Eric Knipp

It’s Hard to Say I’m Sorry

I just want you to know, that I do feel guilt for my lack of recent blog posts. I try to commit enough time to my published writing, client conversations, and informal activities (such as this blog), and sometimes I fall down on the job. There’s no excuse.

You Start Me Up

I’m wrapping up a weekend in Seattle. I’ve had a great week meeting with a variety of Gartner clients; in addition I’ve spent time digesting the spectrum of technology news releases and opinions published over the last several weeks. It’s a big spectrum and I’m wont to indigestion.

So, I’m a Gen-X’er. I’ve spent some fair amount of my adult life spewing bile on all things Microsoft. It’s kind of a badge of honor for my generation; after all, we saw the movie Anti-Trust, and appreciate Slashdot’s Borg Gates and all that. </sarcasm>

Anyway, right or wrong, there’s a lot of years and perspective between Win95 and Windows 7. I’m not here specifically to talk about Windows 7 (nor am I qualified to do so), by the way. But, I want to recognize a reality that I believe is encroaching on all of us today..

We’ve (the royal “We”) spent a long time in apology or attack of Microsoft technologies. These technologies succeed in spite of our complaints.

In the mid-nineties, I was part of a generation that witnessed incredible excitement and interest in Microsoft technologies. At the time, MS was a “relatively small to medium sized” enterprise with around 17,000 employees.

Where Do You Want To Go Today?

Today, Microsoft is a Goliath. Big, transnational, transcendending technological boundaries in a range of disciplines, from Azure to Windows 7. (Sorry I couldn’t come up with a credible Z)

Many would see this Goliath as a ripe target for disruption. I can sympathize with this view; the big kid on the block never sees the brick aimed at the base of his neck.

On the other hand, Microsoft has been taking crap from people for just about my entire adult life. What makes people think that dealing with crap isn’t a skill? Why do you believe that Microsoft can’t get smart?

In the mid-nineties, none of us Gen-X’ers was trained to hate Bill Gates and the Microsoft; but we learned. A new generation of technologically apolitical youngsters is about to graduate college looking for work and inspiration. Why do you believe Microsoft won’t capture their dreams?

What are the odds we’re about to see a reinvigoration of interest in Microsoft? Is the renaissance at hand? Discuss amongst yourselves.