whom? I think you’re missing the point of what’s really going on in the industry.
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Neema: I went shopping for a laptop with Maryam yesterday. Funny, I didn’t see an Apple Tablet PC. I didn’t see an Apple ultra mobile PC. I didn’t see an Apple media center. I didn’t see an Apple game console. What I did see was a $2,000 laptop that had about the same specs as ones from HP and Acer that cost $1,200.
So, who’s copying whom? I think you’re missing the point of what’s really going on in the industry.
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“Funny, I didn’t see an Apple Tablet PC. I didn’t see an Apple ultra mobile PC. ”
That’s probably because Apple noticed how few people are willing to spring for that failed form-factor.
” I didn’t see an Apple game console. ”
No, and you probably didn’t find an Apple hair-dryer, either.
“What I did see was a $2,000 laptop that had about the same specs as ones from HP and Acer that cost $1,200.”
Heh.. Only when you ignore the specs like size and weight, which are rather critical to a portable, n’est ce pas?
“So, who’s copying whom?”
Microsoft is copying Apple, Sony, Google, and anyone else that comes to monkey-boy’s attention. Rather sad, really.
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“Funny, I didn’t see an Apple Tablet PC. I didn’t see an Apple ultra mobile PC. ”
That’s probably because Apple noticed how few people are willing to spring for that failed form-factor.
” I didn’t see an Apple game console. ”
No, and you probably didn’t find an Apple hair-dryer, either.
“What I did see was a $2,000 laptop that had about the same specs as ones from HP and Acer that cost $1,200.”
Heh.. Only when you ignore the specs like size and weight, which are rather critical to a portable, n’est ce pas?
“So, who’s copying whom?”
Microsoft is copying Apple, Sony, Google, and anyone else that comes to monkey-boy’s attention. Rather sad, really.
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Neema,
You seem to be under the mistaken impression that Microsoft is a technology company. It isn’t.
Microsoft is a marketing company. The only worthwhile products they’ve ever had were many decades ago, plus a few things they’ve bought along the way, like the Flight Simulator and that shoot-em-up game that was first developed on the Mac.
I’m sure that people at Microsoft have great ideas every day, but they get tossed out as soon as they get to a manager who asks “how does this help us beat Apple/Google/IBM/Monkey-boy’s Enemy-of-the-week?”
MS is a rotten, stagnant, broken organization. Just ignore it, and it will eventually go away.
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Neema,
You seem to be under the mistaken impression that Microsoft is a technology company. It isn’t.
Microsoft is a marketing company. The only worthwhile products they’ve ever had were many decades ago, plus a few things they’ve bought along the way, like the Flight Simulator and that shoot-em-up game that was first developed on the Mac.
I’m sure that people at Microsoft have great ideas every day, but they get tossed out as soon as they get to a manager who asks “how does this help us beat Apple/Google/IBM/Monkey-boy’s Enemy-of-the-week?”
MS is a rotten, stagnant, broken organization. Just ignore it, and it will eventually go away.
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J. Random is jealous that he doesn’t have an Xbox 360 yet.
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J. Random is jealous that he doesn’t have an Xbox 360 yet.
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>I didn’t see an Apple Tablet PC.
>I didn’t see an Apple ultra mobile PC.
They were called Newton – market didn’t take to em – sort of like now.
>I didn’t see an Apple media center.
Sigh, Front Row.
>I didn’t see an Apple game console.
I don’t see a MS portable media center (ipod), professional grade audio/midi editing, photo management app, page layout program (no word isn’t it – word is an embarrassment), what of it?
>What I did see was a $2,000 laptop that had about the same specs as ones from HP and Acer that cost $1,200.
Yeah ,you’re comparing a pinto with a porsche dude – 4 wheels, similar horsepower, the pinto might have a little more room. But which one feels better and is more of a joy to own/drive?
I think the apple stuff is worth the price differential. Even if you were going to just run windows on it (heaven forbid).
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>I didn’t see an Apple Tablet PC.
>I didn’t see an Apple ultra mobile PC.
They were called Newton – market didn’t take to em – sort of like now.
>I didn’t see an Apple media center.
Sigh, Front Row.
>I didn’t see an Apple game console.
I don’t see a MS portable media center (ipod), professional grade audio/midi editing, photo management app, page layout program (no word isn’t it – word is an embarrassment), what of it?
>What I did see was a $2,000 laptop that had about the same specs as ones from HP and Acer that cost $1,200.
Yeah ,you’re comparing a pinto with a porsche dude – 4 wheels, similar horsepower, the pinto might have a little more room. But which one feels better and is more of a joy to own/drive?
I think the apple stuff is worth the price differential. Even if you were going to just run windows on it (heaven forbid).
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Robert,
Help me understand your attempt at humor, there. Why would I be jealous over an Xbox? Are they still in short enough supply that there’s some kind of arbitrage opportunity?
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Robert,
Help me understand your attempt at humor, there. Why would I be jealous over an Xbox? Are they still in short enough supply that there’s some kind of arbitrage opportunity?
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XBOX is probably the smartest thing MS has done lately. Not necessarily the device itself, but the fact that they disassociated the MS brand from XBOX. But, let see here, if I’m not mistaken MS was what? 3rd, 4th, 5th to the game console market? Another “me, too”
What would it cost to add even the most basic programs with similar functionality to that $1200 HP that you get when you buy a Mac? Need to add that in there too, pal in order to be accurate. You really want to carry around a friggin’ 8 pound brick over 5.6 lb laptop?
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XBOX is probably the smartest thing MS has done lately. Not necessarily the device itself, but the fact that they disassociated the MS brand from XBOX. But, let see here, if I’m not mistaken MS was what? 3rd, 4th, 5th to the game console market? Another “me, too”
What would it cost to add even the most basic programs with similar functionality to that $1200 HP that you get when you buy a Mac? Need to add that in there too, pal in order to be accurate. You really want to carry around a friggin’ 8 pound brick over 5.6 lb laptop?
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Robert – you (and MS) simply bore me.
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Robert – you (and MS) simply bore me.
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For you apple lovers / MS haters:
iPod wasn’t the first mp3 player. They differentiated on the form factor and the controls and made it into the mp3 player that people wanted.
MS doesn’t need to come out with something that hasn’t been done before. They just need to come out with a version of something that differentiates itself from its competitors enough that it’s the version that people would prefer to use.
Innovation doesn’t have to be about introducing a new product. It’s can also be about convincing people that they need to use a product that’s already existed by making it better.
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For you apple lovers / MS haters:
iPod wasn’t the first mp3 player. They differentiated on the form factor and the controls and made it into the mp3 player that people wanted.
MS doesn’t need to come out with something that hasn’t been done before. They just need to come out with a version of something that differentiates itself from its competitors enough that it’s the version that people would prefer to use.
Innovation doesn’t have to be about introducing a new product. It’s can also be about convincing people that they need to use a product that’s already existed by making it better.
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“Steve Ball invited Buzz and” ME, Scoble. Sheesh. 🙂
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“Steve Ball invited Buzz and” ME, Scoble. Sheesh. 🙂
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J. Random Poster:
Apple copied from Microsoft: Fast User Switching, TaskGallery, Media Center, Alt-Tab, Context Menus, Sticky Menus, RTF, Shortcut arrows, Mouse cursors with extra symbols, Close window button with an X, Three windowbuttons (min/max/close) in the upper corner of the windows, Dynamic Link Libraries, Automatic daylight savings time, etc.
Apple did not copy from Microsoft: Taskbar with always visible running tasks, Big marketshare, etc.
Apple is not innovative they just a huge company. Huge companies rather buy innovations – Apple bought Final Cut, Garageband, iTunes, etc.
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J. Random Poster:
Apple copied from Microsoft: Fast User Switching, TaskGallery, Media Center, Alt-Tab, Context Menus, Sticky Menus, RTF, Shortcut arrows, Mouse cursors with extra symbols, Close window button with an X, Three windowbuttons (min/max/close) in the upper corner of the windows, Dynamic Link Libraries, Automatic daylight savings time, etc.
Apple did not copy from Microsoft: Taskbar with always visible running tasks, Big marketshare, etc.
Apple is not innovative they just a huge company. Huge companies rather buy innovations – Apple bought Final Cut, Garageband, iTunes, etc.
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“Apple copied from Microsoft: Fast User Switching, TaskGallery, Media Center”
Fast User Switching, I’ll give you. I don’t know what Task Gallery is. As for Media Center, Apple hasn’t cloned that–Front Row takes a different approach.
“Close window button with an X”
NeXTStep had that in 1989, and NeXTStep is the basis for OS X.
“Three windowbuttons (min/max/close) in the upper corner of the windows”
Uh, MacOS had close and zoom buttons in 1984.
“Dynamic Link Libraries”
Hahaha…shared libraries are nothing new.
“Automatic daylight savings time”
Oh, for the love of…you’ve got to be joking.
This who-stole-from-who stuff is silly. Look, you can’t change history. Check out your Recycle Bin–that’s the Trash can from 1984’s MacOS. The standard “File Edit View Window Help” menus? 1984’s MacOS. Even the phrase “cut and paste.” A guy at Apple invented that. There’s a ton of stuff taken directly from MacOS and put into Windows, on purpose. That’s just history. Apple ended up taking some things from Microsoft later on as well, though not as fundamental and dramatic as the desktop metaphor elements that ended up in Windows after MacOS.
Apple fans and Microsoft fans just have to accept these things and let it be, regardless of how you feel about either company today. Apple and Microsoft settled out of court years ago. Now, as far as Microsoft’s current-day projects being behind others, that’s a valid point. Microsoft seems to be refreshing the Google Labs page for its new project ideas.
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“Apple copied from Microsoft: Fast User Switching, TaskGallery, Media Center”
Fast User Switching, I’ll give you. I don’t know what Task Gallery is. As for Media Center, Apple hasn’t cloned that–Front Row takes a different approach.
“Close window button with an X”
NeXTStep had that in 1989, and NeXTStep is the basis for OS X.
“Three windowbuttons (min/max/close) in the upper corner of the windows”
Uh, MacOS had close and zoom buttons in 1984.
“Dynamic Link Libraries”
Hahaha…shared libraries are nothing new.
“Automatic daylight savings time”
Oh, for the love of…you’ve got to be joking.
This who-stole-from-who stuff is silly. Look, you can’t change history. Check out your Recycle Bin–that’s the Trash can from 1984’s MacOS. The standard “File Edit View Window Help” menus? 1984’s MacOS. Even the phrase “cut and paste.” A guy at Apple invented that. There’s a ton of stuff taken directly from MacOS and put into Windows, on purpose. That’s just history. Apple ended up taking some things from Microsoft later on as well, though not as fundamental and dramatic as the desktop metaphor elements that ended up in Windows after MacOS.
Apple fans and Microsoft fans just have to accept these things and let it be, regardless of how you feel about either company today. Apple and Microsoft settled out of court years ago. Now, as far as Microsoft’s current-day projects being behind others, that’s a valid point. Microsoft seems to be refreshing the Google Labs page for its new project ideas.
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“Automatic daylight savings time”
The face that you KNOW ABOUT THAT is scary. That’s a feature?!? Where on Earth is such a pathetic feature documented?! Amazing!
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“Automatic daylight savings time”
The face that you KNOW ABOUT THAT is scary. That’s a feature?!? Where on Earth is such a pathetic feature documented?! Amazing!
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Preston: Doug Engelbart invented a few things that Apple later copied too.
Ampex invented the VCR and Japan perfected it.
Mercedes invented the car and Ford perfected the manufacture of it.
Industry is built on taking the ideas of others and making them better.
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Preston: Doug Engelbart invented a few things that Apple later copied too.
Ampex invented the VCR and Japan perfected it.
Mercedes invented the car and Ford perfected the manufacture of it.
Industry is built on taking the ideas of others and making them better.
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Preston: “Fast User Switching, I’ll give you. I don’t know what Task Gallery is. As for Media Center, Apple hasn’t cloned that–Front Row takes a different approach.”
You can give me F.U.S. but i’m not a fan of Microsoft. I’m just bored of mac zealots like you who thinks Apple invented anything. They borrowed ideas too. A company can’t be really an inventor – personalities can be.
You may write that front row takes a different approach but then tell us please what not takes a different approach? Almost everything borrowed or “stolen” takes a different approach in the software industry.
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Preston: “Fast User Switching, I’ll give you. I don’t know what Task Gallery is. As for Media Center, Apple hasn’t cloned that–Front Row takes a different approach.”
You can give me F.U.S. but i’m not a fan of Microsoft. I’m just bored of mac zealots like you who thinks Apple invented anything. They borrowed ideas too. A company can’t be really an inventor – personalities can be.
You may write that front row takes a different approach but then tell us please what not takes a different approach? Almost everything borrowed or “stolen” takes a different approach in the software industry.
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Very Very nice information here… Thanks
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Very Very nice information here… Thanks
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