Gates Following Scoble Out The Door
Well, I’m not going to pretend there is going to be up-to-the minute news at this blog, not for about three more weeks. I got married a week ago today, and tonight I leave on my honeymoon. I will be paying through the roof to guarantee an internet connection during my honeymoon downtime, so I will be posting as much as possible. It won’t be quick, but it will be chock full of links you may not have already seen.
And, as I’ve said before, the best wedding present I’d like is if my readers stayed on and all kept reading when I return full-time (and more dedicated than ever) following my honeymoon.
Okay, so Bill Gates announced he will be stepping down from his full-time duties at Microsoft over the next two years. Ray Ozzie, and enormously talented man who was essentially bought to give Microsoft a great pillar of vision, will be taking over as Chief Software Architect.
TDavid asks the excellent question of what this means for Tablet PCs. Gates was the pioneer and pushed Microsoft’s major support of the form factor, a money-losing embaressment that was ahead of its time. Without him, there is a good chance Microsoft will drop support and the Tablet and UMPC platforms may die out for a half-decade or so.
The real question is if Microsoft will turn away from difficult and innovative technologies, like the Tablet or SPOT Watch, or even the Xbox 360, all of which were big risks and investments in a future that may never arrive.
Microsoft’s stock isn’t doing so well. Luckily, Ozzie isn’t the type to play it safe and not try to win. He won’t try to crush competitors, so Microsoft will be friendlier, but they will be doing everything they can to be hugely competitive.
Brian Benz jokes that Gates is joining Scoble at PodTech.net. Good one.
Speaking of Scoble, The Enquirer says Scoble is slowly but increasingly burning his bridges via his blog. I say he’s just getting his edge back, and feeling his way back to being vicious to those that deserve a good whacking.
Scoble was on the BBC. Mary Jo Foley did an exit interview.
And, for a little bit of fun, The Microsoft Code (a MS version of The Da Vinci Code) begins here. (via Mini)
