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"timestamp": "2009-12-17_08:42:43", "remote_domain": "", "page": 1, "is_moderator": false, "display_username": "", "points": null, "subscribe_on_post": 2, "moderator_can_edit": false, "is_remote": false, "is_verified": false, "missing_perm": "locked"}, "realtime_paused": false, "posts": {"9673216": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I don't know what MVPs you hang out with, but the MVPs I know are not particularly fond of koolaid.  Just because you work with and understand the tech doesn't mean you are by definition an apologist.<br><br>But that doesn't make for such sensational text, does it?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_14:20:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "2d82e518d5b45063b530ace0c28c5314", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673217": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "In it to win? Seriously profound statement, and way outta left field. It is still topped by<br><br>\"I GOT 4 WORDS FOR YUH: I. LOVE. [GASP WHEEZE] THIS. COMPANY.\"<br><br>yeaaaah. go MS", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_14:25:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "525294fc12fe440fb87edab1bf9545cc", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673218": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "It's interesting how Oracle has gone pretty quiet lately. It seems the more posturing the \"leaders\" rant and rave about the more desperate they seem. No one wants talk, they want OSs that are fast and don't crash. They want cross-app functionality (still can't believe the issues I have with Outlook &amp; Word). Like my dad says, using Windows '95 - \"Don't Touch my stuff! It works and every time I get an update or something it stops working and I can never figure out how to fix it so don't touch it!\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:42:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "057472d3684942a130add55a087b5195", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673219": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sad, but I agree with you here Robert...and I'm a softie.  The thing is that nobody in the trenches at MSFT believes the execu-spin either.  I read Ballmer's talk at Stanford and wanted to jump out my 2nd story window (why won't these windows open?).  And after reading it, I'm even more convinced (like I wasn't already...yeah right) that Ballmer needs to go.  He and the SLT are lost, just lost and can't see the forest...because they're f--king blind.  They all need to go.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:48:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "820d0e4ee14e986a44d33782ca852f51", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673220": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@13, \"When Google is serious about a product they don\u2019t stop until they get it right. \"<br><br>Really? like Google Answers? like Google Video? Gmail outages last month? Google apps for your domain going down last month?<br><br>as somebody noted above, Google has a great perception advantage now. So whatever they do will look like a winning move.<br><br>No doubt google has a bigger pie in serach market. But that doesn't mean its behind google.<br><br>It's not a good idea to calibrate the capabilities of search engines using a single search phrase. Consider this - search for 'Robert' in both live and google<br><a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=robert\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=robert</a><br><a href=\"http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=robert\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=robert</a><br><br>Google's first link is scobleizer. While scoble is a great blogger, there is no way people are looking for him when they type in 'Robert' in the search box.<br><br>Live shows wikipedia entry on the firstname 'Robert' which is perfectly reasonable. So do we conclude that live is better?<br><br>Business is not a 100 mtr sprint. Being first doesn't mean that there is NOBODY before you. The winner is one who can do more things better than any other guy. Sure, someone can do a specific thing better than the winner. But that doesn't mean the winner is losing.<br><br>Blogs are replacing the old media. Exactly. Sensation now matters more than substance. Unfortunately Microsoft is not providing the former.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:05:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673221": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"The funny thing is, no one ever accuses them of being a \u201ccult\u201d like Apple users, yet this is a much more intensely loyal, kool aid drinking crowd than even Steve could hope for.\"<br><br>Becuase, MVPs don't indulge in personal attacks in a debate.<br>Because MVPs don't rationalize every word that comes out of Redmond.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:07:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673222": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "seshadri: maybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes.<br><br>Google reflects Internet popularity.<br><br>The fact that I can rely on it for people's names far more than <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> means I use it a lot more.<br><br>gwhiz: you got it!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:16:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673223": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Oh and another thing.<br><br>Why is google not seen as a failure when 'a nobody' launches something like a twitter? I mean, twitter is part of the *world's information*. Shouldn't the 'shipping' google have come up with an application like that?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:16:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673224": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@28, I agree to that for the world 'scoble'. No questions. But surely not robert<br><br>why doesn't Bruce Schneier show up for a search on Bruce?<br><a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=bruce\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=bruce</a> ( he was on the list. IIRC he was about 5-10 positions behind you)<br>and the same for Om (malik)- <a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=om\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=om</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:22:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673225": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@MSWatcher: Microsoft needs to learn to just be quiet when they aren't doing well.<br><br>What I can see behind the scenes that most people can see is just how messed up Microsoft is internally. My friends are telling stories that would make your head spin.<br><br>That's what makes Seshadri just a hype job. He can't explain the incessant reorgs. The incessant killings of products by marketing. The constant leaving of smart people. The M&amp;A where Microsoft doesn't buy best of breed.<br><br>Yes, there are places where Microsoft is working pretty well. Xbox and anything Scott Guthrie does seem pretty good.<br><br>But the Internet space? Has Microsoft really learned and is on a good path? The evidence hasn't been shown and stories from inside from my friends (IE, people I trust) don't tell a good story. We'll see.<br><br>As to business side of the Internet. Microsoft is the business computing company now. We'll see how it goes there cause Microsoft is going to be under constant relenting attack by lots of forces, not just Google there, but Microsoft's position is far more defensable in business than it is in the consumer space.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:25:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673226": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "seshadri: Google did have a Twitter-like thing. It's called Dodgeball and it was around before Twitter did.<br><br>Twitter is lame software. What's cool about it is most of my friends are on it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:27:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673227": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Bruce and Om?<br><br>Om is #3 on Google.<br><br>Bruce is #6 on Google.<br><br>Not too bad.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:28:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673228": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Because MVPs don\u2019t rationalize every word that comes out of Redmond.\"<br><br>Thats exactly what Scoble is pointing out about \"We're in it to Win\", dude. How the MVPs are rationalizing it, while everyone outside the tent is asking, wtf?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:41:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "a511b3c80f1435ce05853e33a2c8eb2f", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673229": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Overlooked is that iTunes is a sophisticated web application in disguise which integrates services and software.  So you might also add to your wish list that Microsoft make a better media store than Apple's, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that one either.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_10:43:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "5201e306c37562746a8cdeebe24bef32", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673230": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well, I think Google is on a stage where they could do no wrong, but it is dangerous for a company who is doing a lot of things just for the coolness factor.  Last great innovation I constantly heard from google is giving free massage, free car wash, free food, free laundry, and free shuttle rides to their employees....<br><br>If you have been to the Microsoft MVP summit, you will note that there were hundreds of sessions going on -- real focused partners talking to MS developers and executives about hundreds of products evolving and solving real life business world problems in real corporations that will earn hard more hard cash.<br><br>If that isn't the business, I don't know what is.<br><br>Google may also be reining in cash, but for now, they have consumers market and still hardly matter to real enterprises except I reckon the ad folks.  and it is when you have products that solve problems and creates solutions for big bucks companies with personal relationships that you really have a long term viable business that signals that you will be there for a long time to come.<br><br>I do business with both,and I know dozens of Microsoft people who I correspond, talk and meet, and all I know in google is working through their web sites. That hardly counts as a business relationship.<br><br>Best regards,", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_11:21:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "493b620361a6459b3ba53287327fd4de", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673231": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Come on Robert, you know better-this was preaching to the choir, nothing more. Of COURSE everyone over there bought the act.<br><br> I mean, this is a dedicated group of people who work for free for Microsoft, evangelize tirelessly for Microsoft, spam Digg defending Microsoft, and even travel great distances to hang out with others just like themselves, all for the cause of Microsoft.<br><br>The funny thing is, no one ever accuses them of being a \"cult\" like Apple users, yet this is a much more intensely loyal, kool aid drinking crowd than even Steve could hope for.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_11:41:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "a511b3c80f1435ce05853e33a2c8eb2f", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673232": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Microsoft doesn't innovate, I worked 10-15 years ago with  Sybase/Unix then Microsoft did SQL, everybody said, It doesn't work, Microsoft should do DOS not DataBases, now you can see where is Sybase.  I think Microsoft its a very copy/cat, they see something and work in version 1, 2 maybe 3 and suddenly they have a better product.<br>So, if I see Microsoft is doing something I wait..", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_10:23:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "a585e245589ed5feb6f3173799f1c0b9", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673233": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Scoble: To clarify, I think specifically what Microsoft is trying to say is that they've learned from the past and are going to correct mistakes for the future, and that's how they expect to win. I'm going to be critical as well, just like any MVP or even a Microsoft employee should be, but additionally I like the optimism. I think part of the reason Google is winning is they have confidence that they can, and wave 1 of Windows Live has taken a beating, management needs to make some changes, as well as increasing morale.<br><br>I know I'll be disappointed in not being able to see more stuff before release, but just like Allchin was hammered for \"taking things out of Vista\", no one else at Microsoft wants to hear any crap anymore.  Thus they're going to keep quiet and go back to the basics of releasing great products and services, and concentrate on listening to feedback.<br><br>Something we can all do is offer Microsoft constructive criticism.  I think some press/blog sites want to make outrageous claims that Windows Live is dead, or whatever, and that doesn't help anyone.  Microsoft is building some great products that we're all going to love, which increases competition in the industry. We will all benefit from an even faster moving industry where all companies think \"we're in it to win!\"<br><br>As always, thanks for your comments Robert.<br><br>@Matthew", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_10:40:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "51c2b9eb9b534652d479d32530787066", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673234": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "While I agree Microsoft (and Yahoo!) both need a blog search(and that Google needs to move blog seach onto the front page immediately), to say that Microsoft search sucks is broad and unfounded. I recently had an experience where I needed to delete an item at the request of someone from my flickr account. Within a week, the <a href=\"http://live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">live.com</a> and <a href=\"http://ask.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">ask.com</a> indexes had updated for it - item gone. Google and Yahoo! still have the item cluttering up their index one month later with a phantom item - now *that* is irrelevancy defined.<br><br>In a related matter, what is del.icio.us doing about rogue del.icio.us scraper sites? poorly written scrappers are combing multiple entries creating serious reputation management issues. Who indexes these sites? Again, not <a href=\"http://live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">live.com</a> or Ask, but Google  and Yahoo!<br><br>Robert, you are not looking at the whole story with your statement. More data on top of spammy results is not more valuable in many situations.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_09:31:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "b145c79380d49a8c0b8b05ebb1fab234", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673235": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert, how did MS search go from being only slightly less worthy than Google's to sucking in less than a year?<br><a href=\"http://scobleizer.com/2006/10/12/microsofts-search-a-lot-better-than-it-used-to-be/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://scobleizer.com/2006/10/12/microsofts-sea...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_09:39:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "a5c71e2ad8087a3c2af19fedc1ec016a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673236": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Greg - By not taking advantage of the situation and shipping something better. Instead, they've sat on their behinds and managed to shed their search management in the process. Is that exhibiting leadership in any form/fashion?<br><br>I can create a version 1.0. If I don't iterate/improve in some perceptible manner in one year's time... I SUCK! ergo... MS Search = SUCK<br><br>In the past year Google's added layer upon layer to their search results, grown their data centers immensely. Meanwhile, MS has only \"budgeted\" for it. Big woop.<br><br>START SHIPPING! or take the whipping!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_10:03:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "3b64d14e32a5dbdc4534959d69c029f3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673237": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Re working with google<br><br>Er what I was geting at was  does it get indexed corectly if you build a compleat site in it and not just a graph on a more traditionaly.<br><br>I'me also not totaly convinced by Googles DIY aproach writing your own hdd drivers? - I bet theres  a lot of kludgy stuff we dont see in there DC's", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_07:43:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "15626198d552b84b0d0d787f8ec124a7", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673238": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "This might very well be the toughest Microsoft shoot-out post you've ever made. Facinating! :-)<br><br>But your analysis seems to be limited to the consumer services that Microsoft is working on. Although this is the bigger piece of the market, it's still important to consider the business solutions strategies that Microsoft is pursuing. Recent announcements, such as the \"Bookkeeper community\" (Windows Live Finance if I remember correctly) contradicts some of your critizism. Being in the business solutions market today means watching Microsoft very, very closely for exactly the reasons you argue make Microsoft not doing \"Internet\".", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_07:49:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "d75a670bb3df64b4f7a59b4268551397", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673239": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Welcome back, Robert!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_08:00:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "4556a42d71a742a0a0a08472fb0d524e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673240": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Ballmer says MS did two things well, and google only does one thing well.  But this is wrong.  Search - one,  Adwords/Adsense - two.  They may be somewhat related, but are separate.  Ranking sites, and responding correctly to queries is one thing.  Billing advertisers, and having a system for advertisers to create, and classify their ads is something different. Remember, wasn't MSN using another company for its ads until recently", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_08:26:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "c2cca928c50eca0302f1ee45ddefbb3b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673241": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Wow, maybe you don't want to work for Microsoft ever again after all :)<br><br>(This seems more show than tell, however)<br><br>\"Again, Microsofties, you\u2019d be better served not to talk trash until you have something YOU CAN SHIP!\"<br><br>Got to tip your hat to Microsoft in the console gaming sector, Robert. The Xbox 360 is rocking and they managed to create the best online console gaming out there (Xbox Live) against the odds. Sony has an interesting idea with Home if they get enough people to pay too much for a PS3, or lower the price to be competitive, but right now it looks more like Nintendo could be the threat going forward.<br><br>Vista sucks, Tablet PCs are still overpriced, UMPCs are nowhere to be seen, IE continues to leak users to Firefox and the list goes on.<br><br>But as long as Microsoft has the warchest of $$$ they are at least in the running.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_09:17:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "f259169eb5cb73c577261845a24a64c5", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673242": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Ballmer-bashing aside (nothing wrong with that), Microsoft is doing business solutions way better than Google (with business solutions I'm talking ERP solutions), and they're definitely doing it online. What Google have shown in that space so far is... nothing unique, innovative or especially useful.<br><br>(I'm the one behind the \"boreno\" nickname, btw).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_08:46:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "d75a670bb3df64b4f7a59b4268551397", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673243": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "When Google is serious about a product they don't stop until they get it right.  Their search engine was noy good from day one. If google is serious about business solutions, watch out - they will persist until they get it right.  The Google Reader Team was serious about it, and stuck to it till they got it right. But Google Reader was not a company wide priority, only to the reader team.  If the company is serious about business solutions, watch the various get going.  This is why google bought Youtube; they were serious about online video; their own wasn't having traction, so they bought.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_09:11:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "c2cca928c50eca0302f1ee45ddefbb3b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673244": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Considering Microsoft's addiction to \"Everything By Committee and Consensus\"?<br><br>No chance. Microsoft can't allow any group that small to do anything. It's not the Microsoft Way.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_07:23:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "422187df3c45655b0dc2ae5de0710b27", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673245": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Microsoft isn\u2019t going away. Don\u2019t get me wrong. They have record profits, record sales, all that.\"<br><br>Yes, they are going away, albeit slowly. And they don't have record anything when it comes to financial performance as reflected by its stock price, during Ballmer's disastrous reign:", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_06:36:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "a12415e7602e69219f983203ef62afd2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673247": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Microsoft are the old guard trying to hold on to the fading glory. IBM-&gt;Microsoft-&gt;Google - I am more interested in who will supplant Google now than worrying about Microsoft, though I would still like to see Microsoft succeed :)<br><br>For all Googles perceived invincibility, it was a couple of low-level people who saved the company from what I understand. Adwords/Adsense wasn't in the business plan from the get-go, it was an employees bright idea. All those billions of dollars that move through the company might not have been there if some dude hadn't taken a good look at Overture and thought they could do it better. Microsoft needs to start listening to their real outside the box thinkers and forget about clinging to shrinkwrapped software and de facto operating system \"taxes\". They have money, credible competition and smart people - surely enough ? :)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_06:42:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "772bb0ad28f9cdd045aca3ac25500a12", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673248": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"better cross-platform Web development ecosystem than Adobe\"<br><br>This is the flash2.0 thing they are touting - does it work with Google thats the only browser you sould write for thease days", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_06:04:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "15626198d552b84b0d0d787f8ec124a7", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673249": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Neuromancer: yes, look here: <a href=\"http://finance.google.com/finance?q=MSFT\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://finance.google.com/finance?q=MSFT</a><br><br>That chart? It's done in Adobe Flash.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_06:08:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673250": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "*sigh* indeed. In it \"to win\"? And what happens to the rest of us who are in the trenches? Businesses don't pick software because they perceive the product to be from 'winners', we choose products because they work, provide value and yeah, are probably best of breed because the features kick ass.<br><br>My job is not to provide winningest software to the business I support - it is to make sure they get their hands on the very best software that helps them succeed.<br><br>Darn it Microsoft, make ME the winner. Or go home.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_06:09:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "0adddb66d8ef55c95193c0987263a9c1", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673251": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "This guy just wants publicity. All bloggers at some point \"Jump the Shark\" this is joke. Google never ships a product everything is always \"BETA\". Gmail has been in \"BETA\" for 2 years. At least the Microsoft guys take a shot at sending out real software. I am tired of this BS all software is the same, some sucks some don't. If you don't like it don't buy it or use it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-22_16:38:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "1173efe5ac807362e84ce78988c0cca3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673252": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@268 \"Why is it so hard to just spend the money on building something EXCELLENT? Then maybe it could sell ITSELF. Sigh.\"<br><br>While it's certainly easy to apply that to Microsoft and you would be right, it doesn't work that way in anything.  If things worked that way there would be no need for ANY company to have a marketing department.  Excellent products don't always end up being the best sellers.  Is a Toyota Camry the best car?  Is McDonald's the best hamburger? Is WalMart the best department store?<br><br>Not only do you have to build a good product, you have to figure out how to sell it (even if you selling model means strong arming OEM's). Rail against Microsoft all you want..they certainly have it coming...but you can't deny the fact they know how to market.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-20_12:08:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "26493d7270fb206c1e08599674e51e5a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673253": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@103: You simply do not get it. Online gaming? Where is the fun in that. How does blowing up or shooting your opponents online provide healthy enjoyment and social interaction?<br><br>I think Nintendo \"gets it\". They understand that gaming is not about how fancy your games are or having the most FPS on an online network. Gaming is about having fun and that you can have the most fun by playing against your friends in the same living room.<br><br>I have to say that the most fun I had playing any game was this past New Year's Eve at Christine's (girl next door). There was a decent sized group that stayed past midnight playing Cranium (a Canadian board game which combines trivial pursuit, charades and win-lose-or-draw). What made it fun was the social interaction. You cannot get that sort of game with online gaming.<br><br>If there was console that I would buy for just a console, it would be the Wii as my first choice. The PS3 looks attractive as a Bluray player that happens to be a console as well.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_20:16:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "af3a0e1223b32f923abde8ab54a023a1", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673254": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#213: The constant upgrades. The empty promises. The INEXCUSABLE 5 year semi-retirement of MSIE. The decision to stop supporting VB6.<br><br>This is the trouble of a big company with too many products. They can decide to drop the support of an OS, or even a browser. Going forward, let's not pump any bugs into the browser even if you decide not to support it. We reserve our right to send the Singing telegram on our theme song \"We're All In This Together\"!<br><br>#216: \u201cDon\u2019t Cry for Them, Mr Scoble\u201d which you can sing to the melody of the chorus of Evita because I have a terrible singing voice.<br><br>This will make an interesting show. PodTech is coming up with their Entertainment Division on <a href=\"http://www.nationalbanana.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.nationalbanana.com</a>. Robert can lead the singing part. It will draw a lot of advertisement and sponsorship. Possiblely it may lead to a nomination for a singing award, possible singing career.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_00:42:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "4b6ec3cb632af10675425902581b1e74", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673255": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert,<br><br>Do you seriously link *popularity* directly to *credibility*? They are two very distinct things, and as you point out in almost each of your blog posts, you might be the former.<br><br>I used to read your blog when you started blogging, many years ago, and there were some interesting points. However, I unsubscribed about two / three years ago, I don't even recall exactly when, (long before you left Microsoft) because I just didn't find your popular opinion valuable (to me, personally) anymore.<br><br>MVP's are mostly technical guys &amp; gals, and MVP status is *completely* linked to community activity, and renewable annually. (You should know that!) Because of the nature of MVP's, I think you might find that far less MVP's are interested in your ramblings than you like to believe.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-20_08:53:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "ff38481609a0a91fd9ea928f82b3b77b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673256": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The only reason people enjoy video games on PCs is that using PCs makes them so crazed with hatred, rage and genocidal fervor that they can only express it by chasing mutants through mazes and hatcheting them to death.<br><br>People who use Macs putter away doing their stuff.<br><br>People who use PCs curse at the computers all day, screaming themselves hoarse at the blue screens, aborts, random freezes, spontaneous reboots and non-stop screw ups. By lunchtime, they just want to pull out someone's arm and beat them to death with the wet end.<br><br>That's where the video game industry game from. Next week, I'll explain house paint industry.<br><br><br>Zeke", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_23:15:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "2cdeec1acec111c8a7799e94824fd871", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673257": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "As an ex-microsoftie all I can say is sing it brother and sing it loud.<br><br>What'd I do after Microsoft?  A web 2.0 video RSS system.  Could I have done something this cool at MS?  Never, and that's the shame.  MS has good people and ideas but no ability to execute other than in the staid biz app world it first found success in.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-21_16:51:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "dabd0c21f9b832734be4329c76b4bdf0", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673258": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "First, a qualification.  I am an MVP and I was at the Summit, though not at any of the Live presentations, so I can't vouch for any of the remarks made there.<br><br>But I do question why anybody considers that Microsoft's statement that they are \"in it to win\" is any kind of new information, or anything that anyone would get upset over.  Microsoft is always in everything it does \"to win.\"  So is Apple, Google, Yahoo, Nike, Coca Cola and the lady that runs the souvenier shop down by the beach.  Every business is.  And the primary goal of every publicly owned company is to maximize return to the shareholders.  Microsoft has been good at that over the years, as have most of the other companies at various periods of time.<br><br>Microsoft has rarely gotten the definitive product out the door on the first try.  Or often even the second, third or later tries.  But they also rarely abandon products.  They keep pushing and improving and gaining ground until they have won.  And then they keep pushing some more.  There's nothing new here, nor anything new in their assertion that they will win, no matter what the category the remark is made about.<br><br>And Scoble is correct.  Microsoft does not have a winning product in Internet Search.  Nor have they ever.  But they haven't given up working on it.  And they have the money and the power to keep working on it, even if it stays in third place for several more years.<br><br>For what it's worth, the MVP's aren't an easy bunch to \"talk into doing some cheerleading\" and Scoble knows that.  They've been bitching about Microsoft's Search for a decade...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_23:34:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "a7f05ae5eb483d7c1b4c0a89d139aa9c", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673259": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Why is it so hard to just spend the money on building something EXCELLENT?\"<br><br>Well, that's the real trick, isn't it? (As H. Solo once said.) It's hard because, well, it's hard, but it's made even harder if the corporate culture can't tell the difference between actual systemic thinking and sales thinking.<br><br>Marketing/Sales people are defined by their ability to answer a single question: \"On a level playing field, with no difference between brands of soap, how can I make consumers prefer mine?\"<br><br>Even the actual characteristics of the product -- its features, strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, drawbacks, are considered a sub-set of its saleability quotient. Marcus Aurelius said to ask of each thing, what is its nature; what is its purpose. Sales people do not think this way. They ask of each thing, how can I persuade somebody (or force somebody, or bribe somebody) into buying this?<br><br>You can sell soap this way, or perfume, or music, or even cars. But you can't do it with software because software is the most abstract product there is, and the true \"nature and purpose\" of the tool reveals itself too easily.<br><br>Balmer probably thinks that Google and Live Search are the same. He thinks he's getting screwed by somebody else's better marketing; this is how a soap manufacturer thinks. You can hear it in their whining about Apple: it's all \"marketing,\" as if people choose iPod over Zune as frivolously as they choose Tide over Bold.<br><br>Back in the 1970s and 1980s, this kind of thinking was (obviously) effective for Microsoft because nobody knew any better. DOS? PS/2? Who cares? I just want my spreadsheet! But times have changed, and today's customers won't fall for this \"Wow starts now\" crap.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-20_08:27:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "6fb2be5cd661f3f86a025d25da3f83d4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673260": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Arguments do not make people use products, or buy them.<br>But personal conviction does.<br><br>Personally, I don't see anything replacing Microsoft Office, warts and all- on my desktop/ laptop for at least a couple of years, including free for download software and free hosted services.<br><br>Jay, from Bangalore<br><a href=\"http://ideaburger.blogspot.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://ideaburger.blogspot.com</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-20_06:22:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "17de9ade8d6eb7aca2b99cd092b5654c", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673261": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I certainly hope Google is going to move ahead of Microsoft in the long run. If it's not the technology advance everybody is touting - I am betting on people skills.<br><br>Just recently Google has been named the best place to work in America - out of thousands others. Where is Microsoft there? What is the ratio between disgruntled Microsoft employees and Google employees? In the end - either you like it or not - is the people who make or break it.<br><br>Google has a better staff retention coeficient than Microsoft and I hope they will continue having it.<br><br>It will take some time but Google will become what Microsoft was a while back - the \"go to\" company - the one any bright person wants to work for.<br><br>Then Microsoft will face the dinosaur's fate - crushed by its own weight.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-20_06:24:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "f742684f329f11bbc3ecd09e6cf82a74", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673262": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Microsoft is what Ma-Bell was. (We are talking worldwide now and then just the USA).<br><br>The problem?<br><br>How to cut up Microsoft, before it is devoured.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_21:53:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "63fccfbcdf7f3625ea87a0d7c8a40f38", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673263": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Zeke,<br><br>*sniff* (weeps) Brilliant!<br><br>A bit vitriolic but so were Thomas Jefferson and Howard Beale.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_17:29:05", "killed": false, "user_key": "6fb2be5cd661f3f86a025d25da3f83d4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673265": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I really wasn't going to comment. Honestly? I wasn't going to read through 200+ comments either. But this thread was like watching a car crash in slow motion. So when I made it to comment #193...<br><br><i>It was an MVP Summit meeting where I got hyped up about Longhorn (with prototypes that never shipped). That was a major mistake. That meeting was what caused the hype.</i><br><br>Robert! Remember me? I was repeatedly critical of you back in 2004, even some of 2005. You told me that I needed to attend PDC '03 because I would otherwise lose my job to somebody in India!<br><br>That period of time (early 2004) was when I let my Microsoft certification lapse because I - while thankful for what it did to my career - simply wasn't using it anymore. I had moved on to SAP. And on a personal note I bought my last Windows PC about a year before... and moved on to OS X.<br><br>Back to the above quote. I could be an ass and laugh at how you've changed since you left MS. But no... I commend you for finally undertanding what I had been complaining about.<br><br>The constant upgrades. The empty promises. The INEXCUSABLE 5 year semi-retirement of MSIE. The decision to stop supporting VB6.<br><br>Hey, at least they finally put out a more secure OS. It throws a popup at you every 2 minutes, but it's more secure.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_17:45:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "dba9deebd401367b9184dec7862ae04a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673266": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@192<br>Wait, so Microsoft never even said, \"We're in it to win\"?  Then what's the point of this blog entry in the first place (other than Scoble scoring brownie points with the \"I hate Microsoft\" crowd and engaging in the most shameful (and yet shameless) public narcisism I've seen in a long time with this \"Forbes loves me\" garbage)?<br><br>Oh, and Scoble, why don't you respond to post 192?  You seem to let it go, not even bothering to alter your blog entry to reflect that Microsoft did not say what you claim they did?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_16:14:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "741464ef1c495a6181bc048d92d25885", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673267": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@248, So... you weren't as influencial as an MS blogger as people made you out to be?  I thought blogging solved everything.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_16:18:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "26493d7270fb206c1e08599674e51e5a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673268": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "So refreshing to hear you say this.  A Microsoft contractor, working at an ivy league institution, was pimping the \"Live\" search krap to the rest of us in the room, and even though MS products usually make me barf I thought I'd at least give it a try.  I typed in five addresses.  It basically was 1 for 5.  Two of the others it couldn't even find, which were basically normal addresses.  I was appalled, then realized how typical that was, compared to Google earth, which of course rocks.  When I mentioned how kraptastic it was, he said MS's plan was to outspend Google on it so everyone would use it.  Which brought me right back to my usual posture re: MS, of wanting to hurl.  Just like Word Perfect.  Don't bother to BUILD the better product, just try to crush the competition through a business strategy instead.  And then to boast about how great krap is?  Seriously appalling.  Why is it so hard to just spend the money on building something EXCELLENT?  Then maybe it could sell ITSELF.  Sigh.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-20_02:15:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "096bb10ee30a31168a8852dea6e3db05", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673269": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "scoble, you are an a-hole. you remembered me of those anti-vista spam from apple. R", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_14:52:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "38e3a067b49e6511424c2e39647fccae", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673270": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Hate#246: I did try to fix them. Over and over and over again. But the problems inside Microsoft are bigger than me. Billionaires need to solve them.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_15:54:20", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673271": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Hmmm...you were at Microsoft...saw these \"sucky\" issues...leave Microsoft....and now tell the world what's wrong. Why did you try to fix them or at lease influence them? What a big tough guy! You're lame.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_14:49:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "bfb40fd549ddac9745ad7ec50b3b2995", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673272": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Ship a better search, a better advertising system than Google, a better hosting service than Amazon, a better cross-platform Web development ecosystem than Adobe...\"<br><br>Uh...<br><br>Remember Bill Gates in \"Pirates of Silicon Valley\"?<br><br>Better. Doesn't. Matter.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_13:44:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "57decd9b3e5ae989abeb1885fa57acf4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673273": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Wow Bob,<br><br>I thought you liked Microsoft?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_13:02:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "c9bc349630765a6e1965cfdda2f5755d", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673274": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "All this talk of Google being the next Microsoft is rubbish. They are nowhere near becoming this. It's obvious. Just look at their market capitalizations. Google is valued at a much higher P/E and once it misses forecasted earnings, it's going to fall like a ton of bricks. It doesn't even have the potential to grow to Microsoft's size. It's a one dimensional business in a very competitive environment.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_20:02:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "52b875d1645edda1b785e2340be58f06", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673275": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Ever wonder why <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> is slower than Google? Hint: it\u2019s cause Google is out executing Microsoft in the datacenter.\"<br><br>Why is Google faster.<br>1) Multiple data centers shipping data to users locally.<br>2) All layer 2 back to the main data center (Gig-E feeds) via dark fiber.<br><br>Average deployment between data centers is about 20k worth of servers.<br><br>That is why thy are fast.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_11:38:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "4762cbe7dafca8325c0b2260b9ed2b76", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673276": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@216 - I have a terrible singing voice<br><br>and a terrible rational thinking ability too...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_21:01:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673277": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@223. \"What gives at when it comes to the net?\"<br><br>It's pretty simple, I think. It's not shrink-wrapped software so they can't figure out how to monetize it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_12:07:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "26493d7270fb206c1e08599674e51e5a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673278": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\u201cmaybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes.\u201d<br><br>-------------------<br><br>OMG.<br>This blog just \"jumped the shark\" for me.<br>Unsubscribed.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_15:58:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "7ab078da1ca38222c9d4f87948cbc8de", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673279": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "What's this talk of Live being slower than Google?  I've not noticed that.  And I'm much more satisfied with Live search's results than Google's (but Yahoo has better results than both).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_16:00:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "2cd5a506a9b3f43653f2ebbfe7066673", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673280": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert knows me, the rest of you probably don't: I'm an evangelist at Microsoft (Robert and I used to be office neighbors...hi, Robert!)<br><br>ok, on with the commentary: Yup.  Google is kicking our ass in search.  Google is kicking our ass in damn near every space that we compete in.  But their game consoles suck (so far :-).  All joking aside, Ballmer's quoted comments bother me too.  So I decided to articulate some thoughts here.  It's all extemporaneous, so take it with a grain of salt.<br><br>I think Microsoft's inability to out-innovate Google is defined by three things:<br>1) Engineering mindset.  As you point out, Robert, Google uses cheap hardware and leverages the rest of the stack with internal work that is focused on their objectives.  Google developers are empowered to create in a charming \"primordial ooze\" of creativity.  We get to deal with 4-7 layers of \"Program Management\"<br>2) Lack of \"legacy\".  Whether this be a customer-mandated compatability in Windows Vista so that their Windows 3.1 application works, or some type of (ethical) business practice blocked because of consent decree or government regulations (or business organizations -- the Zune doesn't suck because we thought it would be a good idea to make a sucky personal music player, it sucks [IMHO] because we wanted to have a good \"business partnership\" with the music industry): Microsoft has about a billion albatrosses (albatroi? abla...aw, hell, you get it) around their collective necks.  You're welcome to discount this, but I've seen it in EVERY org I've been in.  Our future will continue to be haunted by the sins of our past.<br>3) Confusing and/or competing \"visions\".  Microsoft culture grew up on the concept of competing products and objectives, the philosophy being that the market would choose the successor.  This culture has resulted in several incidents where competing teams created solutions that confused customers, developers, and the press.  Sometimes simultaneously.  This problem continues today, and can often be found in products that appear complementary, but absolutely won't work together (or the solution feel like a hack).  Look at Windows Vista DWM/Windows Presentation Foundation/and DirectX as an example.  I don't see this culture changing.  Ever.  But I damn sure wish it would. Add on top of that the fact that our senior executives have to somehow tie together this loose array of 7-100 different product areas (depending on who you talk to), and they have their OWN agendas as well.  Fun.<br><br>So why do I still work at Microsoft, instead of just quitting and working for Google (or somewhere else)?<br>1) I continue to feel that my job does good things for good people.  I'm passionate about what I do and the product I promote to people (Hint: That would be neither Office nor Windows :-).  I guess if I stop feeling that way, I'll give Vic Gundotra or Carter Maslan a phone call now that they've gone to Google.<br>2) I somehow believe the Microsoft culture will change in a significant way in the near future.  Then again, I've thought that for too long now.  Feel free to accuse me of rampant optimism.<br>3) We have an ENORMOUS supply of passionate developers that are engaged in different technologies, doing really cool things (check out some of the videos on <a href=\"http://channel9.msdn.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">channel9.msdn.com</a>, Robert's old job).  We're just as capable of making the \"next cool thing\" as Google is, and we provide tools to help our 3rd parties do the same.<br><br>David \"LetsKillDave\" Weller", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_16:13:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "4a2cddf7ab6ef45998e0572d2a335ff7", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673281": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Real artists ship\"<br>[Steve Jobs]", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-21_13:03:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "ec3aa09719cf6a6760f9a34281e2a9c4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673282": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Jordan,<br><br>Hey, man, thanks.  Sometimes, ya know, da truth hits home and the words just appear. I'd never thunk I'd be compared to Jefferson and Beale, though. Thanks.<br><br>Mr Scoble, can I put a title on my essay? I don't know how in WordPress blog software. I want to call it:<br><br>\"Don't Cry for Them, Mr Scoble\" which you can sing to the melody of the chorus of Evita because I have a terrible singing voice.<br><br><br>Zeke", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_18:53:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "2cdeec1acec111c8a7799e94824fd871", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673283": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Oh, and to those who think I'm only nasty to Microsoft do a Google search for \"Demo of the year\" and see what comes up. Here, I'll do it for you:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?q=Demo+of+the+Year&amp;ie=utf-8&amp;oe=utf-8&amp;aq=t&amp;rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&amp;client=firefox-a\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.google.com/search?q=Demo+of+the+Year...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_15:26:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673284": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "They don't for hard core tax research.<br><br>Where's the googles on how to input tax info in Lacerte or CCH?  Not there.<br><br>Are there community places like Intuit's Quicbooks community .. but that's generic accounting and not the CPA industry.<br><br>I said Robert that Accountants don't follow blogs.  And when we do research it's on CCH tax research or asking folks on listserves.<br><br>Google does not give good enough answers for my industry.  It's not targeted enough.<br><br>The good stuff in my accounting world is behind a \"gated community\" and Google doesn't touch that stuff.<br><br>And the MVP leadership understands that blogs are just ONE influencer channel.  Sean's been web posting and interacting for many years.<br><br>In my own SBS community we're starting to become a gated commmunity.. and google again, doesn't touch that.<br><br>Google doesn't search everything.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_15:57:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673285": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Reed,<br><br>Exactly. If it doesn't help manipulate the customer, tie him to Windows and support the MSFT hold-the-customers'- arms and nail-his-feet-to-the-floor marketing model, it is rejected. Which means MSFT has to invest years in trying to come up with its own crap to upset the development of usable technology already in the field and in organizing its own patented MSFT Hostageware.<br><br>The marketing phrase 'Where Do You Want to Go Today' always made me break out laughing. It's so obvious that what MSFT really means is, \"Where the F*** Do You Think You Are Going?\"<br><br>It's like Hannibal Lecter asking, 'May I Serve You?'<br><br>Zeke<br><br><br><br>My guess is that MS wants to develop it\u2019s own web-application stack\u2013 XAML etc. on Vista clients; MS-designed SOAP protocols; .NET apps running on Windows servers.<br><br>Google and friends are getting there first because they\u2019re using already-deployed technology: HTML, Flash, Javascript in any browser on the client; HTTP requests to get data; whatever kind of apps you want (Java, C, C++, Perl, Python, Ruby) running on Linux servers.<br><br>Comment by Reed \u2014 March 19, 2007 @ 7:27 am", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_11:04:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "2cdeec1acec111c8a7799e94824fd871", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673286": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Don't you get it, Mr. Scoble? MSFT is not a technology company. There is nothing to sigh about. It's demise would be of almost no consequence besides dynamizing the PC software market.<br><br>MSFT is a ruthless twisted law firm that got its hands on an operating system at an opportune moment in history and figured out how to murder the competition through customer intimidation and restrictive contracts and, finally and most importantly, how to tie up the boot loader and exclude all other OS developers. SEE:<br><br><a href=\"http://www.birdhouse.org/beos/byte/30-bootloader/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.birdhouse.org/beos/byte/30-bootloader/</a><br><br>You sound as if you actually expect MS to suddenly find religion about software engineering, product development and customer service late in midlife - or early in its maturity. Get real. You might as well expect a 60 year old drug addict to quit the junk and take up training for Olympic speed skating.<br><br>It ain't going to happen. The junkie will keep lying to himself and end up face down in a gutter in some remote industrial park, trying to make a connection that won't show, finally drowning in his own vomit. MSFT in its Internet plays will keep trying to play market-manipulating angles, (restrictive tie-in deals that chain people closer to Windows) and making thinly veiled threats about intellectual property, chuckling to themselves all the while that they'll 'get' everyone locked in again like they did the OS and then the Internet will be theirs to abuse for whatever amount of money they can imagine harvesting from it and the sorry suckers who depend on it.<br><br>From the company's perspective, the world is just a collection of fools and pushovers waiting to lied to or slapped into a corner and made to do what MSFT wants them to do. You worked there. You should know this as well as anyone. On the Internet, however, there's no 'boot loader' equivalent to lock in customers and no way for them to create a critical dependency MSFT can use to abuse their customers into submission.<br><br>Without any mechanism to enforce its will and placed at the mercy of the marketplace, MSFT is completely at sea, a ship of pariahs with no port to take them, sharks in the water, polar bears floating by on icebergs, gazing hungrily at easy prey aboard who can do nothing to protect themselves but throw bags of money overboard and set them alight, pretending to hold off attackers that will ultimately consume them.<br><br>Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys.<br><br>Zeke<br><br>PS Tell MSFT to hire a veterinarian to give Ballmer a distemper shot. Kid's a total psycho and embarrassment to MSFT.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_16:36:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "2cdeec1acec111c8a7799e94824fd871", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673287": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sorry Jordan.<br><br><a href=\"http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/01/144222\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/...</a><br><br>Figures.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:42:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673288": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"..and Jordon ..yup the OEM experience will be the death of Microsoft.\"<br><br>Interesting.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:44:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673289": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Susan: you're trying to tell me that Accountants don't use Google.com? Amazing that you believe that.<br><br>It's not that they are looking for blogs. They are looking for information on accounting. And blogs show up VERY high in Google because Google's main algorithms are about LINKING!!!<br><br>Google Groups messages don't get linked to very often, which is why they rarely show up. But blogs get linked to all the time. Particularly ones that show how to do something. Or, give reviews of software.<br><br>Which is why blogs are influential.<br><br>Ever wonder why the MVP leadership is doing a blog? I don't. They just took three years to see the data.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:52:58", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673290": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "VR: what's your point?<br><br>I say lots of things about Microsoft. Some right. Some wrong. Some nice. Some nasty.<br><br>But I reserve my right to say something different tomorrow than I said today.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:07:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673291": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Bascially, MS is \"innovating\" a whole lot, but it wants to innovate the whole solution, and all the innovation is staying within its R&amp;D walls.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_10:29:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "50a5cfff7782f331d3ebdbc0cd8e20f0", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673292": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "&gt;Do I remember that you got a tablet by being a MVP or am I too way overgeneralizing and forgetting?<br><br>Nope. Never got free hardware when I was an MVP.<br><br>I didn't know that MVPs didn't get airfare covered this year.<br><br>I didn't say blogs were the ONLY thing that showed up in Google. But they certainly show up often and high.<br><br>Blogging is coming to other fields big time. Why? SEO's are bringing it to other industries. I'm seeing  a ton of Accounting blogs. Watch for more.<br><br><a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?q=Accounting+blog&amp;ie=utf-8&amp;oe=utf-8&amp;aq=t&amp;rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&amp;client=firefox-a\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.google.com/search?q=Accounting+blog&...</a><br><br>Businesses have always listened to single voices. Just ask consultants whether they mind that.<br><br>I know Microsoft listens to consultants a lot more than they listen to anyone on the street too (and even MVPs).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:13:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673293": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "As a USA based MVP I've NEVER gotten my airfare covered.  Ever.  It's always been on my dime.  And this year overseas folks didn't get any sort of help or stipend and yet they still came.<br><br>But the accountants are listenting to them.... They are blogging for other bloggers.  The vast number of CPAs in the trenches don't look at blogs.  Right now they are just talking to each other and not talking to the trenches.<br><br>And consultants consult...they don't do.<br><br>Don't get me started on that either.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:21:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673294": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "But the accountants are listenting to them<br><br>(messed that up)<br><br>Should be \"But the accountants aren't listenting to them\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:22:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673295": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "When I look at Apple's forced migratons (6080x0 --&gt; PowerPC; OS 9 --&gt; UNIX; Moto/IBM to Intel; Jukebox --&gt; music store --&gt; video store --&gt; living room entertainment hub) what I see is <i>discipline.</i><br><br>In other words, setting aside the formidable technological hurdles, I see clear evidence of a company that (regardless of its comparative size, corporate complexity etc.) is able to coherently focus its attention on a goal and carry it out with a unified, simplified effort.<br><br>When the iPod was introduced, Apple \"bundled it\" with the EXISTING iTunes application, rather than doing what every other maker of a peripheral does (namely, write a new application for that purpose). Any other company tech I can think of would probably have made shiny new \"iTunes software\" and it would be your problem to deal with migrating your music library or doing whatever you wanted to do.<br><br>That these are abstract software systems that communicate with each other but they map out to concrete-and-steel buildings and groups of people who correspond directly to those abstract components and communicate effectively.<br><br>Everybody's got their own brilliant theories about why Apple does well. (My own favorite nonsensical ones are \"brilliant marketing\" and \"religious fans,\" as if every damn street and mall and bus and train in the world was filled with  white headphones because of \"marketing.\" Nobody can market that well! It's impossible. The iPod <i>actually is</i> the proverbial better mousetrap.)<br><br>But I digress. I only claim to have one salient point here: that Apple (and probably Google, but I'm not familiar enough with their systems to feel comfortable weighing in) seems to have a consistent and coherent overall planning architecture that forces a <i>disciplined approach</i> to problem solving. Their \"dogfooding\" (iTunes store runs on WebObjects etc.) is just one part of this approach.<br><br>With Apple, the customer gets the sense of a bunch of people <i>working together</i> to proceed in a sensible, logical manner, avoiding the clusterfucks that come from bad inter-corporate communication and undisciplined project management.<br><br>I've worked several places where two groups at opposite ends of the company were doing very, very similar things and yet were not in contact with each other or were not communicating effectively, so the \"equasion never reduces\" and the redundancies and complexities silt up the products.<br><br>It's quite clear (from using Office or Windows) that Microsoft cannot coordinate itself the way I'm describing. Over and over again, the Microsoft<br>approach seems to be to have dozens and dozens of slightly different versions of the same thing, all going at once, all superceding and overcorrecting each other, with the patches and last-minute-fixes painfully visible, all smoothed over beneath an intrusive and decorative corporate shellac that's supposed to fool me into thinking that I'm using integrated solutions.<br><br>I don't think Steve Jobs is the Messiah or anything; I'm just pointing out what I see, which in my opinion is fairly obvious: Apple's engineers are all on the same page, which translates directly into a smooth and simplified user experience. I'm not making a tech point; I'm making a \"corporate discipline\" point.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:29:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "6fb2be5cd661f3f86a025d25da3f83d4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673296": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Straight googling gives you information overflow now.. to the point where I just had someone join a yahoolistserve to ask the questions and get the answers directly because google isn't working anymore.  It's too much feedback from google.<br><br>The Microsoft.public. newsgroups are now exposed as webforums too.  You hit the same thing as newsgroups by the way.<br><br>When you google, you don't just hit blog real estate.  You hit web sites, web forums, you name it.  Blogs are one voice.  Man I HOPE people aren't listening to one voice if that voice is not fully informed.<br><br>You said earlier the MVP program doesn't get it?  Well SeanO is blogging and twittering <a href=\"http://communitygrouptherapy.com/2007/03/12/are-you-curious-enough-to-be-a-web-20-leader/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://communitygrouptherapy.com/2007/03/12/are...</a> so maybe there's hope 'eh?<br><br>And Robert... this part of your post was so wrong it wasn't funny:<br><br>\"Oh, and by paying MVPs way, and giving out lots of goodies (I saw some MVPs admit that they got free Tablet PCs by going), everyone is unwilling to say anything anti-Microsoft because you want to get invited next year.\"<br><br>Oh Robert...oh please.<br><br>Let's do the full disclosure shall we as to what in the MVP world gets paid?<br><br>What was paid for the summit?  The hotel room.  Oh yeah the $9.99 a day internet connection.  Everyone flew up there on their own dime.  The teams do not pay for airfare these days.  As far as handing out Tablet pcs to MVPs they only went, I heard to Tablet MVPs and are HOW many Tablet MVPs out of the 2,800 MVPs? They sound like the only group that got \"ooh ahh\" stuff.. Talk about brush stroke Robert.  Do I remember that you got a tablet by being a MVP or am I too way overgeneralizing and forgetting?<br><br>I flew up the weekend before on my own dime, stayed in a hotel on my own time and flew back before the summit so I could meet up with the community folk from around the world.  And then on patch Tuesday I yelled at Microsoft for not telling us that SP2 was coming down.  I blogged about it dude.  Go google on that?<br><br>There is no \"everyone\".  And you need to realize that blogs are not effective feedback channels and SOMETIMES that feedback is better served in a more productive manner by sending emails to people that we have contact with then sticking a rant on a web billboard.<br><br>Dude, you have no idea how much feedback I do that never even goes near my blog.  My blog is a filtered outword facing feedback.  The real and true feedback is typically in more private conversations.<br><br>Do not insult me and the others that spent hard earned money going to the summit by taking that brush stroke and painting it as you are doing.  And for most of them going to Redmond is not why they do it.  It's a reason to get together with the folks with a commonality of helping computer users.<br><br>My blog?  Has no advertising, no link to a book.  And I foot the bill for the web space.  Microsoft has never offered to pay for it nor would I accept repayment to ensure that it is MY voice.<br><br>In my accounting world, Robert, blogs aren't yet there as a key influencer.  Of the 100 most influential Accounting practitioners (oh and lets name drop while I'm at it ... I'm one of those 100) there are VERY few bloggers in that list.  Again, the tech world is not everything.<br><br>And that's still my concern.  Blogs should not be the only input and data point that a firm should look at.  They are single voices.<br><br>Right now I'm concerned that way too many companies are listening too much to these single voices.<br><br>That concerns me.<br><br>Dude, you really disappointed me here.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:05:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673297": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Apple\u2019s engineers are all on the same page, which translates directly into a smooth and simplified user experience. I\u2019m not making a tech point; I\u2019m making a \u201ccorporate discipline\u201d point.\"<br><br>Bet they don't ship with Google desktop either....<br><br>..and Jordon ..yup the OEM experience will be the death of Microsoft.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:34:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673298": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "It's Jordan with an a. Basketball player, river, country, almond, Back Street Boy, department store, <i>Great Gatsby</i> character...all with an a.<br><br>Sorry; pet peeve. :)<br><br>But thanks. To be fair, Apple did cut a deal with Google, which is why the Google search is built right into Apple's Safari browser.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_14:37:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "6fb2be5cd661f3f86a025d25da3f83d4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673299": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Well, for many companies and orgaisations, it is not a matter how Microsoft scores on \"the internet\" and wether or not their search engines \"sucks\".<br>In many cases, the true value for these companies are how Microsoft and their partners come up with solutions that have true, meaningful value to their business activities.<br>And deliver solutions, that is what Microsoft does indeed. I don't think that Microsoft vs. Google this and that is so important.<br>/M", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_09:56:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "5121b125e558e7e1626d8e12a7fcc294", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673300": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Still waiting on sitemap support in <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> after many inexplicable months...<br><br>If <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> is so great, then why did they let Google and Yahoo beat them so badly on this?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_10:06:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "82b6abff5c9e99f9e50801ce1f322f90", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673301": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "My guess is that MS wants to develop it's own web-application stack-- XAML etc. on Vista clients; MS-designed SOAP protocols; .NET apps running on Windows servers.<br><br>Google and friends are getting there first because they're using already-deployed technology: HTML, Flash, Javascript in any browser on the client; HTTP requests to get data; whatever kind of apps you want (Java, C, C++, Perl, Python, Ruby) running on Linux servers.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_10:27:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "50a5cfff7782f331d3ebdbc0cd8e20f0", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673302": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "229 - you obviously did not suffer through Pan Am in the 80s...I did just about every month on some international flight ...or Microsoft in the last decade ...financial statements are trailing indicators. Consumers are far ahead of investors in sensing problems...as I say repeatedly say -<br><br>True North is on Main street not Wall Street", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_09:39:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "fc9eab3b2b2c3199a193e8c65c3aae1b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673303": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "This is complete crap.. go through your previous posts here and channel9 and see what you have been saying so far..", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_13:36:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "da2b928ef58805e432067b1d5430c8a6", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673304": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Susan: I've done thousands of Google searches (at <a href=\"http://Google.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Google.com</a>) and I've rarely come across an answer on Google Groups integrated there.<br><br>What you don't realize is most people have no idea about Google Groups. Only geeks and nerds know that.<br><br>I disagree with you about finding answers on Google, by the way. Throw an error message into Google and the answer usually comes right back.<br><br>Ask it for a driver. Answer comes right back.<br><br>Ask it how to do something in code? Answer usually comes right back (and if it doesn't, most coders know how to get the answer from Krugle, or Google Groups, like you said).<br><br>The problem for Google is most people have no idea about the other services Google provides. To them the world IS <a href=\"http://google.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">google.com</a>.<br><br>Which is why blogs are so influential.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_12:54:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673305": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#191, TanNg: well, that attitude certainly matches what I heard executives saying internally at Microsoft. Steve Ballmer never says he's in it to build a great user experience or build the best Internet services in the industry. That attitude has rubbed off on the culture inside Microsoft. That's why what Matthew originally wrote resonated.<br><br>And, maybe it's time for Microsoft to stop holding secret meetings with customers where they get them all hyped up about futuristic things that probably won't ship for years.<br><br>It was an MVP Summit meeting where I got hyped up about Longhorn (with prototypes that never shipped). That was a major mistake. That meeting was what caused the hype.<br><br>Oh, and by paying MVPs way, and giving out lots of goodies (I saw some MVPs admit that they got free Tablet PCs by going), everyone is unwilling to say anything anti-Microsoft because you want to get invited next year.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_12:46:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673306": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#252: Microsoft talks about \"winning\" all the time. Here's Steve Ballmer talking about winning in his interview with me. <a href=\"http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=85529\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=8...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_17:39:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673307": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Microsoft priorities?<br><br>Making Bill Gates rich.<br><br>That's it. Period. Full stop.<br><br>Anything that doesn't do that - like security, reliability, common sense - goes by the wayside.<br><br>Look at the latest spin by Microsoft - Vista security holes are supposed to be rated down because Vista has more security features than XP!<br><br>Oh, please.<br><br>Then they roll out another Microsoft blogger with a comparison of security vulnerabilities between OS's (using the same crap criteria that has been discredited a thousand times in the past). Guess who comes out on top?<br><br>Why? Because Vista is going nowhere and OneCare is eating people's Outlook emails, that's why. So the spin machine rolls into action immediately.<br><br>Let me clue you people in.<br><br>ANYBODY at Microsoft who is allowed to talk to the public is a LIAR. ANYBODY. EVERYBODY.<br><br>(Except that guy last week who described OneCare as \"missing bits and pieces\" and \"should not have been released\" - and he's undoubtedly on the unemployment line this week.)<br><br>Microsoft does not sell software. It sells LIES.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_18:20:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "8e9737a7ddf22ac21655aba288a9b158", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673308": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Mr Weller,<br><br>These are exactly the kinds of hooks that cults used to keep people locked into place:<br><br>1 - The mission is essential for advancing humanity<br>2 - Taking all this abuse will be worthwhile, because the institution is finally reforming and can do its best work<br>3 - The members are passionate and therefore righteous and I am among them<br><br>Read Churches That Abuse or really any accepted work on cult mind control. Get out of there. At some level, you know you want to escape.<br><br>Zeke<br><br><br>1) I continue to feel that my job does good things for good people. I\u2019m passionate about what I do and the product I promote to people<br>2) I somehow believe the Microsoft culture will change in a significant way in the near future. Then again, I\u2019ve thought that for too long now. Feel free to accuse me of rampant optimism.<br>3) We have an ENORMOUS supply of passionate developers that are engaged in different technologies, doing really cool things", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_17:41:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "2cdeec1acec111c8a7799e94824fd871", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673309": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "BUT:<br>Microsoft did not say \"we're in it to win\"<br><a href=\"http://liveside.net/blogs/opinion/archive/2007/03/18/on-winning-windows-live-and-a-new-world-order.aspx\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://liveside.net/blogs/opinion/archive/2007/...</a><br><br>One of our writers, Matthew Weyer, posted about that enthusiasm, and what appeared to be a quoted statement from the Summit.  Well that didn't go over too well.  Matthew issued a clarification in a comment:<br><br>    A correction note to everyone, Microsoft did not say \"we're in it to win\", and even if they did, I would not be able to disclose discussions since they're under NDA.  However, I can say that the \"feeling\" I got from Microsoft is \"we're in it to win\" as in a sense of commitment, nothing more.  As I said in the beginning of the post, I cannot say anything about what we did or didn't see.  I did go, but that's all I'll admit too.<br><br>    The point of this post was to convey a positive feeling I took back from Microsoft.  I think a little bit of positiveness about Microsoft would be nice for a change.<br><br>    @Matthew", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_12:06:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "699f090d694ebb493b5335573562678d", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673310": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Brian: I slammed Microsoft often when I was there.<br><br>My traffic has more than doubled since I left Microsoft, by the way.<br><br>Ozzie is trying to take Microsoft in a new direction: bring out stuff AFTER it's done. I wonder if he can last at Microsoft, though. The culture is against him.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:46:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673311": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert: re \"Oh, and by paying MVPs way, and giving out lots of goodies (I saw some MVPs admit that they got free Tablet PCs by going), everyone is unwilling to say anything anti-Microsoft because you want to get invited next year.\"<br><br>Damn it Robert, you're doing the \"everyone\" thing again (what happened to realising that a broad brush is wrong?) and once again you go too far.  I paid $3,500 out of my own pocket just in air fares to attend the summit, hundreds of dollars in taxi fares and for my own internet access in the hotel - another $50.  MS paid for my hotel room - yay them.<br><br>Not only that, MS has *never* paid my multi thousand dollar airfare to attend a Summit in the USA - not once - never.<br><br>My goodies?  half a dozen t.shirts, a copy of Expression Web designer, and a handful of $5 trinkets.  That's it.  Oh yeah, that *really* stacks up well at over $4,000 personal expenditure on my part.<br><br>How *dare* you suggest that I, as part of the global \"anyone\" am \"unwilling to say anything anti-Microsoft because [I] want to get invited next year\".<br><br>You really do not get it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_08:07:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "aed2de696a3fc8085c061cd090f5bc01", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673312": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Seshadri: I'm just passing along what people tell me when they meet me one-to-one. TDavid even said the same thing today in my comments.<br><br>It's not about you, though. MOstly about LayZ and Coulter and John Welch. They see those commenters as insufferable and inable to demonstrate a world view other than \"anti-Scoble.\" Which, I guess, if you are here, gets old after a while. :-)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:48:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673313": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@172, But that's where the core fun is. How else would a post about 'Palo Alto notaries' end up with 172 comments?<br><br>(Is this the post with highest comments ever?)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:13:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673314": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Seshadri: nope, I've had posts with about 1,000 comments. (The one on four sounds of Vista).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:15:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673315": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "[Rob]I\u2019m sorry about that, but it would have been more effective to post a list of URLs where MVPs reported from the MVP Summit that demonstrated your point of view.<br><br>Do you have any?[/Rob]<br><br>Why? You've already said your broad brush approach was bad, so just what is it that we you want demonstrated?<br><br>As far as I know (I'm not going to read through the entire history of comments) you posted *one* blog link that you use to justify your stance of MVPs as cheerleaders and referred to \"several\" MVPs who have apparently agreed with you via email (I assume they are agreeing about MVPs being cheerleaders which is not that surprising - after all I said the same thing, but *I* said it without slamming the label on *all* MVPs).<br><br>Just how many blog entries etc do you think would be sufficient to support the contention that my point holds sway, considering we have no idea what \"several\" equates to? Heck, we're on even terms with just my one response to this blog.  In fact, if I blog in addition to Susan's blog entry \"Real World\" then I'm actually one up on you :)<br><br>I've also got \"several\" emails that were less than flattering about your statement, so we'll call ourselves even on that score too.<br><br>Be that as it may, you've acknowledged that your broad brush statement was bad.  That's enough for me, for now.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:25:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "aed2de696a3fc8085c061cd090f5bc01", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673316": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Funny, when I go search for \"Robert\" on google, it's either Robert the Bruce, Robert the Second of Scotland that is, or Robert aka Wobert, the poodle in \"Meet the Feebles\".  Comes of having different priorities, I suppose.<br><br>And as far as Microsoft goes, it's not bleeding red ink - yet.  But SteveB seems to be focused on defining his mouth as a shoe, and inserting his foot whenever he's offered the chance.  The closest analogy with Microsoft is of course, Pan Am.  They were for all intents and purposes, fit and obnoxiously healthy in the early nineties, and then all of a sudden, they just weren't there any more.<br><br>Is Pan Am the _new_ Microsoft?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_08:29:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "041df34bb32de260b772c8ae71541a88", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673317": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Actually, Google Blog Search has tons of MVP Summit posts. <a href=\"http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&amp;q=%2522MVP+Summit%2522&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;scoring=d\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&a...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:16:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673318": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Sandi:<br><br>What gets online is reality to most people. It\u2019s what bloggers have to work with. I have lots of MVPs who read me. If my facts are wrong, I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll point it out (and, you seem to be the first, which is totally shocking to tell the truth \u2014 it\u2019s almost like the group agrees that they were cheerleading).\"<br><br>Who's most people?  How many people are \"most people\" when there's a lot of folks that don't read blogs.  And when you say \"it's almost like the group agrees\"...what group?  Not all MVPs blog, nor read blogs, nor read your blog.  Who are they?<br><br>In reality the \"blog world\" out here is one or two folks making real comments and everyone just piggybacks.<br><br>Furthermore, The MVP summit isn't a venue for disclosure as an NDA event.  What you saw through your blogroll is a filtered view period.  You remember non disclosure and how the MVP summit was covered by that?  So expecting some sort of revelation is downright silly from that event.<br><br>What I see around the blogosphere is tulip bulbs and koolaid.  My reality is that I bought a Microsoft operating system on a Dell laptop and Office 2007.  I've get to pay a dime for applications from Google.  Well I guess I did as they were loaded up on the laptop and I uninstalled them already.<br><br>Want to hear reality?  The reality of Vista is that it proves that old dogs have to learn new tricks and we're fighting it tooth and nail ... Office 2007 makes people want it once they get over the learning curve and I'm ripping out Google Desktop because I don't appreciate the revenue sharing deals that Intuit and Dell are making without my approval.<br><br>What's reality isn't just the view from the Blogosphere.<br><br>Reality is that real people just want things to work.  And blogging and bloggers are not the real world.<br><br>I blog.  But there's a lot of people out in the real world that don't care that I do, nor need to care.<br><br>In the grand scheme of life, bloggers aren't as important as we think we are.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:22:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673319": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Heck, Microsoft closed down the Internet Explorer team for about five years and most people didn\u2019t even notice.\"<br><br>This should go down to internet history. AJAX is born thank to this 5 peaceful years. And this also explains why Microsoft is falling off the Internet trail. They pay no attention to the web.<br><br>This is a good waking call for Microsoft. And you Robert is very good at shouting out loud.<br><br>Good point on warning Ozzie. He may end up going home to Kansas before he gets to see the Oz. Can he become the Wizard? We do want Microsoft around so Bill Gates can save the world.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_03:24:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "4b6ec3cb632af10675425902581b1e74", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673320": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Susan: you misunderstood me. Buzz already has better contacts inside Microsoft than most MVPs. So do I. He's being helped by Microsoft folks on the IE team who are aware of this particular bug and are working on it -- why would he need to deal with an intermediary when he already has contacts inside of Microsoft?<br><br>I use the word \"influencer\" to mean anyone who tells other people about something. Bloggers are just easy-to-study influencers. And, thanks to Google (er, <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a>) bloggers have bigger audiences than other kinds of influencers, which makes them more likely to get ideas around the word of mouth networks faster.<br><br>Normal people, as you call them, DO use Google. What do they find for most problems? Bloggers helping out. They might not even realize they are reading a blogger, but it's Google that's bringing the traffic.<br><br>This is what the MVP program doesn't understand (and most MVPs don't grok). Most Google searches won't bring you to newsgroups, but rather will bring you to Web forums and blogs.<br><br>The \"in crowd?\" That's all over on Second Life or Twitter anyway now.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_03:16:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673321": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Also get a mail service that actually receives mail without bouncing good mail silently. Hotmail is a piece of shit, half of the time it will silently drop e-mail from custom domains. Google never does that, that's why GMail is far better, it simply works; it also has more space but I think a bare minimum for a mail service is that it doesn't drop e-mail especially silently. Hotmail is a piece of shit, to improve it, make it actually use one of the spam lists, and not some POS internal system that can't be checked, updated, and maintained by the public.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_07:08:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "2612ec886ea11655a1535feb331e6228", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673322": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>John: interesting how we have different memories of the 1990s. I remember using Macs and crashing every hour with QuarkXpress (and I can back that up \u2014 I kept pointing it out to Steve Sloan and Steve Broback) and NT 4.0 wouldn\u2019t go down for weeks.</i><br><br>But we already established that you're not anything close to a network person. I'd have LOVED to have seen the configs on these machines. Somehow, I think your extension march was a wonder to behold.<br><br><i>Actually, that is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE and anyone who deals with the Internet better realize that silence DOES equate agreement.</i><br><br>No, silence only equates apathy. Either assumption is incorrect, and an attempt to manufacture a conclusion. The plural of speculation is not data.<br><br><i>Any PR professor will tell you the same.</i><br><br>Their job is teaching you how to spin results from insufficient data. Not exactly what I'd call a reliable source.<br><br><i>It\u2019s not about you, though. MOstly about LayZ and Coulter and John Welch. They see those commenters as insufferable and inable to demonstrate a world view other than \u201canti-Scoble.\u201d Which, I guess, if you are here, gets old after a while.</i><br><br>Wah. The world is not here to agree with anyone. People who only want yes-men in their world are clueless in the extreme.<br><br><i>Office 2007 makes people want it once they get over the learning curve and I\u2019m ripping out Google Desktop because I don\u2019t appreciate the revenue sharing deals that Intuit and Dell are making without my approval.</i><br><br>To the corporate world, Office 2007 is nothing more than a new file format and a training pain in the ass. There's no compelling reason to mass upgrade, or even allow it in the building. Hell, Microsoft can't even keep the UI consistent in the suite. Outlook 2007 is a nice example of this.<br><br><i>\u201cHeck, Microsoft closed down the Internet Explorer team for about five years and most people didn\u2019t even notice.\u201d<br><br>This should go down to internet history. AJAX is born thank to this 5 peaceful years. And this also explains why Microsoft is falling off the Internet trail. They pay no attention to the web.</i><br><br>The MORE important part of that was the fact that the IE team was shut down in a fit of \"FINE, YOU ALL HATE US, WE'LL JUST TAKE OUR BALLS AND GO HOME\". It was shut down in the same manner of an emo teen throwing a hissy and slamming the door to his room. Lame.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_09:59:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "422187df3c45655b0dc2ae5de0710b27", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673323": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I have read Robert's post on a list of Microsoft's innovations and I think this must be  must read for all Microsoft people and think up new groundbreaking stuff.<br><br>Read :<br><a href=\"http://mediavidea.blogspot.com/2007/03/microsoft-vill-plateau-for-while-and.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://mediavidea.blogspot.com/2007/03/microsof...</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_09:40:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "a23dc2e390112e2af7896d25978a2b39", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673324": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "What Robert points out here is the same issue I have with all software vendors.  Do they listen too much to the geeks?<br><br>Are they getting feedback from the RIGHT people?<br><br>Sometimes I don't think they are.  \"Influencers\" (and I use that loosely) are not normal folks.  And are we/they really influencing the normal people?<br><br>I'm not convinced that bloggers should be so religiously seen as the \"in crowd\" to watch.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_01:18:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673325": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@@172- Or to put it another way:  \"I much prefer a community of sycophants if I had my way\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_01:10:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "26493d7270fb206c1e08599674e51e5a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673326": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "It has been more than a decade since the Internet exploded and Microsoft can't seem to do anything right in this space. Obviously, it's not just google; lots of other companies are constantly innovating. Microsoft has been much more successful in almost all the other key areas they have invested in. What gives at when it comes to the net?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_05:49:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "02f24376c281583c86737f3e4465319f", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673327": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "How MSFT can 'win' in a few easy steps.<br>1) Stop renaming products randomly (Hotmail -&gt; MSN Mail -&gt; MSN Hotmail -&gt; Windows Live Mail)<br>2) Make embeded version of SQL Server 2005 and use it for products where the bits are kept with data for", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_05:49:27", "killed": false, "user_key": "dc6b4abdad78b665ee80e9a460f098a2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673328": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@171: \"For the record, i have never said said anything personal or offensive.\"<br><br>In fact, one can argue that some of Scoble's comments are personal and offensive.<br><br>I like to read your blog and usually stay out of the discussion part but it's fun to see what the comments section turns into when you mention, \"Apple\", \"Google\", and \"Microsoft\" in the same article.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:33:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673329": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sandi: cool, glad we cleared that up.<br><br>Susan: bloggers are just \"spitters\" that send info around word-of-mouth networks. They get quoted a lot cause of their audiences. They are influential in that they tell other people what they think and often have large audiences that make them influentials.<br><br>Most people around me don't care about my blog. But they do see stuff in the newspaper or on TV or that got told to them by THEIR friends that WERE influenced by blogs.<br><br>You made me laugh about this one: &gt;&gt;I\u2019m ripping out Google Desktop because I don\u2019t appreciate the revenue sharing deals that Intuit and Dell are making without my approval.<br><br>That sounds like an \"anything but Microsoft\" person back around 2000 (Microsoft used to make lots of wacky deals with Dell back then before the DOJ lawsuit and it used to piss off lots of influentials to the point that they pushed the DOJ to go for an anti-trust lawsuit).<br><br>As for Vista: talk to Buzz Bruggeman about that one. He's found a bug that has been acknowledged by Microsoft but hasn't hit the blogs (er, newspapers) yet. It will, though, cause it causes nasty stuff to happen after hybernating.<br><br>I'm glad I said most people should wait six months for Vista to be really tested out by the marketplace before upgrading.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:37:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673330": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "&gt;In fact, one can argue that some of Scoble\u2019s comments are personal and offensive.<br><br>I like getting into the mudpit as much as anyone. But, generally I try not to use ad hominem attacks against anyone.<br><br>Some of my comments aren't really thought out well. How can you tell those ones? Cause they don't work and get derided quickly.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:39:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673331": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert, thanks for responding and giving me \"a clue' ;-) I didn't mean to diminish your contribution prior to MS, but your audience increased greatly because of them. The tone was a bit harsh -- doesn't look good to slam former employers like that, even with the best of intentions.<br><br>I agree that MS execs have to walk the walk or shut up until something ships (and someone needs to throw a muzzle on Ballmer -- he does more damage to their rep every time he opens his mouth than Google R&amp;D could do in a year...). That's why I look to Ozzie going forward. He doesn't talk trash.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_00:44:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "2f32b7086a69d3a925f56088c7646621", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673332": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert, send Buzz to the newsgroups for help.. and not blogs.  Where hard core MVPs who don't read blogs nor blog while they are at the summit are.<br><br>The \"blogging\" MVPs are just one part of the MVP community and to merely gauge the \"feel\" of the \"group\" does a disservice to the over 2,800 folks that have different voices.  (I say that loosely as well as there are differing views and opinions).<br><br>We're not all good MVPs.  We're not all bad MVPs.  There are some that shouldn't be MVPs.  There are folks that should be MVPs and are.  And it sure not fun sometimes being one when former MVPs gauge the entire group from the \"blogging\" ones when not all of us blog.<br><br>But the good ones will continue on helping folks regardless of the title, the grouping, the whatever.  I certainly don't do what I do just for the title.  I do it because it makes me learn and grow.<br><br>BTW I don't know Buzz as he's never been in my newsgroups/communities but it sounds like it may be this:<br>The Windows desktop may stop updating correctly after a Windows Vista-based computer has been running for a long time:<br><a href=\"http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=932406\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=932406</a><br><br>Call for a hotfix (it's a free call)... in the USA 1-800-936-4900.  If he has issues, give him my email address and I can help him out.<br><br>For the record, I don't appreciate it when Microsoft shoves down Service packs unannounced on patch Tuesday, I don't appreciate it when Java, Yahoo, Intuit or any other number of vendors including Micrsoft shove down software that I didn't ask for inside their software.  This isn't \"anything but Microsoft\", this is \"tell me what you are shoving on my desktop that I now have to patch for\".<br><br>Normal people don't upgrade.<br>Normal people buy their OS on computers that come with Google desktop.<br>Normal people don't read blogs.<br>And businesss sure don't install anything ...whether Google, or whatever overnight.  We test and make sure it solves a business need.  I would hope that major businesses of the world wouldn't make a key investment decision because of something they read on a wordpress page but that they actually did a bit of their homework and research.<br><br>One can hope anyway.  Blogging gets eyeballs.<br><br>It shouldn't be the determination of the final decision.  And if it is.. our entire world needs to step back and do proper due diligence.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_01:02:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673333": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Google groups Robert.<br><br>I search on google and I find myself heading over to google groups where answers are.<br><br>Because quite frankly web searching without being targeted ends up with a whole bunch of unfinished threads with no resolutions.  I generally don't find that single voice blogs giving me consistent solid tech advice for current products.  They give me buzz for future stuff that may or may not occur. Or perhaps a blend of tech support and current stuff, but it's only one person's view and voice.  A blog is not the proper venue for a tech support incident. I'm sorry but I don't find my core tech support on blogs... and believe me I blog.  I bubble up my tech content from other sources and filter it out so that the blog can be a tech source.<br><br>I make my blog to have tech content and be a filing cabinet from all the other resources I see.  But it's not in watching one blogger or getting answers from a blog, it's from those larger community resources.<br><br>And Robert, there you go again with that \"MVP program\" again lumping the entire thing/all participants into one basket.  Given that you aren't in the program anymore, nor at Microsoft, I don't think you are in a position to know what the program understands, nor what MVPs grok.  Have you talked to all of them?  I haven't talked to you in a long while.<br><br>On the one hand you are saying bloggers are the only \"it\" crowd, but then saying the bloggers at the summit didn't post anything you wanted to link to so they are not.  So what is it?<br><br>For the record I help admin and host a bunch of mvp bloggers on a joint site.  That doesn't mean that I believe that the joint blog site I help run is the best venue for seeing the bigger picture of the real world.  It's not.<br><br>There's connections and then there is support. I don't know what connections Buzz has but you know what I'll take support ones over Dev any ol' day.  Support work in the now.  Dev are already onto the next thing.<br><br>Why do I offer to help Buzz?  Just because.  Because that's what I do for all the people that aren't the Buzz's in the world.  Because the vast majority of computer users aren't Buzz.  Don't have the connections and go to a web forum or newsgroup for help.  I'm not here to cheerlead but to help.<br><br>For the record when I help, find that Google Group searches give me much better answers than a Google search.  It's too \"buckshot\" approach on plain web search and even the gang in our SBS community complain about it.   Google isn't good enough anymore.  We need more targeted searching.  Blog searching comes back with bogus results.  All of us in the real world are beginning to complain that the lack of information we use to have is turning into information overload and we can't find the good information anymore.  We need it filtered and targeted.<br><br>Besides, what webforums ARE newsgroups.. it's the same content just a different way to navigate.<br><br>I blog, I newsgroup, I web forum.  But a blog is a single person's voice.  It does not replicate the same experience as looking over a web forum and seeing trends.  And the sooner you and the rest of the industry \"grok\" that a blogger is a single voice and not a trend, not a group, the more I'll stop worrying about this industry.  Because right now we're listening too much to the single voices out here.<br><br>There's still folks that see the value in looking at more than one forum... <a href=\"http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1628\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1628</a>  and I'm one of those people that think that if you just get your input from one place, you may not see that bigger picture.<br><br>And Second Life and Twitter, that's the incrowd for you... that's not necessarily the incrowd for all.<br><br>But getting back to the original point of this... it's about looking at the larger view and right now you are still apparently have this view that nothing but the blogosphere needs to be watched for trends and that all MVPs that you care to pay attention to do nothing but cheerlead.<br><br>That's your view, Robert. I find that looking at more than just the blogosphere gives me a much bigger picture.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-18_04:31:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "1c4f0de7aa99aa9d0a3482e76a3aa5ed", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673334": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@141 John C. Welch - you calling me a \"Microsoft fanboy\" is laughable considering I'm not the one with a gigantic picture of an Apple computer as my primary blog's logo ;) Good luck on adding up those PayPal donations to get someone to be your life's partner, though!<br><br>You completely sidestepped my question about whether you own all three systems so I'll take that as a no.<br><br>Lastly, if you knew anything about the Xbox 360 LAUNCH you'd know it was not well into late March, early April following the launch the preceding Novemeber before Xbox 360 were readily available in stores, just as is happening now with the Wii. The Wii and PS3 both should be outselling the Xbox 360 right now. Also the Wii is at a much, much more favorable price point than both the PS3 and Xbox 360.<br><br>And in case your ability to follow history is really impaired, the same thing happened with the PS2! People were complaining about Microsoft not being able to keep up with the demand, don't you remember?<br><br>Some people have very short term memories and like to twist the facts to fit their obsessions, er arguments. I'm more than happy to give credit where it's due as well as criticize when appropriate. For example, Nintendo clearly owns the portable market. This is why I wrote some time ago on my blog that Apple should look to a partnership or acquisition with them if they seriously want to get into the game business.<br><br>@Scoble \"I want to go back to the days when I had smart readers. Sigh.\"<br><br>When you primarily or only respond to the idiots and allow anybody with any fake name to respond, what do you expect, Robert? You seem to love to stroke the trolls!<br><br>The truth seems to be that you'd rather have 100+ comments on a post with anonymous cowards propping your numbers than create any kind of civil commenting environment that would encourage more intelligent dialog and discussion.<br><br>Sad, but true.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_18:02:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "e09b336aa0c3682aefcc3917a3cf5cac", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673335": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "&gt;understand the personal hurt you can inflicted on those MVPs that you know personally (as distinct to a tenuous \u201cI read his blog\u201d connection).<br><br>I'm sorry about that, but it would have been more effective to post a list of URLs where MVPs reported from the MVP Summit that demonstrated your point of view.<br><br>Do you have any?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:41:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673336": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"I\u2019ve gotten repeated requests to moderate my comment areas and block guys like you \"<br><br>YOu don't have to 'moderate'. Just an one liner on these sections and i will stop. (For the record, i have never said said anything personal or offensive. I have only countered whatever i felt was incorrect/incomplete. Even in the previous comment - i didnt call you an hypocrite - i was using it to illustrate my point)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:45:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673337": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Not at all.\"<br><br>This was what i was looking for. So both you (John) and I dont think market share is the indicator of a product's quality. But Robert thinks it is so in case of Google Vs Live.<br><br>\"I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll point it out (and, you seem to be the first, which is totally shocking to tell the truth \"<br><br>You are resorting to this reasoning a lot. Extend this a bit more. When somebody calls you an hypocrite in these comments section - nobody except you defend it. Does that mean its true?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:19:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673338": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "John: interesting how we have different memories of the 1990s. I remember using Macs and crashing every hour with QuarkXpress (and I can back that up -- I kept pointing it out to Steve Sloan and Steve Broback) and NT 4.0 wouldn't go down for weeks.<br><br>OS/2? No apps. NeXT? No apps and way too expensive (and too futuristic for most people -- Steve didn't have a floppy drive, back when everyone still used floppies).<br><br>What else was there for PCs in the mid-90s that was an OS that had a shot? I don't remember anything to consider seriously.<br><br>Windows 95 came out and it was a lot more stable than Mac (I was beta testing Adobe Acrobat on both) and had a lot more apps. Game over.<br><br>Until Steve Jobs came back.<br><br>But, that's what's fun about talking with you, we both see the world so differently.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:22:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673339": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "&gt;So both you (John) and I dont think market share is the indicator of a product\u2019s quality. But Robert thinks it is so in case of Google Vs Live.<br><br>Windows is a better business OS than Macs cause it runs more business apps. The problem is you can't judge an OS alone. You've got to judge ecosystems against each other. THAT is what's reflected in market share.<br><br>And, yes, market share does go up and down as a product (and associated ecosystem) gets better. Macs are going up significantly lately.<br><br>&gt;Extend this a bit more. When somebody calls you an hypocrite in these comments section - nobody except you defend it.<br><br>That's not true. Except where I deserve it.<br><br>Most people I talk with who like my blog (I met a lot at recent conferences) hate my comment area and just stay out. I've gotten repeated requests to moderate my comment areas and block guys like you and John out. But, I believe in free speech.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:29:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673340": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "[Rob]: \"What gets online is reality to most people. It\u2019s what bloggers have to work with. [/Rob]<br><br>I don't know if you're using that sentence as an excuse for what you wrote, but it's a bullshit standard when applied to you - I thought you were not so naive as to base your judgments on a few online articles. I hold *you* to a much higher standard than \"most people\".<br><br>[Rob] I have lots of MVPs who read me. If my facts are wrong, I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll point it out (and, you seem to be the first, which is totally shocking to tell the truth \u2014 it\u2019s almost like the group agrees that they were cheerleading).\"[/Rob]<br><br>Silence does not equate agreement, so please do not try to hint that it is so.<br><br>First you are wrong if you assume your blog is of such high importance that MVPs will read it in the midst of all the time sapping activities of a Summit, and travel from same to home (especially with so many MVPs travelling internationally or stranded in Seattle unable to get to the east coast because of the bad weather) and catching up on everything else that gets put aside during the summit, and second by assuming that the MVPs who *have* managed to read your blog by now will believe that they will be able to make a difference by responding to you and will therefore post to disagree.<br><br>Why did I respond?  I'm responding because I know you personally and I thought I could get you to see how what you wrote about MVPs is wrong.  If you're justifying your statement about MVPs by saying that \"what gets online is reality to most people\" when you have a connection and contact with MVPs far deeper than just what is online and you therefore should simply know better, than I don't think I can get you to see what harm you do by spreading such misinformation, not to mention get you to understand the personal hurt you can inflicted on those MVPs that you know personally (as distinct to a tenuous \"I read his blog\" connection).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:33:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "aed2de696a3fc8085c061cd090f5bc01", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673341": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>Robert said, a superior product will automatically result in increasing market share. I asked, if so, then assuming Mac has been superior to windows all along( i believe you strongly feel this is the case),why the current market share numbers the way they are?</i><br><br>Define \"superior\" in an objective way then. Market share is not just about technical superiority. If it were, then Sun, IBM, and Digital would rule the roost.<br><br><i>Microsoft had the best mainstream OS and ecosystem from 1993 through 2002.</i><br><br>Not at all. What they had was the best team of dealmakers, and could bullshit you blind about NT. Remember that the people in charge now were in the trenches in that timeframe, and remember very keenly the empty promises Microsoft kept making about Windows. That memory is not being replaced well.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:11:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "422187df3c45655b0dc2ae5de0710b27", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673342": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sandi:<br><br>What gets online is reality to most people. It's what bloggers have to work with. I have lots of MVPs who read me. If my facts are wrong, I'm sure they'll point it out (and, you seem to be the first, which is totally shocking to tell the truth -- it's almost like the group agrees that they were cheerleading).<br><br>Just look at the comments above that people think Microsoft is doing well. Talk to people on the ground who work there and very few are happy with how things are going.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_22:58:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673343": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Rob: You say \"Sandi: I was just saying what I was seeing come through my feed reader. Maybe the MVP program should focus more on blogs than newsgroups that only a small percentage of the community reads.<br><br>The MVP program sure seemed a lot more cheerleaderish this time around with no specifics.\"<br><br>You're basing your assumption on what you are seeing through your feed reader?  Without talking to MVPs?  Jeez Rob, you of all people should know how skewed an impression can be created by online snippets, depending on who/what you read.<br><br>Sandi &amp;c.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_22:50:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "aed2de696a3fc8085c061cd090f5bc01", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673344": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "&gt;You bash Microsoft for not *leading* in every area that their competitors excel in.<br><br>No. I am bashing Microsoft's execs for saying they are going to win without demonstrating much leadership in Internet space.<br><br>Here's another clue: what language does a winning company use? \"We're going to build a better service.\"<br><br>Have you heard anything like that out of Microsoft's mouths lately? Microsoft USED to say stuff like that, which is how they got such a dominant market position.<br><br>Now? It's more \"we're gonna clone.\" Er, sorry \"we're going to win.\"", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_22:40:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673345": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Sandi: I was just saying what I was seeing come through my feed reader. Maybe the MVP program should focus more on blogs than newsgroups that only a small percentage of the community reads.<br><br>The MVP program sure seemed a lot more cheerleaderish this time around with no specifics.<br><br>Seshadri: &gt; I asked, if so, then assuming Mac has been superior to windows all along( i believe you strongly feel this is the case),why the current market share numbers the way they are?<br><br>Microsoft had the best mainstream OS and ecosystem from 1993 through 2002.<br><br>That ecosystem is under attack now.<br><br>Brian: I'm discouraged by people who assume that I made my name at Microsoft. I had more than 1,000 readers a day when I joined Microsoft. I planned conferences for programmers in the 1990s. I did a LOT BEFORE I was a Microsoft employee (and, was quoted in Time Magazine saying that Microsoft should split itself up BEFORE I was an employee).<br><br>I've been a pretty consistent critic of Microsoft's that I tried to keep up even when I worked there (which is why I stood out).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_22:30:44", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673346": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert,<br><br><br>I've been reading you since you made your name working for the hand you are now biting off (well, gnawing...). This post and the comments were really discouraging. Constructive criticism? You bash Microsoft for not *leading* in every area that their competitors excel in -- completely ignoring that, as manufacturer of the dominant OS and business app platform, they have many priorities that have to be met before they can dabble in kitschy consumer web apps. How long do you think you would've had to wait for that Google Reader if they had to generate the OS that powers 95% of the world's desktops instead of simply riding on top of it?<br><br>Surely, having worked there, you know this. Which makes this rant so incomprehensible.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_21:01:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "2f32b7086a69d3a925f56088c7646621", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673347": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "&gt;Silence does not equate agreement, so please do not try to hint that it is so.<br><br>Actually, that is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE and anyone who deals with the Internet better realize that silence DOES equate agreement.<br><br>Any PR professor will tell you the same.<br><br>&gt;First you are wrong if you assume your blog is of such high importance that MVPs will read it in the midst of all the time sapping activities of a Summit<br><br>I got several other notes from MVPs who DID agree with me. So, I know it got around (and it got on several MVP blogs and it's pointed to on Mini-Microsoft, so I'm getting a lot of traffic from Microsofties).<br><br>So far you're the only MVP to show up here and disagree with the thesis here. And, even you haven't really argued with the thesis, just the broad brush.<br><br>OK, broad brush is bad.<br><br>Oh, and I didn't say I didn't talk with any MVPs. I talk with MVPs all the time. Many of my perceptions are influenced by what I hear in those conversations.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_23:38:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673348": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@121.  That another self fulfilling prophecy. You speak to audiences of your peers. What was the make up of these audiences?  Small business owners. SAHM?, SOHO's,  average Joe's that don't eat, sleep and drink the internet, or were they geeks?  So, again I ask: when you say \"we\", We WHO?  Geeks?<br><br>Just because an online newspaper has an RSS feed doesn't mean newsreaders are going mainstream.  I know you'd like to believe that, but it's just not the case.   Stand on the corner in, oh, I dunno, Des Moines, IA and ask 20 random people if they use a newsreader. If you get a 60% \"yes\" response, I'll conceded your point.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_18:47:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "26493d7270fb206c1e08599674e51e5a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673349": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "And Scoble, don't get me wrong, I actually agree with some of the points you are making. But you tend to generalize too much. It wasn't until later on in the comments that you clarified that you were referring to Microsoft's internet business, which is an important distinction.  But, you can't pretend to represent the broad population in many of your statements, because you don't.  If I took your \"BBC has RSS\" example, I could use your same logic to conclude that because newspapers publish sports betting lines and that I talked to a lot of people at Las Vegas sports betting casinos, and listen to a lot of sports talk radio, that 60% of the population bets on sports.<br><br>So to that point, it would be interesting to see how many people that are \"on the internet\" use Google for anything more than their search functionality.<br><br>I agree with you and @129 on those points. Microsoft's overall cultural DNA makes it almost incapable of shifting their thinking beyond the desktop. Now, if you are saying Microsoft will have the difficulty getting the same amount of adoption with their internet strategy that they did with their desktop OS and application strategy by using their current methods, I would agree. But using Google doodads as an example is sort of a stretch.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_19:20:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "26493d7270fb206c1e08599674e51e5a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673350": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Brian: I\u2019m discouraged by people who assume that I made my name at Microsoft. I had more than 1,000 readers a day when I joined Microsoft. I planned conferences for programmers in the 1990s. I did a LOT BEFORE I was a Microsoft employee (and, was quoted in Time Magazine saying that Microsoft should split itself up BEFORE I was an employee).<br><br>\"<br><br>---<br><br>LOL<br>Robert, when you were at MS, your blog carried some weight *because* you were at MS.  Now, you are just another self-appointed know-it-all blogger (that in reality knows very little), and the only reason, the ONLY reason you get much of a following at all is because you were at MS.  Believe me, your blog, objectively speaking, sucks badly.  The writing is horrible, the topics are repetitive in the extreme, the layout is barebones.  If not for your MS history, you'd have veryl little following at all.<br><br>Sorry, but you are NOT Plato, Aristotle, or Socrotese.  You're nothing more than a blogger using your MS-history to give your word psuedo-gravitas.  That's it!  Get over yourself, please.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_16:32:17", "killed": false, "user_key": "6312a7708efa7762a3b75ea650d3ffaf", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673351": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "146 @ john,<br>\"Ah, of course, the myth that the Mac had monster<br>market share or even majority market share. Just for fun, what do you think was the biggest market share the Mac ever had.\"<br><br>I think we are having a disconnect here. I'll recap<br><br>Robert said, a superior product will automatically result in increasing market share. I asked, if so, then assuming Mac has been superior to windows all along( i believe you strongly feel this is the case),why the current market share numbers the way they are?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_22:00:10", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673352": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Really the bottom line for Microsoft is this; They are the once great giant who didnt change with the times. They havent completely ignored the security issue BUT what can they do, insecurity is built in to the OS because of its base. Nothing to fix there. You either put up with it or you switch to a Mac.<br><br>Which leads me to my second point, people are leaving MS in droves for Apple's Mac. Why? Because it just makes sense. I mean its a no-brainer. These Macs don't and HAVENT ever gotten viruses, they dont get spyware, malware, they dont stop woring for no reason like PCs dod, they are just a stable, very beautiful way to do your computing.<br><br>This is a common story in the world of business. Companies that fail to see where things are going fall away and become footnotes of the progression of their market. Its happened before, and trust me, it WILL happen again. Why ANYONE would use a Microsoft based computer is trylu beyond me. I mean WHY would you want to do something the hard way? Since Macs swicthed to Intel, they are as compatiable for Windows and Windows based programs as a true pc would be. There zero reason NOT to swicth to a mac and HUNDREDS of reasons to get the hell away from an insecure, unstable, and very expensive OS like Windows.<br><br>Do yourself a favour, buy a Mac and you will wonder why the hell you didnt do it sooner. Much sooner. I know I did.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_19:35:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "38013072fd03ac3900e64bb75dd0abe4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673353": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>\u201cWhat Robert said. Ditto.\u201d<br>Robert said \u2018mac is growing for the past 2 years\u2019.What happened before that? till 2 years agao Windows was better than Mac and then it became bad?<br><br>Rather, why did it even lose the major share to windows?</i><br><br>Ah, of course, the myth that the Mac had monster market share or even majority market share. Just for fun, what do you think was the biggest market share the Mac ever had.<br><br><i>\u201cYeah, just look at the corporate adoption rate.\u201d<br>See that link again. It says this adoption rate has been the norm for all windows releases. So this doesn\u2019t mean VISTA is doomed.</i><br><br>Ah, but no one's said it's doomed. What it's an example of is how Microsoft, after taking five years to come out with the followup to XP was unable to hit one out of the park. For all the hype Microsoft is trying to generate, Vista, along with everything else it's doing, is just...okay. Not outstanding. Just okay.<br><br>Microsoft can't live on okay, because while it is trying to beat the competition, the competition is trying to create great products and new ways of doing things. Microsoft is willingly accepting the position of *re*acting to everyone else. While you can stay in business a long time with \"me too\", you never quite do anything outstanding with it.<br><br><i>Lastly, if you knew anything about the Xbox 360 LAUNCH you\u2019d know it was not well into late March, early April following the launch the preceding Novemeber before Xbox 360 were readily available in stores, just as is happening now with the Wii. The Wii and PS3 both should be outselling the Xbox 360 right now. Also the Wii is at a much, much more favorable price point than both the PS3 and Xbox 360.</i><br><br>Again, the Xbox 360 has a huge lead, and according to *everyone*, an unstoppable online presence, better graphics, DVD player, HD-DVD options and all the rest. But with all that, the Wii is outselling the hell out of the Xbox 360, and the best reason you come up with is...the price point. Clue-LESS. I know hardcore Sony fans who are all a-twitter about the Wii, and could care less about the PS3. Price does not explain that.<br><br><i>And in case your ability to follow history is really impaired, the same thing happened with the PS2! People were complaining about Microsoft not being able to keep up with the demand, don\u2019t you remember?</i><br><br>Again with the strawman. That still doesn't explain why the 360 cannot outsell an old system like the PS2<br><br><i>RSS is doubling very quickly and quite consistently.<br><br>I remember audiences where only 1% said they used RSS. I don\u2019t see those anymore.</i><br><br>The day I no longer needed a special RSS application, RSS became my prime way to read web sites. It's a way to reduce a web site to the convenience of a mailing list. That has real value to everyone. Once a technology is commonly and invisibly available, then the common people use it. RSS is finally at that stage.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_20:56:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "422187df3c45655b0dc2ae5de0710b27", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673354": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert: \u201cmaybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes.\u201d<br><br>Mike: Every once in a while, the ego shines on through the rants :)<br><br>////////<br><br>\"Every once in a while\"?  Scoble aggrandizes himself in nearly every one of his blogs.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_16:52:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "6312a7708efa7762a3b75ea650d3ffaf", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673355": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@ Dave 251,<br><br>Makes a great deal of sense. I respectfully refer you back to my earlier comment 202, where I'm struggling to make a similar point in a more convoluted fashion.<br><br>The venn diagram of the company and the venn diagram of Windows are fundamentally interrelated; formal systemic errors in one cause errors in the other.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_16:36:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "6fb2be5cd661f3f86a025d25da3f83d4", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673356": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert,<br><br>Looks like your MSFT detox is coming along swimmingly.  You never would have written anything like this, even a month after leaving the evil empire.<br><br>Congrats!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_19:36:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "8f8ff21a67437febebc70afd19364e95", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673357": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"It wasn\u2019t until later on in the comments that you clarified that you were referring to Microsoft\u2019s internet business, which is an important distinction.\"<br><br>Exactly! That's what I've been trying to say. If you're talking only about the internet division, you are right, but if you're trying to use this example to make a generalization about the company, I don't think you are. Hope this clarifies my position. And TDavid, I am using my real name.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_19:50:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673358": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Rob,<br><br>Your comment \"The MVPs might be easy to talk into doing some cheerleading but the rest of us are over that now. We\u2019re looking for signs of leadership and so far we don\u2019t see it\" is offensive to me.<br><br>You and I have \"known\" each other, as much as people can know each other via the MVP Programme and the online world, for a good 8 years now.<br><br>I find it amazing that you, an ex-MVP who left the programme to be employed by MS as an Evangelist, can ascribe \"cheerleading\" behaviour to MVPs **as a whole** without blushing. You became a cheerleader, other MVPs have been cheerleaders (unfortunately) but as a whole MVPs don't evangelise or cheerlead.. they kick MS up the ass to try and get things fixed.  The Mondo Patch comes to mind, my work with MS to get rid of the Windows Live Messenger malware banner infiltration comes to mind, my work with MS during the Summit to get IE7 related errors in the Release Notes for Windows Server 2003 SP2 comes to mind. My kicking ass to try and get the shrink to fit fix out to the public as soon as possible (just released to QFE these past 24 hours or so) also comes to mind.<br><br>So, please do NOT lump all MVPs into a cheerleading group. It is untrue, unfair, and those of us you have known for years deserve better.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_22:09:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "aed2de696a3fc8085c061cd090f5bc01", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673359": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>Google never ships a product everything is always \u201cBETA\u201d. Gmail has been in \u201cBETA\u201d for 2 years. At least the Microsoft guys take a shot at sending out real software.</i><br><br>Microsoft has NEVER shipped software that wasn't beta. Vista still isn't in a state where it should have been RTM, and they've had three quarters of a year to patch it.<br><br>Atleast Google is being honest about it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-09-10_20:30:52", "killed": false, "user_key": "9c322d48ecb36e96eefeea18fdd98dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673360": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "SOme more reason why Microsoft blows. MS has introduce a new technology to compete with Adobe Flash/Air called Silverlight 2.0/MFP. The only problem is, if you are a VB programmer, MS cares little about you jumping in at the onset of this technology for the sake of your livlihood. MS is only providing tutorials/webcasts/videos for C# programmers. This irratates me because it gives C# programmers an edge of VB in the marketplace. I have decided to quit MS and move over to Adobe and larn Action Script. I have long been fed up wit MS showing favortism to C# programmers and treating us VB programmers as bastard step-children.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-08-08_09:07:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "7500dc9098ab226ed7df5e9d653f7b2e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673361": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "The <a href=\"http://live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">live.com</a> Search Engine SUCKS!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-10-01_19:58:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "f56abd24cac0ea994d540645c8f15330", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "1 year ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673362": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You may heed your  own advice Scoble. I can recall many times you hyping Microsoft stuff before it was shipped. Including search. This post makes me wonder how much  of your previous posts were marketing bulls**t and how much was real. and how much I can trust your opinion going forward\u2026", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2008-12-27_17:53:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "9b4341bcdc7683ce4befa9105be4cb46", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "11 months ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673110": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@251 by David Weller<br><br>Sounds like Microsoft is a bunch of independent competing companies.  We were told that this is what the public *wanted*.  They wanted Microsoft split up in to competing entities and this would allow the best tech to emerge.  But I guess they really do want monolithic companies to run everything.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-19_16:19:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "741464ef1c495a6181bc048d92d25885", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673111": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#151: some audiences (like in Phoenix) were small business owners. Others were bloggers or geeks.<br><br>But, what you miss is that normal society follows the geeks by just a few years.<br><br>In 1992 no one used email other than the geeks.<br><br>In 1994 no one used the Web other than the geeks.<br><br>In 1996 no one used IM other than the geeks.<br><br>I look at doubling effects rather than audience size.<br><br>Audience size is irrelevant. In 1977 no one used personal computers other than the geeks.<br><br>What matters is how fast does a usage pattern double.<br><br>RSS is doubling very quickly and quite consistently.<br><br>I remember audiences where only 1% said they used RSS. I don't see those anymore.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_19:01:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673112": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@Shravan: I use Google Apps BESIDE Office. So, maybe they don't compete as much as lots of people think.<br><br>&gt;Rather, why did it even lose the major share to windows?<br><br>I was a Mac fan from 1988 through 93. What happened in 93? Windows NT came out, which was so far superior to Mac it wasn't funny (it didn't crash every hour, for one).<br><br>What happened in 1999? Steve Jobs came back. Apple has been going up ever since.<br><br>Moving to OSX was brilliant. Macs are ahead of Windows because of that move -- at least for regular people. Windows is ahead for businesses.<br><br>Apple made a number of missteps in the 1980s which made them a great brand (which is why iPod is such a successful business) but which kept their marketshare down (businesses went totally Windows in the 1990s, which is where Microsoft's massive profits came from).<br><br>At this point Microsoft could fire everyone and ride off of the profits of Windows for years.<br><br>Heck, Microsoft closed down the Internet Explorer team for about five years and most people didn't even notice.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_16:21:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673113": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Microsoft is in a new business that has nothing to do with software, and until everyone realizes that, nothing is going to change. Internally, Microsoft is in the business of coming up wth elaborate schemes to measure things, including large, strange, convoluted  ways to measure employee performance (read up on Career Compass). The focus on the customer and the concept of beginning with the end in mind is nearly nonexistent. While the intention may be good, the result is absolute paralysis. As other well-read software pundits have noted on the web, the majority of the energy inside the company is focused on creating processes. Did you hear that? Creating PROCESSES? But Microsoft sells software, so why isn't all their time devoted to creating SOFTWARE? Last time I looked, you couldn't put a process in a box, slap a heck of a lot of labels and system requirements on it and sell it on Amazon.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_16:50:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "6878722b0913c6d315183c361c6f47af", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673114": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Shravan: I specifically said \"Internet execution\" and linked to another post where I was talking about search engines.<br><br>The execs were bragging how they were gonna come back against Google.<br><br>Are you really that lame that I need to spell it out?<br><br>I want to go back to the days when I had smart readers. Sigh.<br><br>We weren't talking about SQL Server.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_16:05:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673115": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Are you really that lame that I need to spell it out?\"<br>Look at the comments. It appeared to me that you took the example of the internet team at Microsoft to generalize your perception about the company and apparently I'm not the only one. How do Wii and PS2 figure in this discussion? What about Vista? By the way, Google Apps competes directly with Microsoft Office, which really isn't part of the internet team at Microsoft.<br><br>\"I want to go back to the days when I had smart readers. Sigh.\"<br>Deal with it. This is one of the side-effects of \"fame\".", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_16:16:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673116": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"What Robert said. Ditto.\"<br>Robert said 'mac is growing for the past 2 years'.What happened before that? till 2 years agao Windows was better than Mac and then it became bad?<br><br>Rather, why did it even lose the major share to windows?<br><br>\"Yeah, just look at the corporate adoption rate.\"<br>See that link again. It says this adoption rate has been the norm for all windows releases. So this doesn't mean VISTA is doomed.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:54:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673117": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Frankly, Scoble, it would have helped if you had indicated that you were talking only about the internet group at Microsoft (as opposed to the whole company) - you could have used \"Windows Live\" instead of \"Microsoft\", unless your idea was to give impetus to the Microsoft bashers. Constructive criticism is one thing. Mindless bashing is another. And, for the record, I don't work for Microsoft. I use some MS products and think they're really \"cool\".<br><br>Regarding Windows Live Spaces, you're probably right. IF your wife is indeed a target audience, I think they're doing a bad job.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:57:34", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673118": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Umm, John. C. Welch, just a reminder that we are talking about internet stuff. Thank you!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:40:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673119": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Anthony: what you just said is profound. Deeply profound.<br><br>Microsofties won't understand why. But you nailed it in a way I couldn't.<br><br>Thank you.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:04:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673120": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I seem to have missed something...What kind of hosting service are Amazon offering?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:08:22", "killed": false, "user_key": "81c35af1d7730b927bbeceba2b53c5df", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673121": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#110: Does your opinion of Microsoft vary depending on which side of the bed you get up on, Scoble?<br><br>No, it depends what part of Microsoft we're talking about.<br><br>And, don't your opinions change based on new information?<br><br>Ever since I've left a lot of the smartest people I knew at Microsoft have left too. And the folks who ARE left tell me of massive disarray and lack of leadership. Lack of willingness to really do the right things.<br><br>Has anything shipped lately from Microsoft that caught your attention (again, in context, in Internet space?)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:09:23", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673122": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "bitsandpcs: Do a Google search for \"Amazon S3.\"<br><br>SmugMug has terabytes of photos there. TOns of startups lately have been telling me they are using it to either augment, or replace, their datacenters.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:12:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673123": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@130: \"The Xbox team might be doing something cool while the Internet team is totally sucking wind.\"<br><br>So, XBox Live doesn't count as something on the internet? What about Windows Live Maps? There are people who think Windows Live Hotmail is cool (<a href=\"http://tinyurl.com/ytln3b\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://tinyurl.com/ytln3b</a>. Live Spaces continues to be popular. If you look at usage, many of the Windows Live products are doing well. If you look at revenues (and I agree that matters more), Windows Live is in trouble. So, again, maybe it's not what you personally want but apparently a lot of people want these things.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:17:50", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673124": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#125: Microsoft listens to its customers on a granular level. Via MVP programs. Partner programs. Newsgroups. Etc.<br><br>But they don't listen on a meta level and they've bought into the bullshit that you should only do things after they are proven to be \"big.\"<br><br>Steven Sinofsky disease major time (I have the email).<br><br><a href=\"http://www.businessweek.com/chapter/christensen.htm\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.businessweek.com/chapter/christensen...</a> Innovators Dilemma big time!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:19:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673125": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "My comment somehow got lost:<br><br>@130: \"The Xbox team might be doing something cool while the Internet team is totally sucking wind.\"<br><br>XBox live has something to do with the internet, right? Windows Live Maps is pretty cool. Some people think Windows Live Mail is good (<a href=\"http://tinyurl.com/ytln3b\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://tinyurl.com/ytln3b</a>). Windows Live Spaces continues to be popular and so does Messenger. Again, you may not think these are cool, but apparently there are a lot of people that do.<br><br>And, no, I can't think of anything cool that the internet group has shipped recently but that doesn't mean they never will. As you yourself mentioned, the group is in disarray. Give them some time.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:25:13", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673126": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@scoble, you accept that your views about microsoft changed big time with 'new information'. What if you get more 'new information' - this time from CTOs and IT managers from big corporations who don't take decisions based on coolness? incidentally they are the guys that actally play a big role in 'bottom lines'. May be that information would lead you think Microsoft isn't a 'total loser' - as your current social circle makes it out to be...<br><br>DO you really expect a organisation of 70K employees not have HR problems? Like you said 'some things are impossible'", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:36:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673127": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "My comment somehow got lost:<br><br>@130: \"The Xbox team might be doing something cool while the Internet team is totally sucking wind.\"<br><br>XBox live has something to do with the internet, right? Windows Live Maps is pretty cool. Some people think Windows Live Mail is good (it recently received the PC MAgazine Editor's Choice award). Windows Live Spaces continues to be popular and so does Messenger. Again, you may not think these are cool, but apparently there are a lot of people that do.As far as the Live team is concerned, they definitely have the numbers but not the revenue (which is tied to search advertising) and that's probably what matters the most.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:37:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673128": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>\u201cNo one cares about Vista\u201d<br>How do you know? you\u2019ve spoken to ALL? Look at this - <a href=\"http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=229\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=229</a><br><br>so, Having the latest OS release labelled as a non-starter is not something new for MSFT. But hey, may be even Ed Bott is myopic and thats symbolic of the problem with MSFT?</i><br><br>Yeah, just look at the corporate adoption rate. It's flying off the charts. Oh wait, no it's not. In fact, it's not selling worth a crap compared to XP or 2000.<br><br><i>Come on, John, facts are facts. We all know the Wii is having a great launch period and outselling the Xbox 360 and PS3 at the moment. Now go look up the numbers on online gaming penetration. Go look who just passed the six million member mark.</i><br><br>Yeah. That's why I can buy a 360 without trying hard, or a PS3, but no one's been able to buy a Wii for what, four months now? How long is the \"launch period\" anyway? A year? A decade?<br><br>Care to explain why the 360 STILL can't outsell the PS2?<br><br>Looks like the online part isn't all that important after all. Of course, the Wii DOES have an online component, for the game downloads, et al.<br><br>Comparing market penetration is a nice try, but how many months of a lead did the 360 have? By everything you're saying, it should be outselling EVERYTHING.<br><br>But it's not. Hmm.<br><br><i>The Wii is a gimmick (Twitter, anyone?) \u2014 a fun one for the entire family, yes, which explains why it\u2019s so popular at the moment \u2014 but still a gimmick. Enough of a gimmick and priced right so that Nintendo can pick up lost ground over the Gamecube. The whole Mii thing is intriguing but poorly executed at the moment. There\u2019s plenty of time for Nintendo to improve upon this and become a serious #1 threat in the coming days, but they have a long ways to go and a lot more Wiis to sell. Their system doesn\u2019t even double as a DVD player yet, nor does it talk to your machine for playing music. Online gaming with your friends? Rest my case.</i><br><br>Yet with all that, the 360 can't manage to outsell the PS2. And oddly enough, the Wii is smoking, just SMOKING the 360. Can't use it as a DVD player? So what? How well are the HD-DVD addons for the 360 selling? Ask Sony how well the Blu-Ray marketing gimmick is working. %52 drop in sales from Jan. says \"not so well\". You keep bringing up all these reasons why the 360 should be kicking everyone's ass, but the only thing it's beating is the PS3. Between the DS and the Wii, Nintendo is over half the market. But right, that's not really happening. Every Wii is really a 360 sale somehow. It's not really outselling the 360 at all. That's just imagination.<br><br><i>The PS2 has sold very well, absolutely yes, but you don\u2019t know that much about the console gaming market John if you don\u2019t realize how cyclical the market is and just how many people are pissed at Sony. Not just customers, but partners and developers too.</i><br><br>PS2 sales dropped around 2% from Jan. 360 sales dropped over 20%. If that's being pissed off at sony, I'd say Sony can last a long time on that. If you define that as being pissed, then the 360 still ain't doing so well. For your cyclical theory to be right, then the PS2 sales should be almost nil. Yet they aren't. Better recheck your theory.<br><br><i>Check what Sony\u2019s Phil Harrison had to say about GTA being lost as an exclusive title because the PS3 audience wasn\u2019t big enough. If the PS2 was doing so well, then why couldn\u2019t Sony secure the next GTA as exclusive for the PS2?<br><br>Answer: PS2 is yesterday.</i><br><br>BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA. Wait, so you're saying that a next generation game not being developed for a last-generation console is a sign that the PS2 is yesterday?<br><br>Again, if the PS2 is so yesterday <i>why can't the 360 outsell it?</i> If the Wii is \"only a gimmick\", why isn't the 360 kicking its ass from day one?<br><br>You have yet to explain any of this.<br><br><i>Sony can only live on yesterday so long. Their arrogance got the best of them when they believed that they could shove another largely unnecessary proprietary format down customer\u2019s throats (Blu-Ray) just because they are Sony.</i><br><br>Wait, a Microsoft fanboy complaining about shoving a proprietary format down someone's throat? Get a grip.<br><br><i>Don\u2019t get me wrong, that\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s biggest problem too. They are living on yesterday on a lot of things.<br><br>They pissed off developers when they went to .NET from VB6, they irritated customers with their whole legacy program which forces upgrades prematurely.<br><br>But a bright star in M$ stable \u2014 different from most other departments and teams there \u2014 is the Xbox Live platform.</i><br><br>Yeah, that's why they're just smoking everyone else. Oh shit, wait, they aren't. Oops.<br><br><i>They have actually innovated and done something very, very well.<br><br>Does the Wii or PS2 sell/rent TV/Movies? Xbox Live does and in fact if you look beyond the microcosm that is Scoble\u2019s comment area, the facts show it\u2019s been *THE* most successful at selling and renting TVs/Movies.</i><br><br>BWAAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...so the Xbox is a MOVIE PLAYER? That's funny, I thought it was a game console. Maybe that's why it's not doing so well. Face it, if the big draw of the Xbox is online movies, it's in deep trouble. Contrary to popular belief, around half the US is still not on broadband. Tell me how that movie rental feels at 56K. That's Microsoft...no focus.<br><br><i>Nintendo up until the Wii pretty much scoffed at the idea of gaming online.</i><br><br>And they um...learned. And now one of the biggest draws for the Wii is...GAMES. Downloadable classics. Oooh...so the Wii does have an online strategy, and it seems to be working rather nicely too. Maybe it's that whole \"focus\" thing.<br><br><i>Xbox Live is Microsoft\u2019s trojan horse. Apple, Google, Sony, they\u2019d love to have such a juicy piece of the online gaming action. Apple is trying to get into games, in fact and doing a miserable job so far. Ever try playing any sort of game on your iPod?</i><br><br>BAAAAHAHAHAHAHAA...Strawman much? Apple doesn't care, and Google is kicking Microsoft's ass so hard and fast that they need to get a new leg. The ONLY thing Microsoft hasn't fucked up in the last year is the Xbox, but even in their ONE success, they still aren't the dominant player. That's hardly a rousing endorsement of that strategy.<br><br><i>I\u2019ll be among the first to criticize Microsoft for their many failings \u2014 and live search has definitely been a dud so far \u2014 but they have to be given credit for Xbox Live. It\u2019s better than anybody else out there. To claim otherwise is misguided and misinformed.</i><br><br>So why are the Wii and the PS2 outselling the 360?<br><br>You can cheer on Live all you want, but the fact is, the 360 can't even outsell the PS2.<br><br><i>try telling this to John C Welch; if mac was better than windows then its market share would be going up. (It\u2019s been 12 years since Win95)</i><br><br>What Robert said. Ditto.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:37:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "422187df3c45655b0dc2ae5de0710b27", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673129": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@126, the internet is proving to be too fast and dynamic to even guess what is a winning strategy and what is not. So i am not going to debate if cloning will win or not.<br><br>(comparing to Beattles is totally out of place here. Music is about content and internet is distribution)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:55:14", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673130": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I think one of the best things Microsoft could ever do is to get rid of Steve Ballmer and put some new, younger, more energetic blood in the executive suite. The landscape of business is shifting away from Microsoft's core way of doing things and moving more and more to the Internet. I don't think Microsoft's old guard is capable of executing that shift within the company and that is why they will continue their downward spiral into irrelevance. They might be winning on the desktop but they are losing mind share and the hearts of developers.<br><br>Why is Google kicking Microsoft's collective ass? Simple: the spirit of entrepreneur-ism is alive and well at Google. Yes, they're a mega-corporation but they encourage and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in each and every one of their people. Everyone feels like Google is *their* company and that they are a vital part of its success. Microsoft, while it preaches the \"win win win\" attitude, still fosters a very \"corporate drone\" type of mindset. That doesn't work in the new web enabled world.<br><br>It's for the reasons above that I believe that Microsoft will eventually fall - not to Google - but to the thousands of smaller, more agile, start ups run by passionate people who really ARE \"in it to win\".", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:00:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "ebb9e028beffc455a72578912c50b98d", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673131": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#127: this is the problem. Microsoft is actually something like 100 companies lashed together. The Xbox team might be doing something cool while the Internet team is totally sucking wind.<br><br>In this context we're talking about the Internet team.<br><br>Oh, and cool?<br><br>How about Photosynth? <a href=\"http://scobleizer.com/2006/11/10/demo-of-the-year-photosynth/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://scobleizer.com/2006/11/10/demo-of-the-ye...</a><br><br>That's cool. But it can't be turned into a product.<br><br>Why? Cause it takes nine hours to stitch together a few hundred photos. Unusable.<br><br>So, very cool, but not a business.<br><br>Most of what we're talking about above is about being BOTH cool and a great business ON THE INTERNET.<br><br>Microsoft is lacking on both areas.<br><br>And the comparison to the Beattles is NOT out of place here. Demonstrates that you take a Microsoft approach here.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_15:03:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673132": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#123: <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> suffers from a lot more than all of that. The service sucks when compared to Google. It hasn't demonstratably passed Google in any search I've done yet.<br><br>Cloning is NOT going to be an effective business model on the Internet. Why? This is akin to the music industry more than it was to other things.<br><br>Try to clone the Beattles and see if you get anywhere close to the economic success that band had.<br><br>Yet Microsoft's entire strategy is \"clone, clone, clone.\"<br><br>Oh, sorry, \"win, win, win.\"<br><br>Yeah, right.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:41:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673133": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@126: \"Yet Microsoft\u2019s entire strategy is \u201cclone, clone, clone.\u201d\"<br><br>A few days ago you said Microsoft was doing a lot of cool stuff. What exactly has changed since then?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:42:48", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673134": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Seshadri: search is a lot more than just the correct results. It's formatting. It's the advertising choices. It's whether you include maps and charts.<br><br>If <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> has passed Google (hint: it hasn't) its market share would be going up (hint: it's not).<br><br>Why? Cause people aren't stupid. They can see when the results are better on one service or another.<br><br>I can tell you work at Microsoft cause you're the only one sticking up for <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a>.<br><br>If Microsoft actually had a great service there would be more than Microsofties sticking up for it.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:11:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673135": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@98 \"Hah! Google has a news reader. We asked for that. Where\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s? Google has blog search engine. Where\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s? Apple has a podcasting client. Where\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s? Apple puts blogging on its signs in its stores. Where\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s?\"<br><br>\"We\"?  We who?  Please be specific. How many people amongst the broad population Microsoft sells to asked for a news reader, a blog search engine, a podcasting client?  Who outside of your own myopic sheltered SV world asked for these things? On top of that, how much revenue are these doodads adding to Google's bottom line?  Ever stopped to think that there's not enough money on the table for Microsoft to really care about those things?  Ever stopped to think there might be a WHOLE DIFFERENT AUDIENCE that Microsoft is listening to other than your small world?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:19:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "26493d7270fb206c1e08599674e51e5a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673136": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "LayZ: let's see, in the past two months I've spoken to audiences in Germany, Switzerland, Phoenix, Utah, Austin, and in Silicon Valley and at all the audiences more than 60% say they use RSS feed readers. This is going mainstream. Or did you miss the RSS feeds on the BBC home page? Yeah, that's really Silicon Valley.<br><br>You sound like a Microsoft employee. I know you work for another large company that actually does a lot less for the world than Microsoft does. Now I understand why.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:23:38", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673137": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Every Apple store I've been in (even overseas) uses blogging and podcasting in its signage -- I guess they are only listening to the Silicon Valley weirdos, right? Yeah...<br><br>Shows how clueless you are about how big these things really are.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:24:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673138": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"If <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> has passed Google (hint: it hasn\u2019t) its market share would be going up (hint: it\u2019s not).\"<br><br>try telling this to John C Welch; if mac was better than windows then its market share would be going up. (It's been 12 years since Win95)<br><br>This is the major problem with all anti MSFT views. You choose different yardsticks depending on the situation. Windows' marketshare doesnt mean squat about its success while live's lack of market share means its inferior. Grossly unfair.<br><br>Live suffers from some branding confusion, lacklstre initial performance and being a late entrant to the market.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:35:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673139": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Scoble, have you ever stopped to think that you may not be Live Spaces' (and not Live,com) intended target audience? Google Reader may be the most popular blog reader but how many people actually use blog readers? Again, regarding podcasting, a very small percentage of computer and mp3 player owners listen to podcasts. Microsoft listens to its customers but they may not always listen to you.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_13:48:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673140": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Seshadri: Apple's market share HAS been going up in the past two years. It IS better according to the market. Especially for consumers.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:39:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673141": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Scoble, do you really believe that a company like Microsoft could have survived for so long without listening to its consumers?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:40:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673142": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Is it not fact that the Xbox finished third in February sales? In fact, it finished fourth if you include portable sales.\"<br><br>Well, if you are going to include gaming devices, why don't you include PCs in your equation. In that case, XBox will probably be nowhere in the top 10. I think its too early to write off the XBox.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_13:51:35", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673143": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Shravan: you're right. I'm not. But my wife is in their target market. And I watch her suffer with it.<br><br>A lot of people use feed readers. (They don't just read blogs -- the front page of the BBC has RSS all over it).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_14:09:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673144": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@102 Robert, you have to give specific examples of search phrases for which Live is inferior.(though random examples don't qualify the engine totally.)<br><br>I'll say again, Live's performance against Google is atleast equal. Anyway it's not possible to directly calibrate the 'quality' of search engines. This has to be a subjective call based on usage. My assertion is based on a 6 month experience when i used Live and Google side by side. Yes - side by side, every search would be brought up in both. There is virtually no differnce between both NOW.<br><br>(if i just wanted to hype up something MSFT without conviction, live is the last thing i would have chosen. As this is one MSFT service that has been so heavily invested in and lagging far behind in terms of numbers)<br><br>reg listening - I have been in the frontline dealing with support calls for some of the developer products until recently. I can vouch for the amount of listening that was done and the amount of feedback that was propagated trhough the layers on to the next version.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_12:27:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673145": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Hey and one more thing. I don't see any of you telling Matt Cutts(a great guy - no offence to him) to go fix Orkut or make Blogger a better platform than wordpress. Since they listen you might get this done very easily.<br><br>How many of you are willing to bet you can get Steve Jobs to put a keyboard on iPhone and make it non-exclusive with cingular? After all he would listen...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_12:35:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673146": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Shravan,<br><br>Is it not fact that the Xbox finished third in February sales?  In fact, it finished fourth if you include portable sales.<br><br>The supply problems Microsoft had during the 360's first christmas has really ruined any hope the 360 had of being number one.<br><br>Let's try and stick to the facts.<br><br>And by the way, Apple absolutely listens - just not through blogs.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_13:09:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "3423bdecedb1e74120350de4e40c7acf", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673147": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#111: I gave you a very specific example just on Thursday.<br><br>#112: Blogger is a better blogging service than <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> and has been improved lately. Agree with you about Orkut. As for iPhone: somethings are impossible.<br><br>#113: Apple reads blogs religiously. They just aren't able to talk back through them. They use blogs and podcasts and video blogs in their advertising and signage in their stores (and are really the only big company I've seen do that).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_13:24:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673148": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Does your opinion of Microsoft vary depending on which side of the bed you get up on, Scoble?<br><br>\"You just lost any credibility you might have had here.\"<br><br>And you, with all your flip-flops, somehow still manage to hang on to it. Wow!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_10:58:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673149": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Pretty Interesting Article...:)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_09:39:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "1626b8f344c22beb83d126cc2052db41", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673150": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You might heed your own advice Scoble.  I can recall many times you hyping Microsoft stuff before it was shipped.  Including search.  This post makes me wonder how much of your previous posts were marketing bulls**t and how much was real.  And how much I can trust your opinion going forward...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_10:34:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "4d1f18e0e7ddcbdafe9d158a77afdb1c", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673151": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Hah! Google has a news reader. We asked for that. Where\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s? Google has blog search engine. Where\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s? Apple has a podcasting client. Where\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s? Apple puts blogging on its signs in its stores. Where\u2019s Microsoft\u2019s?\"<br><br>You can't give a single example to prove that a company always listens to its customers. A single counter-example is enough to disprove your claim - it doesn't work the other way around. In any case, you want to know where Microsoft listened to its customers? Everyone wanted Windows to be more secure. Vista and XP are arguably more secure than their predecessors: <a href=\"http://www.twit.tv/sn83\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.twit.tv/sn83</a><br><br>So, there, I've given one example of where Microsoft listened to its customers. I can give several more. What exactly was your point again?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_10:38:16", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673152": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@114, I gave back one example that shows otherwise. So these could be considered an exception<br>Again, i wouldn't decide based on even a 100 individual cases. It should be based on a subjective experience over a reasonable amount of time. In early - mid 2006 i would get good live results less than 30% of the time. Now i get correct results 100% (I don;t use side-by-side search anymore. It's throuh the address bar.Here's my methodology - search in live, if i don't get what i am looking for then fallback on google. But off late if i don't something in Live, i don't get that in google also)<br><br>Note that i am talking about <a href=\"http://live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">live.com</a> website search only. Not local VS maps;<br><br>(If possible, i even urge people to do the same. Use live for sometime. The moment you find things are crappy go back to google.)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_13:37:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673153": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Mike! I Told'Ya, Didn't I!!!<br><br>Huh? ...Didn't I!!!<br><br>Now, STOP Posting Here, Get Back Over To \"Spaces\" &amp; Get The D@MN Thing RUNNING RIGHT!!!<br><br>Soapbox TOO!!!<br><br>NOW GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_05:17:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "db3ce9275e7b688070e8db7f764167c3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673154": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Never put a marketing person in charge of a technology company.  MS's CEO (Ballimer) doesn't grok technology, not even a little.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_05:20:33", "killed": false, "user_key": "adbe2e63d5f0a22e247b954df7938b4d", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673155": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\u201cwe\u2019re in it to win\u201d \u2014 Really?<br><br>Message to Seattle:<br><br>This is way too cute. It echoes our theme song \"We're All In This Together\". We are going to launch a live performance at our celebration party.<br><br>I can tell Microsoft is up to something good lately with their buyings and pieces. I can see Microsoft is moving strategically to capture the Future.<br><br>Shipping alone can't be used as success measurement. I just hope the big ship can safely make the turn in a fast moving ocean current.<br><br>I will leave some Genie Potion #9 at <a href=\"http://upcoming.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">upcoming.org</a> to wax the crystal ball for a company attempting to use technology to save lives.<br><br>Echo from Silicon Valley", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_05:08:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "4b6ec3cb632af10675425902581b1e74", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673156": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@ John C. Welch - you wrote: \"Dude, the Xbox can\u2019t even outsell the PS2, meanwhile the Wii is kicking EVERYONE\u2019s ass. The *Wii* is rocking, the Xbox is wobbling.\"<br><br>Come on, John, facts are facts. We all know the Wii is having a great launch period and outselling the Xbox 360 and PS3 at the moment. Now go look up the numbers on online gaming penetration. Go look who just passed the six million member mark.<br><br>Not Sony. Not Nintendo. Forgetting about the online gaming sector?<br><br>As someone who owns all three systems (do you, John?) I can tell you that the major weakness for Nintendo Wii and the PS3 is their online strategy and current implementation. The Wii is overcharging for games we already have with little to no enhancement.<br><br>The Wii is a gimmick (Twitter, anyone?) -- a fun one for the entire family, yes, which explains why it's so popular at the moment -- but still a gimmick. Enough of a gimmick and priced right so that Nintendo can pick up lost ground over the Gamecube. The whole Mii thing is intriguing but poorly executed at the moment. There's plenty of time for Nintendo to improve upon this and become a serious #1 threat in the coming days, but they have a long ways to go and a lot more Wiis to sell. Their system doesn't even double as a DVD player yet, nor does it talk to your machine for playing music. Online gaming with your friends? Rest my case.<br><br>The PS2 has sold very well, absolutely yes, but you don't know that much about the console gaming market John if you don't realize how cyclical the market is and just how many people are pissed at Sony. Not just customers, but partners and developers too.<br><br>Check what Sony's Phil Harrison had to say about GTA being lost as an exclusive title because the PS3 audience wasn't big enough. If the PS2 was doing so well, then why couldn't Sony secure the next GTA as exclusive for the PS2?<br><br>Answer: PS2 is yesterday.<br><br>Sony can only live on yesterday so long. Their arrogance got the best of them when they believed that they could shove another largely unnecessary proprietary format down customer's throats (Blu-Ray) just because they are Sony.<br><br>Don't get me wrong, that's Microsoft's biggest problem too. They are living on yesterday on a lot of things.<br><br>They pissed off developers when they went to .NET from VB6, they irritated customers with their whole legacy program which forces upgrades prematurely.<br><br>But a bright star in M$ stable -- different from most other departments and teams there -- is the Xbox Live platform.<br><br>They have actually innovated and done something very, very well.<br><br>Does the Wii or PS2 sell/rent TV/Movies? Xbox Live does and in fact if you look beyond the microcosm that is Scoble's comment area, the facts show it's been *THE* most successful at selling and renting TVs/Movies.<br><br>Nintendo up until the Wii pretty much scoffed at the idea of gaming online.<br><br>Xbox Live is Microsoft's trojan horse. Apple, Google, Sony, they'd love to have such a juicy piece of the online gaming action. Apple is trying to get into games, in fact and doing a miserable job so far. Ever try playing any sort of game on your iPod?<br><br>I'll be among the first to criticize Microsoft for their many failings -- and live search has definitely been a dud so far -- but they have to be given credit for Xbox Live. It's better than anybody else out there. To claim otherwise is misguided and misinformed.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_04:36:08", "killed": false, "user_key": "f259169eb5cb73c577261845a24a64c5", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673157": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Kirupa: go back and read my earlier articles: I said that <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> had closed the gap.<br><br>Now, go back and try the searches again. The gap hasn't narrowed and, in some cases, Google has pulled way ahead again (look at yesterday's \"notary\" search for an example).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_04:14:11", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673158": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Can someone tell me one more success that Google has under its belt besides Search .... mmmm ... mmmm .... mmmm ... mmmm ...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_03:48:19", "killed": false, "user_key": "e4b01173cf06eecb6a56ece3f542131b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673159": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Murali: it's mapping service has most of the mashups on the Web using it. Google Reader is #1 according to most stats. And its big success? It isn't search.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_03:59:37", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673160": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Robert, in post 97, you mention \"I\u2019ve done tons of searches and Live is behind \u2014 often way behind \u2014 in almost any search I do (except for the aformentioned \u201cRobert\u201d).\"<br><br>Yet, not too long ago, you mentioned, \"Damn, I saw some people talking about how much better Microsoft\u2019s Live Search was and I just tried a few searches and, indeed, it\u2019s a lot better than it used to be. They\u2019ve significantly closed the gap with Google.<br><br>How does it do on your favorite searches? I even picked out a random Windows API call and did a search on that. MSN used to always suck on those. But <a href=\"http://Live.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Live.com</a> gets it right.<br><br>It\u2019s also fast and the UI is nice. I think it matches Google all the way around on search.\"<br>Taken from: <a href=\"http://scobleizer.com/2006/10/12/microsofts-search-a-lot-better-than-it-used-to-be/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://scobleizer.com/2006/10/12/microsofts-sea...</a><br>I'm sure I and your other readers would be curious to know what exactly changed between the Live Search of then compared to the Live Search of today.<br><br>Cheers!<br>Kirupa", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_04:00:09", "killed": false, "user_key": "51f1c79fe3d8e3098ac60b23b8601a33", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673161": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "&gt;seshadri: Particularly in this case, its not an inferior product. All the negative perception apart, Live search is atleast on par with google.<br><br>You just lost any credibility you might have had here.<br><br>I've done tons of searches and Live is behind -- often way behind -- in almost any search I do (except for the aformentioned \"Robert\").", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_02:42:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673162": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "&gt;Seshadri: Do you have any examples?<br>(My examples : Google -big, not listening; Apple - big, not listening)<br><br>Hah! Google has a news reader. We asked for that. Where's Microsoft's? Google has blog search engine. Where's Microsoft's? Apple has a podcasting client. Where's Microsoft's? Apple puts blogging on its signs in its stores. Where's Microsoft's?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_02:44:21", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673163": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Anonymous comments is something we all want.\"<br><br>Yes! Why is it that Spaces requires someone to have an account on there? That is extremelly lame. As Scoble says, anonymous jerks are a big part of comments. Maybe requiring an account is just a way of trying to force people in to the Microsoft camp? Doesn't make sense I know. All it does is annoy people. I know that when I'm on Digg, or some other place, and I land on a Spaces blog I just close the browser tab. I don't want to be part of the conversation if you're forcing me to signup.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_01:57:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "df679bd3d287a21d5ed6020bae384e17", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673164": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "IBM was making lots of profit, even when it was doing really poorly.<br><br>The fact is, No one cares about Vista, Office 2007 is a non-issue for at least a year, and the Xbox 360 can't outsell a five year old game system, and is getting its ass beat by everything BUT the PS3.<br><br>Microsoft didn't build the Xbox 360 to do anything but beat the PS3. In that, it succeeded. Nintendo ignored both of them, and built a game system that was damned near instantly usable by anyone with enough coordination to hold a stick, and made playing games fun OUTSIDE of the game.<br><br>That's the difference. Nintendo decided on a goal that wasn't dependent on the competition, Microsoft was all about being better than Sony.<br><br>And no, the Xbox 360 is not #2.<br><br>It's number *Three*.<br><br>the Wii is #1, the PS2 is #2.<br><br>Xbox? #3.<br><br>Your own myopia here is a perfect example of Microsoft's.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_00:14:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "422187df3c45655b0dc2ae5de0710b27", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673165": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Your own myopia here is a perfect example of Microsoft\u2019s.\"<br><br>Pot, meet kettle.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_00:28:25", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673166": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"No one cares about Vista\"<br>How do you know? you've spoken to ALL? Look at this - <a href=\"http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=229\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=229</a><br><br>so, Having the latest OS release labelled as a non-starter is not something new for MSFT. But hey, may be even Ed Bott is myopic and thats symbolic of the problem with MSFT?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_00:42:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673167": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"IBM was making lots of profit, even when it was doing really poorly.\"<br><br>Not exactly, as IBM lost billions of dollars in the early 90's. Microsoft anywhere near that point.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-17_01:04:02", "killed": false, "user_key": "2d727c8791c41131eebae0be8e149343", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673168": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"That\u2019s why they\u2019re doing well. And why Microsoft isn\u2019t\"<br><br>All bashing aside, its not like MSFT is in red. It still has double digit growth. If - this is a forecast - i would love to see how many  of the nay sayers actually go short on MSFT. The market does let you bet both ways.<br><br>Apple can gain 1% marketshare and be called 'doing well', but XBOX 360 is a failure even when it is gaining marketshare and is #2? (Yeah yeah PS2 kicks 360 in the rear. unfortnately theres some friendly fire going on with PS3 as well)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_23:43:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673169": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@85:<br>\"I left MS products a long time ago with zero ill effects. You, too, can do this.\"<br><br>I agree. I could start using Gnumeric instead of Excel. But I can live without Google too, or even Apple.<br><br>@88:<br>\"If a company\u2019s natural reaction to adversity is to \u201cwin\u201d by bribing, then you have MSFT exactly where it belongs: unable to invent or innovate, it bullies or bribes.\"<br><br>So, it's okay for Google to pay Dell to have its toolbar installed on every PC sold? It's okay for Google to pay AdSense publishers $1 for referring Firefox with Google toolbar?<br><br>@90:<br>\" The *Wii* is rocking, the Xbox is wobbling.\"<br>Yes, the Wii is rocking. Is the XBox really wobbling? Whatever makes you happy.<br><br>\"That\u2019s why they\u2019re doing well. And why Microsoft isn\u2019t.\"<br>So, Microsoft isn't doing well? Hmm. Again, whatever makes you happy!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_23:39:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673170": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "<i>Got to tip your hat to Microsoft in the console gaming sector, Robert. The Xbox 360 is rocking and they managed to create the best online console gaming out there (Xbox Live) against the odds. Sony has an interesting idea with Home if they get enough people to pay too much for a PS3, or lower the price to be competitive, but right now it looks more like Nintendo could be the threat going forward.</i><br><br>*looks like*?<br><br>Dude, the Xbox can't even outsell the PS2, meanwhile the Wii is kicking EVERYONE's ass. The *Wii* is rocking, the Xbox is wobbling.<br><br><i>Mike: and you\u2019re not egotistical? Riiiiigggghhhhhttttt.<br><br>When you gonna build a better blog service? My wife is on it and it really really sucks.<br><br>Let me worry about my ego, you worry about my wife\u2019s blog service. It\u2019s always so freaking slow.</i><br><br>Dear god, what is up with the new login for spaces. Could it suck any MORE? I don't see how.<br><br><i>\u201cBig companies win by listening\u201d<br><br>very true. Do you have any examples?<br>(My examples : Google -big, not listening; Apple - big, not listening)</i><br><br>Funny how Apple \"doesn't listen\", but they keep coming out with stuff that people love. Maybe there's more ways of listening besides blogs...oh wait, how silly of me...blogs are the only things that count. Observation and all the rest are crap, right? Only blogs matter. Microsoft has hundreds of blogs, and look how well they're doing...um...oops.<br><br><i>Realistically speaking, Apple and Google have a better chance of beating Microsoft.</i><br><br>\"beating the other guy\" is the wrong focus. It puts you into a reactive posture. Just like Microsoft. They only care about beating the competition, so everything they do is derived from that.<br><br>Apple and Google are servicing their customers, and doing the things they do best. They have a small number of things they do, they do them really well, and trust in their customers to recognize that. They ship regularly, and don't bullshit their customers the way Microsoft does, like with that entire Port25 marketing spew.<br><br>That's why they're doing well. And why Microsoft isn't.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_23:30:12", "killed": false, "user_key": "422187df3c45655b0dc2ae5de0710b27", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673171": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@ seshadri: \"this is an accepted practice in the tech world.\"<br><br>Boggles the mind. Lots of thigs are \"accepted practice\" out there; does that make them good?<br><br>If a company's natural reaction to adversity is to \"win\" by bribing, then you have MSFT exactly where it belongs: unable to invent or innovate, it bullies or bribes.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_23:25:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "a12415e7602e69219f983203ef62afd2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673172": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@86 - this is an accepted practice in the tech world. google bundles its toolbar with acrobat reader install. Not just in software, every industry bundles deals as part of promotions.<br><br>Particularly in this case, its not an inferior product. All the negative perception apart, Live search is atleast on par with google.<br><br>BTW,How do you connect this with 'trust'?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_23:12:47", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673173": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@79, what about Google paying Dell to have its toolbar installed on every computer sold? Also, what about this: <a href=\"http://www.spreadfirefox.com/node/24451\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.spreadfirefox.com/node/24451</a> ?<br><br>I'm going to restate Scoble's comment: \"Companies survive by listening.\" No company that doesn't listen to its customers can survive for as long as Microsoft has.<br><br>@80:<br>\"what about Linux? Linux seems to be the underdog in its own circles, but no one else seems to care about getting out from under MS.\"<br><br>Realistically speaking, Apple and Google have a better chance of beating Microsoft.<br><br>\"They don\u2019t deliver anything that I can\u2019t do without. Nothing.\"<br><br>I can say the same about Apple or Google too. I really can do without Google search or the iPod. In fact, I don't think I can do without Excel or Outlook.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_22:37:42", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673174": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@77,<br>in the Pre-google era, Linux was the mascot of anything anti-MSFT. (Redhat was supposed kicking MSFT's ass in the desktops)<br><br>@79 - I think that's a good move.<br>Why?<br>LIVE search is certainly not inferior to Google/yahoo/. But it is suffering from not having acceptability and lack of intertia. (and some branding confusion too). So this will help overcome those issues.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_22:39:41", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673175": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@82,<br><br>I use Linux exclusively. No Outlook, no Excel. OpenOffice has served me well for years now with no hitches on either end.<br><br>You (metaphorically speaking) are only trapped by MS if you choose to remain trapped. See, that's the rub. People care too much about compatibility with their friends. Ever heard of plain text? What about RTF? What about pushing, encouraging, and ACTUALLY using open standards instead of complaining about MS?<br><br>I left MS products a long time ago with zero ill effects. You, too, can do this.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_22:47:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "38eb0852789cba065e956f4aa2d74bd5", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673176": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"I think that\u2019s a good move.\"<br><br>Of course, it is.<br>IF all you're interested in is to \"win.\"<br>But then don't be surprised if MSFT is despised and not trusted.<br>Who needs to listen to customers when you can literally bribe them into using your products?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_22:54:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "a12415e7602e69219f983203ef62afd2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673177": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@74:<br>\"My examples : Google -big, not listening; Apple - big, not listening\"<br><br>They don't need to. The media (including bloggers) loves what they do. They may be big but as far as the media is concerned, they're still underdogs in the fight against Microsoft.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_21:54:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673178": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@77,<br>I agree.<br><br>That's why i can't wait for iPhone Vs GPhone", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_21:57:45", "killed": false, "user_key": "df2bebffe2fece4cee7ed284aaff3cf0", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673179": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@seshadri: \"Do you have any examples?\"<br><br>Sure, Microsoft.<br>MSFT listened to companies that want better search.<br>MSFT went back to the labs to see if it can out-innovate Google.<br>MSFT realized it couldn't. So it unleashed Ballmer to go bark at Google.<br>And, as it always does, MSFT decided to PAY companies to use its (otherwise) unpopular products:<br><br><a href=\"http://news.com.com/2061-10803_3-6168028.html\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://news.com.com/2061-10803_3-6168028.html</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_22:10:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "14503ad25916271c5ba9036c2665bebd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673180": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@77,<br><br>what about Linux? Linux seems to be the underdog in its own circles, but no one else seems to care about getting out from under MS.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_22:25:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "38eb0852789cba065e956f4aa2d74bd5", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673181": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Google writes its own hard disk drivers.\"<br><br>Microsoft writes its own entire OPERATING SYSTEM.  It writes drivers!<br><br>Anyway I think you are confusing GoogleFS (filesystem) with HD drivers.  Their boxes probably max out on RAM -- HD search is just too slow, so it's probably not even a factor here.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_22:26:06", "killed": false, "user_key": "07bf346de4bcbc515a18efe7b09cb640", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673182": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I agree with you, Robert. MS isn't going anywhere. They make a product that is just \"good enough\". They have 95% of the desktop market, so technically, since they have achieved vendor lock-in, good enough is all they have to do.<br><br>They throw a few bones to the masses now and again, like Vista. Vista is more or less XP with a few new things, but a lot of eye candy. I'm not even going there.<br><br>I'm rarely a tech front liner. In other words, I'm not a hardware/software guinea pig. I wait for others to blow their money and let the bugs get worked out first.<br><br>MS is along for the ride, that's it. They don't deliver anything that I can't do without. Nothing.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_21:53:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "38eb0852789cba065e956f4aa2d74bd5", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673183": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Big companies win by listening.<br><br>Microsoft doesn\u2019t demonstrate listening behavior very often.\"<br><br>And obviously, any big company that doesn't demonstrate listening behavior does not win because it does not come up with cool products, right?<br><br>So, your position is: Microsoft doesn't make any cool products... errr... no, wait... they do make cool products.... no, they don't...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_21:27:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673184": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Big companies win by listening\"<br><br>very true. Do you have any examples?<br>(My examples : Google -big, not listening; Apple - big, not listening)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_21:38:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "df2bebffe2fece4cee7ed284aaff3cf0", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673185": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You can install thousands of gadgets including custom HTML (so technically unlimited) already.  There are tons of cool ones in Live Gallery.  And if you see one you like on someone's space, you can add it to your own.<br><br>And we HAVE made it faster. If something is still running slower than you'd like, you might want to remove some stuff (like gadgets).  You can't load your page up with a bunch of Ajax goodness and expect it to load as fast as Google search results of course.<br><br>Anonymous comments is something we all want.<br><br>Customization has also gotten a LOT more flexible (more layouts, more themes, more color and transparency options, more custom HTML options) and we have even more coming that will allow people to make the page look completely unique without having to deal with HTML.<br><br>I can take you through it so you are up to speed on everything.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_21:48:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "33b1beac6732f5de89ddb7e5ca91bf1e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673186": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "#47: There are TONS of good guys at Microsoft. They just aren't focused on me as a customer. Rather they want to \"win.\" WTF?<br><br>Big companies win by listening.<br><br>Microsoft doesn't demonstrate listening behavior very often.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_21:07:31", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673187": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Mike: why would we continue giving feedback when you don't listen to what we told you years ago?<br><br>1) Make it faster.<br>2) Make it so our friends can comment without signing in (anonymous jerks are a big part of commenting).<br>3) Make it faster.<br>4) Make it so we can customize the look and feel.<br>5) Make it so we can add lots of cool gadgets easily.<br>6) Make it faster.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_21:04:36", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673188": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Microsoft has two problems really.  1. They don't develop, they takeover/buy (although Google seems to be heading in that direction).  2.  When they do develop, they do it for the lowest common denominator (Reminds me of AOL).<br><br>Its all about the bottom dollar and not innovation for them.  If it's not pre-installed it doesn't do well.  Give anyone a choice and 9/10 times they will use a competitors product.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_20:28:32", "killed": false, "user_key": "b06db59730f0d2f668ad6a7baaeb54b2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673189": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Eh, who really wants Microsoft to win? I mean, they already control the desktop and the office suite. I'd rather not have my only option for everything to be Microsoft.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_19:44:56", "killed": false, "user_key": "5a107565a34d6086bc47a55506edc40b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673190": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I know TDavid, I want it too (I have my domain ready to go) but there are some pretty complex scaling and authentication issues to get over first before it's possible.  Part of the \"problem\" with a big service.  If we only had 10,000 or 100,000 or even 1 mil users, we could do it tomorrow.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_19:56:24", "killed": false, "user_key": "33b1beac6732f5de89ddb7e5ca91bf1e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673191": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Diego: Ultimately, just like any site, the more content you have on your page(s) the slower the page will load.  We do take performance very seriously and are making gains every release - we've improved quite a bit recently.<br><br>Maryam: We're working on commenting!<br><br>One thing to point out though: comparing WordPress to Spaces is like comparing Twitter to IM or Facebook to Flickr.  They are just different tools with different goals for a different audience.  Not everyone strives to be the #1 Robert or to get their service mentioned in Mashable on Tuesdays.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_19:00:01", "killed": false, "user_key": "33b1beac6732f5de89ddb7e5ca91bf1e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673192": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@Mike - I'm still rooting for just giving domain control features to MSN Spaces users so that people like Maryam, myself and others could have our own domain names instead of a live.whatever.whatever/name/ space or whatever flavor the domain structure changes. I think since launch it's changed what, four times?<br><br>Hopefully speed and increased flexibility are on the map as high priorities for the team.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_19:11:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "f259169eb5cb73c577261845a24a64c5", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673193": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Maryam,<br><br>You're a doll, but your husband needs help. Soon all sorts of Softietards will be calling him with advice to apologize to Ballmer &amp; Co. Don't let him do it. I'm told he might be prone to doing so. He doesn't have to go back to Redmond for another tour of duty. The world is seeing the salesguy for what he is. He's asleep at the wheel; let him be. Much love.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_18:50:46", "killed": false, "user_key": "14503ad25916271c5ba9036c2665bebd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673194": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Mike,<br><br>I agree with David. You are one of the good guys. I still am using spaces, but it does have a few problems. I mentioned them last August in my blog and none of the problems, to my knowledge, have been fixed.<br><br><a href=\"http://maryamie.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%219592F3DEF41537A3%212002.entry\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://maryamie.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!9592F3...</a><br><br>Thanks for your consideration.<br><br>Maryam", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_17:46:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "20fddf9570ef35f0bf62c79756fb2f16", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673195": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Maryam, change your blog to Wordpress. It's the best!!!!<br><br>:)<br><br>regards,", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_17:51:53", "killed": false, "user_key": "1970768bb2ddae070b591f3d8d0e0240", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673196": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thanks Maryam.  I will check it out.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_18:05:18", "killed": false, "user_key": "33b1beac6732f5de89ddb7e5ca91bf1e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673197": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Thanks Mike! Really the commenting system is the one that makes my readers upset.<br><br>Nelson,<br>I like Wordpress and I like Matt, but spaces feels like home. I am hoping with time they will improve. It's hard to move!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_18:12:30", "killed": false, "user_key": "20fddf9570ef35f0bf62c79756fb2f16", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673198": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"maybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes.\"<br><br>You've gotta be kidding me! Seriously, you're saying that when people serch for \"Robert\" on Google, they're not looking for Robert DeNiro or Robert Redford, but for Robert Scoble? Aren't you giving yourself a little too much importance? That's probably one of the reasons you like Google so much - because of the importance they give you. Wow! :-)<br><br>Also, I don't know Mike personally but he comes across as a nice person in his blog.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_18:26:40", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673199": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Mike: '\u201cWhen you gonna build a better blog service? My wife is on it and it really really sucks.\u201d<br><br>That\u2019s constructive. You guys have my email address, phone number, office number, and URL. The last time I received any feedback was probably almost 2 years ago.'<br><br>You mean you can't tell that it's slow? Are you bypassing something that everyone else outside of Microsoft sees?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_18:26:54", "killed": false, "user_key": "df679bd3d287a21d5ed6020bae384e17", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673200": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "On second thoughts, maybe you are the most popular \"Robert\" of them all!", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_18:28:55", "killed": false, "user_key": "6f7addaed3e1d4fdf0b047695ddd5f70", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673201": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "PS their MVP process is stupid. I know people who should most definitely not be representing MSFT as MVPs and others who should (and have been nominated and not chosen).", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_16:19:00", "killed": false, "user_key": "057472d3684942a130add55a087b5195", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673202": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I was just scrolling back through your post and came up with this: that MSFT has no Pipes killer, no adWords killer, no Flash killer, no killer searchbox, no killer datacenter. Just what Ballmer might call cute efforts.<br><br>And I'm wondering if that's fine.<br><br>Has MSFT already bet on business communications instead? I mean, I haven't seen it yet, but I thought the Live Communications server/client is intended to be MSFTs next trick. That search is kind of a competitive reflex, but enterprise communications is supposed to be the future growth area for the company. Isn't everything else just smoke and mirrorss? I thought that was why Jeff Raikes took the telephone job himself last spring.<br><br>I kind of interpreted Live and the internet products as they stand today as mostly misdirection - sort of a pump fake.<br><br>And I think the TellMe acquisition lines up really well with my idea.<br><br>Am I on to something?", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_16:31:04", "killed": false, "user_key": "abb834b7653ee994cbf8f14b46970104", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673203": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"Mike: and you\u2019re not egotistical? Riiiiigggghhhhhttttt.\"<br><br>Well, I don't know.  But I don't praise myself in my own comments every week :)<br><br>\"When you gonna build a better blog service? My wife is on it and it really really sucks.\"<br><br>That's constructive.  You guys have my email address, phone number, office number, and URL.  The last time I received any feedback was probably almost 2 years ago.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_16:50:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "33b1beac6732f5de89ddb7e5ca91bf1e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673204": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "another trivia, Larry Page is not the 'Larry'-est of em all in google - <a href=\"http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=larry\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=larry</a>", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_15:35:15", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673205": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@seshadri: \"Something we can all do is offer Microsoft constructive criticism...\"<br><br>Why? Some of us would like to see MSFT just implode. We'd all be better seeing a convicted monopoly abuser that taxes computing the world over just go away. So I love Ballmer. I love what he's done to the MSFT stock. I love the fact that MSFT just can't do anything right. I love the fact that product after product they have failed pretty much in everything they've gone after. Love it.<br><br>\"Microsoft is building some great products that we\u2019re all going to love\"<br><br>And you're claiming you're not a MSFT mouthpiece? Get real.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_15:55:29", "killed": false, "user_key": "a12415e7602e69219f983203ef62afd2", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673206": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@50, what are you smoking? i didn't say either of those things.<br><br>Try to match them up with the actual commenter.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_16:05:39", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673207": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "After several years of strongly supporting Windows Mobile Microsoft still has not given me MVP just because old MVPs, who get the award for ever, are jealous of myself. So you are absolutely right that \"The words are empty.\".", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_16:15:07", "killed": false, "user_key": "d298a3adf3dfc66d6790d5013819644f", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673208": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@45 Scoble, easy on Mike, he's one of the good guys. I do agree with you on MSN Spaces being slow but I'm thinking <a href=\"http://Wordpress.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">Wordpress.com</a> would be crippled with a fraction of the MSN Spaces traffic.<br><br>@46 Still, 5.1 million results for Scoble is impressive, Jeremy, got to give Scoble props for that.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_15:14:57", "killed": false, "user_key": "f259169eb5cb73c577261845a24a64c5", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673209": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "I *completely* give him props for that, and would even state that 99% (or more) of searches for \"Scoble\" are for him!  I give him props for a lot of stuff, I just don't agree that 99% of people who enter \"Robert\" as a search term (which I don't think happens all that frequently to begin with) are looking for him, that's all...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_15:18:59", "killed": false, "user_key": "29a430f78330d90ae4d6adb90157365a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673210": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Mike: and you're not egotistical? Riiiiigggghhhhhttttt.<br><br>When you gonna build a better blog service? My wife is on it and it really really sucks.<br><br>Let me worry about my ego, you worry about my wife's blog service. It's always so freaking slow.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_14:56:49", "killed": false, "user_key": "3553f5e0db0fd1ec4e40a932a2d8f5b3", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673211": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "Re: \"robert\" being first in Google.  Scoble, man, you know I like you and all, but you can't take all this stuff so seriously that you have let yourself think that when people google \"Robert\" they are all looking for you???  How many people even think of you as \"Robert\" versus just \"Scoble\"?<br><br>Google results for \"Robert\" = 429,000,000<br>Google results for \"Scoble\" = 5,180,000<br>Google results for \"Robert Scoble\" = 1,210,000<br><br>I did a whole post recently on first names and Google results: <a href=\"http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/03/12/googling-first-names/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/03/12/googlin...</a><br><br>Back to the point at hand, I think you are probably right that they aren't acting like a company who is tyring to win.  That said, I do believe that they still *want* to win, much the same way Sony still *wants* to dominate the MP3 market.  They just have way too many people operating with 1990s (or even 1980s) mentality to even become a contender again...", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_15:07:28", "killed": false, "user_key": "29a430f78330d90ae4d6adb90157365a", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673212": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"maybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes.\"<br><br>Every once in a while, the ego shines on through the rants :)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:53:51", "killed": false, "user_key": "33b1beac6732f5de89ddb7e5ca91bf1e", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673213": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "@32, \"What\u2019s cool about it is most of my friends are on it.\"<br>Why weren't your friends on it? why did they choose twitter over dodgeball?<br><br>@33, \"Not too bad.\"<br>This is not what you expect from Google. Do you? You expect the best of the lot.<br><br>\"That\u2019s what makes Seshadri just a hype job\"<br><br>Incorrect. Nowhere in my comments do/did i hype up MSFT. All i am saying is that a totally different scale is being applied to MSFT to callibrate it while all its competitors seem to enjoy a free ride.<br><br>@34, \"How the MVPs are rationalizing \"<br>Where do you see this? Any links where someone has justified anything that was said in this weeks meet?<br><br>( I can't tell you how excited i am for Google to launch its GPhone. For the first time in quite a while we will have a direct 1-to-1 between the #1 and #2 rivals of MSFT. GPhone Vs iPhone. WOW. Should be fun to see if equal scales are applied in that case)", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_12:57:43", "killed": false, "user_key": "aaa1c400b7e02bea94b84ce889e72dbd", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673214": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "\"It's an exciting time for the industry, and Microsoft is going to win!  Go get them Steven!\"<br><br>go team! :p", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_13:28:26", "killed": false, "user_key": "a511b3c80f1435ce05853e33a2c8eb2f", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}, "9673215": {"up_voted": false, "ip": "", "has_replies": false, "message": "You are comparing one product, up against a company with a multitude of products, the comparison isn't really level, nor fair, and they have a number of competitors across all product lines. And Google is a one-trick pony, they haven't really been successful outside of one area, whereas Microsoft has been. Each company has their pluses and their vices. But rant at the moon, if it makes you feel better. :) Productwise, I think they are doing great, Vista and Office 2007, are wonders to behold, perhaps not all they could have been, but still great for the market. The thing killing Microsoft is not Google, it's their own internal bitterly political warfare games.", "is_last_child": false, "can_reply": false, "down_voted": false, "real_date": "2007-03-16_13:47:03", "killed": false, "user_key": "7f6291e8344b594235e57b843fc05d9b", "has_been_anonymized": false, "edited": false, "author_is_moderator": false, "from_request_user": null, "votable": true, "date": "2 years ago", "approved": true, "num_replies": 0, "is_first_child": false, "email": "", "parent_post_id": null, "depth": 0, "points": 0, "author_is_creator": false, "is_realtime": false}}, "integration": {"receiver_url": "", "theme": 4, "reply_position": true, "disqus_logo": false}, "timer": {"timer_url": "http://localhost:8005", "thread_id": "18356404", "user_id": "anonymous", "forum_id": "125200", "hash": 2462255713724953964}, "thread": {"total_posts": 0, "paginate": false, "per_page": 0, "slug": "microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really", "num_pages": 1, "days_alive": 0, "realtime_paused": true, "id": 18356404, "num_posts": 251, "closed": true, "queued": false, "killed": false}, "reactions_limit": 10, "context": {"show_reply": false, "use_fb_connect": true, "forum_facebook_key": "faaf467d0f47abde553c3b8e0e1b3570", "use_yahoo": false, "subscribed": false, "use_twitter_signin": true, "use_openid": false, "realtime_speed": 5000}, "reactions_start": 0, "settings": {"debug": false, "disqus_url": "http://disqus.com", "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"}, "media_url": "http://media.disqus.com"};
	/* */ this.jsonData.cookie_messages = {"user_created": null, "post_has_profile": null, "post_twitter": null, "post_not_approved": null}; this.jsonData.session = {"url": null, "name": null, "email": null}; /* */

	
	this.curPageId = 'dsq-comments';

	this.frames = {};
};

var disqus_popup_reference = null;

if(typeof DsqLocal == 'undefined') {
	DsqLocal = {};
}



/**
 * Dsq.Strings: UI strings
 */
Dsq.Strings = new function() {
	this.ADD_NEW_COMMENT = "Add New Comment";
	this.LOG_INTO_DISQUS = "Log into DISQUS";
	this.USE_MEDIA = "Use Media";
	this.LOGOUT = "Logout";
	this.SHARING_OPTIONS = "Sharing options";
	this.SHARE_ON = "Share on";
	this.TWEET_THIS_COMMENT = "Tweet this comment";
	this.SHARE_ON_NEWSFEED = "Share on news feed";
	this.SEND_UPDATE_TO_YAHOO = "Send update to Yahoo!";
	this.REBLOG_ON = "Reblog on";
	this.CONFIGURE_OPTIONS = "Configure options";
	this.POST_AS = "Post as";
	this.SORT_BY = "Sort by";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_BY_EMAIL = "Subscribe by email";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_BY_RSS = "Subscribe by RSS";
	this.POPULAR_NOW = "Popular now";
	this.BEST_RATING = "Best Rating";
	this.NEWEST_FIRST = "Newest first";
	this.OLDEST_FIRST = "Oldest first";
	this.HIGHLIGHTED = "Highlighted";
	this.UNSUBSCRIBE = "Unsubscribe";
	this.REQUIRED = "Required";
	this.OPTIONAL = "Optional";
	this.YOU_ARE_COMMENTING_AS_A = "You are commenting as a";
	this.LOGIN_BELOW = "Login below";
	this.PLEASE_LOGIN_BELOW_TO_COMMENT = "Please login below to comment.";
	this.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL = "Subscribe to all comments by email";
	this.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS = "Do not subscribe to comments";
	this.REALTIME_UPDATING_IS = "Real-time updating is";
	this.ENABLED = "enabled";
	this.PAUSED = "paused";
	this.PAUSE = "Pause";
	this.RESUME = "Resume";
	this.SHOW = "Show";
	this.JUST_NOW = "Just now";
	this.REPLY = "Reply";
	this.EDIT = "Edit";
	this.FLAG = "Flag";
	this.MODERATE = "Moderate";
	this.CANCEL = "Cancel";
	this.REPLYING_TO = "Replying to";
	this.REPORT_MISSING_REACTIONS = "Report missing reactions";
	this.POST_A_COMMENT = "Post a comment";
	this.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT = "Flag inappropriate comment";
	this.FLAGGED = "Flagged";
	this.NO = "No";
	this.YES = "Yes";
	this.NEVER_MIND = "Never mind";
	this.ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WOULD_LIKE_TO_REPORT_THIS_COMMENT_TO_A_MODERATOR = "Are you sure you would like to report this comment to a moderator";
	this.THIS_WILL_FLAG_COMMENTS_FOR_MODERATORS_TO_TAKE_ACTION = "This will flag comments for moderators to take action";
	this.TO_RATE_PLEASE_LOG_IN = "To rate, please log in";
	this.JUST_A_MOMENT = "Just a moment...";
	this.GUEST = "Guest";
	this.NAME = "Name";
	this.EMAIL = "Email";
  this.WEBSITE = "Website";
  this.SETTINGS = "Settings";
  this.MODERATOR_OPTIONS = "Moderator options: ";
  this.MODERATE_OPTIONS = "Moderate Options";

  // Thread moderator actions
  this.CLOSE_THREAD = "Close thread";
  this.OPEN_THREAD = "Open thread";
  this.REMOVE_THREAD = "Remove thread";
  this.RESTORE_THREAD = "Restore thread";
  this.ACTIONS = "Actions";
};
// Dsq.Strings

/**
 * Dsq.FmtStrings: functions that return interpolated UI strings
 */
Dsq.FmtStrings = new function() {
	// Seems we have to use named interpolation for Django to translate. Investigate more.
	this.LOGGED_IN_AS = function(username) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate('Logged in as %(username)s', {username:username});
	};

	this.LOGOUT_FROM = function(disqus) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate('Logout from %(disqus)s', {disqus:disqus});
	};

	this.SHOWING_COMMENTS_FULL = function(total, num) {
		if (num === 1) {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> of <span id='dsq-total-posts'>%(total)s</span> comment", {num:num, total:total});
		} else {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> of <span id='dsq-total-posts'>%(total)s</span> comments", {num:num, total:total});
		}
	};

	this.SHOWING_COMMENTS_WITHOUT_PAGINATION = function(num) {
		if (num === 1) {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> comment", {num:num});
		} else {
			return Dsq.Utils.interpolate("Showing <span id='dsq-num-posts'>%(num)s</span> comments", {num:num});
		}
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_COMMENTS = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s comment'
				: '%(num)s comments'
			), {num:num});
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_LIKES = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s like'
				: '%(num)s likes'
			), {num:num});
	};

	this.NUMBER_OF_POINTS = function(num) {
		return Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
			(num == 1
				? '%(num)s point'
				: '%(num)s points'
			), {num:num});
	};
};
// Dsq.FmtStrings





Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN = 'a2d140c59df8cd4ce27a20e0829cacd8';
Dsq.COMMENTS_RE = /(<li.*?id="?dsq-comment-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*?)(<\/li>)/gim;
Dsq.POST_RE = /(<div.*?id="?dsq-comment-header-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*?)(<\/div>)\s*(<div.*?class="?dsq-comment-body"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*)(<\/div>)/gim;
Dsq.POST_BODY_RE = /\s*(<div.*?id="?dsq-comment-message-(\d+)"?.*?>)((?:.|\s)*)(<\/div>)/gim;
// HACK: Safari ends with "-->" while other browsers end with "--&gt;" as expected.
Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE = /&lt;!--\[(.*?)\]--(?:>|&gt;)/gim;



var FragmentPacket = function(reader, writer, writer_url, is_child, receiveCallback) {
	var that = this;
	this.reader = reader;
	this.writer = writer;
	this.writer_url = writer_url;

	this.is_child = is_child || false;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;

	this._lastHash = null;

	this._accumMsg = '';

	this._lastSeqno = 0;

	this.MAX_DATA_LEN	= 1024;

	this.WAIT_TIME		= 10;

	this.READY		= 0x1;
	this.WRITING	= 0x2;
	this.FIN		= 0x4;
	this.ACK		= 0x8;

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;
	var listener = function() {
		that.recv();
	};
	return window.setInterval(listener, 10);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.log = function(msg) {



};

FragmentPacket.prototype.recv = function() {
	var hash;
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {

		hash = this.reader.name;
	} else {

		var hashIndex = this.reader.location.href.indexOf('#');
		if (hashIndex == -1) {
			return;
		}
		hash = this.reader.location.href.substring(hashIndex+1);
	}
	var flags = parseInt(hash.substring(0, 4), 10);
	var seqno = parseInt(hash.substring(4, 24), 10);
	var data  = hash.substring(24);

	if (this._lastHash !== hash) {
		this._lastHash = hash;
		this.log('recv: ' + hash);

		this.log(' flags: ' + flags);
		this.log(' seqno: ' + seqno + ' len: ' + hash.substring(4, 24).length + ' (' + hash.substring(4, 24) + ')');
		this.log(' data: ' + data + ' len: ' + data.length);

		this._lastSeqno = seqno;

		if (flags & this.WRITING) {
			this._accumMsg += data;
			this.sendFlag(this.ACK, seqno);
			if (flags & this.FIN) {
				this.log('recv finished: ' + decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));
				this.receiveCallback(decodeURIComponent(this._accumMsg));

				this._accumMsg = '';

				this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
			}
		}
	}

	return {
		flags: flags,
		seqno: seqno,
		data: data
	};
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendRawPacket = function(packet) {
	if (/MSIE/.test(navigator.userAgent)) {
		this.writer.name = packet;
	} else {

		this.writer.location.href = this.writer_url + '#' + packet;
	}

};

FragmentPacket.prototype.sendFlag = function(flag, seqno) {
	this.sendRawPacket(this._zerofill(flag, 4) + this._zerofill(seqno, 20));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {
	this._send(0, encodeURIComponent(msg));
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._send = function(packetNum, msg) {
	var that = this;
	var recvBuf = this.recv();

	if (packetNum === 0) {

		if (!(recvBuf.flags & this.READY)) {
			this.log('client is not ready, waiting...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		}
	} else {

		if (!( (recvBuf.flags & this.ACK) && (recvBuf.seqno === this._lastSeqno) )) {
			this.log('waiting for ack from client...');
			window.setTimeout(function() { that._send(packetNum, msg); }, this.WAIT_TIME);
			return;
		} else {
			this.log('received ack: ' + this._lastSeqno + ' ' + recvBuf.seqno);
		}
	}

	var flags = this.WRITING;
	var num_packets = Math.ceil(msg.length / this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	this.log('num_packets: ' + num_packets);

	if (num_packets === packetNum) {

		this.log('message successfully sent!');
		this.sendFlag(this.READY | this.ACK, this._lastSeqno);
		return true;
	}

	this._lastSeqno++;

	if (packetNum == num_packets-1) {
		flags |= this.FIN;
	}

	var data = msg.substring(packetNum * this.MAX_DATA_LEN, (packetNum+1) * this.MAX_DATA_LEN);
	var packet = this._zerofill(flags, 4) + this._zerofill(this._lastSeqno, 20) + data;

	this.log('sending raw packet: ' + packet);
	this.sendRawPacket(packet);

	return this._send(packetNum + 1, msg);
};

FragmentPacket.prototype._zerofill = function(num, width) {
	var retval = num.toString();
	var retval_len = retval.length;
	for (var i = 0; i < width - retval_len; i++) {
		retval = '0' + retval;
	}
	return retval;
};

var PostMessagePacket = function(receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId) {
	var that = this;
	this.receiver = receiver;
	this.receiveCallback = receiveCallback;
	this.id = id;


	this.receiverId = receiverId;
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.createListener = function() {
	var that = this;

	var listener = function(e) {

		if (!that.id) {
			that.id = e.data;
			return;
		}


		var id = e.data.split(';')[0];
		if (id !== that.id) {
			return;
		}
		var data = e.data.substring(e.data.indexOf(';') + 1);

		that.receiveCallback(data);
	};

	if (typeof window.attachEvent == 'function') {
		window.attachEvent('onmessage', listener);
	} else if (typeof window.addEventListener == 'function') {
		window.addEventListener('message', listener, false);
	} else {
		throw new Error('No method found to create event listener for PostMessagePacket.');
	}
};

PostMessagePacket.prototype.send = function(msg) {



	var needs_reget = false;
	try {
		if (typeof this.receiver.id == 'undefined' || typeof this.receiver.postMessage == 'undefined') {
			needs_reget = true;
		}
	} catch(e) {


	}
	if (needs_reget && typeof this.receiverId != 'undefined') {
		this.receiver = document.getElementById(this.receiverId).contentWindow;
	}

	var packet;
	if (!msg) {

		packet = this.id;
	} else {
		packet = this.id + ';' + msg;
	}
	this.receiver.postMessage(packet, '*');
};

PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = null;
PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id = function() {
	var id = (new Date()).getTime();
	if (id == PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id) {
		id++;
	}
	PostMessagePacket._last_unique_id = id;
	return id.toString();
};

var JsonRpc = function() {

	this.ids = {};

	this.objectToJSON = function(obj) {
		var json = '';
		var results = [];

		if (obj === undefined || obj === null) {
			return 'null';
		}

		switch (obj.constructor) {
			case Object:
				for (var property in obj) {
					if (obj.hasOwnProperty(property)) {
						results.push(this.objectToJSON(property) + ': ' + this.objectToJSON(obj[property]));
					}
				}
				json = '{' + results.join(', ') + '}';
				break;
			case Array:
				for (var i = 0; i < obj.length; i++) {
					results.push(this.objectToJSON(obj[i]));
				}
				json = '[' + results.join(', ') + ']';
				break;
			case Number:
			case Boolean:
				json = obj.toString();
				break;
			case String:

				var specialChars = {'\b': '\\b', '\t': '\\t', '\n': '\\n', '\f': '\\f', '\r': '\\r', '\\': '\\\\'};

				json = obj.replace(/[\x00-\x1f\\]/g, function(match) {
					var ch = specialChars[match];
					return ch ? ch : '\\u00' + match.charCodeAt().toPaddedString(2, 16);
				});

				json = '"' + json.replace(/"/g, '\\"') + '"';
				break;
			default:

				json = 'null';
				break;
		}

		return json;
	};

	this.createHandler = function(send_func, registered_funcs) {
		var that = this;
		var handler = function(message) {

			try {
				var rpc = eval('(' + message + ')');
			} catch(e) {
				alert('bad JSON: ' + message);
				return;
			}
			if (rpc.method) {

				if (!registered_funcs[rpc.method]) {
					return;
				}

				var retval = registered_funcs[rpc.method].apply(null, rpc.params);
				if (rpc.id) {
					var response = {
						result: retval,
						error: null,	// TODO
						id: rpc.id
					};
					send_func(that.objectToJSON(response));
				}
			} else if(rpc.result) {

				if (!that.ids[rpc.id]) {
					return;
				}

				that.ids[rpc.id](rpc.result);
				delete that.ids[rpc.id];
			}
		};
		return handler;
	};

	this.execute = function(send_func, method, params, response_callback) {
		response_callback = response_callback || null;
		var id = (response_callback) ? (new Date()).getTime() : null;

		var request = {
			method: method,
			params: params,
			id: id
		};

		send_func(this.objectToJSON(request));

		if (id) {
			this.ids[id] = response_callback;
		}
	};
};
JsonRpc = new JsonRpc();

var ParentMessenger = function(childUrl, receiverUrl, container, receiveCallback) {


	if (navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Safari') >= 0 && parseInt(navigator.userAgent.substring(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Version/') + 8), 10) == 3) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	} else if (window.opera) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}



	if (!receiverUrl &&
		navigator.userAgent.indexOf('Gecko') >= 0 &&
		parseFloat(navigator.userAgent.slice(navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 3, navigator.userAgent.indexOf('rv:') + 6)) < 1.9) {
		throw new Error("unsupported.");
	}


	if (/msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent)) {


		if (document.domain == window.location.hostname) {
			receiverUrl = '';
		}
	}

	var that = this;
	this.childUrl = childUrl;
	this.receiverUrl = receiverUrl;
	this.container = container || document.body;

	this.packetHandler = null;


	this._ready = false;
	this._error = false;


	var _createReceiverForFragmentPacket = function() {

		that.receiver = document.createElement('iframe');
		that.receiver.src = receiverUrl;
		that.receiver.id = 'receiver_' + (new Date()).getTime();
		that.receiver.name = that.receiver.id;

		that.receiver.frameBorder = '0';
		that.receiver.frameSpacing = '0';
		that.receiver.style.borderStyle = 'none';

		var receiver_onload = function() {
			var receiver = document.getElementById(that.receiver.id).contentWindow;

			try {
				receiver.document.body.innerHTML = '';
			} catch(e) {

				that._error = true;
			}
			receiver.document.body.style.padding = '0px';
			receiver.document.body.style.margin = '0px';

			var child = receiver.document.createElement('iframe');
			child.id = 'child';
			child.name = 'child';
			child.src = that.childUrl;

			child.frameBorder = '0';
			child.frameSpacing = '0';
			child.style.borderStyle = 'none';
			child.style.width = '100%';
			child.style.height = '100%';
			receiver.document.body.appendChild(child);

			that.child = receiver.document.getElementById('child').contentWindow;
			that.receiver = receiver;

			that.packetHandler = new FragmentPacket(that.receiver, that.child, that.childUrl, false, receiveCallback);

			that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();

			that.packetHandler.sendFlag(that.packetHandler.READY, 0);

			that._ready = true;
		};

		that.receiver.onreadystatechange = function() {
			if (this.readyState == 'complete') {
				receiver_onload();
			}
		};

		that.receiver.onload = receiver_onload;







		if (Dsq.Utils.ie) {
			if (that.container.clientWidth === 0) {

				var _waitForWidth = function() {
					if (that.container.clientWidth > 0) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					} else {
						window.setTimeout(_waitForWidth, 100);
					}
				};
				_waitForWidth();

				that._once = false;
				that.receiver.onresize = function() {
					if (!that._once) {
						Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(that.container.id);
					}
					that._once = true;
				};
			}
		}

		that.container.appendChild(that.receiver);
	};


	var _createReceiverForPostMessage = function() {

		var receiver_onload = function() {

			that.packetHandler.send();
			that._ready = true;
		};

		var id = PostMessagePacket._get_unique_id();
		var receiverId = 'child_' + id;


		ParentMessenger['_receiver_onload_' + receiverId] = receiver_onload;

		that.container.innerHTML += '<iframe ' +
			'src="' + childUrl + '" ' +
			'id="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'name="' + receiverId + '" ' +
			'onload="ParentMessenger._receiver_onload_' + receiverId +'();" ' +
			'></iframe>';

		that.receiver = document.getElementById(receiverId).contentWindow;
		that.packetHandler = new PostMessagePacket(that.receiver, receiveCallback, id, receiverId);
		that._listener = that.packetHandler.createListener();
	};

	if (typeof window.postMessage == 'function') {
		_createReceiverForPostMessage();
	} else {
		_createReceiverForFragmentPacket();
	}

};

ParentMessenger.prototype.sendMessage = function(message) {
	var that = this;
	if (!this._ready) {

		window.setTimeout(function() { that.sendMessage(message); }, 10);
		return;
	}
	this.packetHandler.send(message);
	return true;
};

Dsq.NewFrames = function(url) {
	this.url = url;
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype.init = function(onFailure) {
	var that = this;

	try {
		this.messenger = new ParentMessenger(this.url, Dsq.jsonData.integration.receiver_url, this.container, this.receive_callback);
	} catch(e) {
		if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
			onFailure();
		}
	}

	if (typeof onFailure == 'function') {
		var iId = window.setInterval(function() {
			if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				return;
			}
			if (that.messenger._ready) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
			} else if (that.messenger._error) {
				window.clearInterval(iId);
				onFailure();
			}
		}, 10);
	}
};

Dsq.NewFrames.prototype._execute = function(method, args, callback) {
	var that = this;
	if (typeof that.messenger == 'undefined') {
		return false;
	}
	JsonRpc.execute(
		function(msg) { that.messenger.sendMessage(msg); },
		method,
		args || [],
		callback);
	return true;
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame = function(container, parent_post_id) {
	var that = this;
	this.container = container;
	this.parent_post_id = parent_post_id;

	var sendFunc = function(msg) {

		Dsq.Debug.log('Dsq.ReplyFrame.sendFunc');
		that.messenger.sendMessage(msg);
	};


	var postComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		Dsq.jsonData.posts[response.message.id] = response.message.post_meta;
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key]) {
			Dsq.jsonData.users[response.message.post_meta.user_key] = response.message.user_meta;
		}


		var reply_position = (typeof(disqus_insert_wrt_sort) == 'undefined' 
			? (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reply_position ? -1 : null) 
			: (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? null : -1));
		
		if (response.message.post_meta.approved) {
			Dsq.Post.insert(response.message.post_meta.parent_post_id || reply_position, response.message.id, response.message.post_meta.message);
		}

		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onSuccess(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var postComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(response.message, 'Error');
		Dsq.Templates.postComment_onFailure(response, parent_post_id, response.message.id);
	};

	var editComment_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);
		
		message.innerHTML = response.message;
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
	
	var editComment_onFailure = function(response) {
		var post_id = parent_post_id;
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('Sorry, there was an error editing this comment.', 'Edit Error');
		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	var getUserByEmail_onSuccess = function(response) {
		var msg = response.message;
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(parent_post_id);

		if (msg.username) {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'login', {
				'username': msg.username,
				'display_name': msg.display_name,
				'avatar_url': msg.avatar_url,
				'verified': msg.verified,
				'email': fields.email.value
			});
		} else {

			Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(parent_post_id, 'register');
		}
	};

	var validateAuth_onSuccess = function(response, auth_choice) {
		Dsq.Templates.postComment(parent_post_id, null, true, auth_choice);
	};

	var validateAuth_onFailure = function(response, auth_choice) {
		var pid = parent_post_id ? '-' + parent_post_id : '';
		var msg = response.message;

		if (auth_choice == 'register') {
			var fields = ['email', 'username', 'password'];

			for (var i = 0; i < fields.length; i++) {
				var field = fields[i];
				var errorDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-' + field + '-errors' + pid);

				if (msg[field]) {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = msg[field];
				} else {
					errorDiv.innerHTML = '';
				}
			}
		} else if (auth_choice == 'login') {
			Dsq.$('dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid).innerHTML = '<p>We couldn\'t log you in. Please verify your login.</p>';
		}
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.receive_callback = JsonRpc.createHandler(sendFunc, {
		'postComment.onSuccess': postComment_onSuccess,
		'postComment.onFailure': postComment_onFailure,
		'editComment.onSuccess': editComment_onSuccess,
		'editComment.onFailure': editComment_onFailure,		
		'getUserByEmail.onSuccess': getUserByEmail_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onSuccess': validateAuth_onSuccess,
		'validateAuth.onFailure': validateAuth_onFailure,
		'reload': function() { window.location.reload(); }
	});

	this.url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY +
		'?' + (new Date()).getTime() +
		'&f=scobleizer' +
		'&t=microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really' +
		'&ff=' + Dsq.Thread.ff +
		'&default_text=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_default_text) +
		'&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
	if (this.parent_post_id) {
		this.url += '&parent_post=' + this.parent_post_id;
	}
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype = new Dsq.NewFrames(Dsq.ReplyFrame.url);

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.post = function(author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe) {
	this._execute('postComment', [author_name, author_email, author_url, authenticate, sharing_services, subscribe]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.edit = function(post_id, message) {
	this._execute('editComment', [post_id, message]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.setState = function(parent_post_id, depth) {
	this._execute('setState', [parent_post_id, depth]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.getUserByEmail = function(email) {
	this._execute('getUserByEmail', [email]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.validateAuth = function(auth_choice, email, username, password) {
	this._execute('validateAuth', [auth_choice, email, username, password]);
};

Dsq.ReplyFrame.prototype.authenticateFacebook = function(session, forum_url) {
	this._execute('authenticateFacebook', [session, forum_url]);
};

	Dsq.Facebook = function() {
	var that = this;

	var handleSessionData = function(session) {

		var forum_url = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;




		if (typeof disqus_facebook_forum != 'undefined') {
			forum_url = disqus_facebook_forum;
		}
		Dsq.frames.reply_0.authenticateFacebook(session, forum_url);
	};

	var onLogin = function() {
		FB.Connect.getSignedPublicSessionData(handleSessionData);
	};

	this.login = function() {
		FB.Connect.requireSession(onLogin, true);
	};
};
Dsq.Facebook = new Dsq.Facebook();


	






Dsq.Themes = {};

Dsq.Themes.narcissus = new function() {
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-form-area';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-textarea-wrapper';



	
	this.header = function() {
		var comments_count, total_posts, num_posts;
		var html = '';
		var missing_perm_tmpl;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.missing_perm) {
			missing_perm_tmpl = Dsq.Templates.missingPermissions();
			if (missing_perm_tmpl) {
				html += '<div class="dsq-missing-permissions">' + missing_perm_tmpl + '</div>';
			}
		}

		total_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.total_posts;
		num_posts = Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_posts;

		if (total_posts) {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_FULL(total_posts, num_posts);
		} else {
			comments_count = Dsq.FmtStrings.SHOWING_COMMENTS_WITHOUT_PAGINATION(num_posts);
		}

		html += ' \
		<div id="dsq-comments-title"> \
			<h3>' + comments_count + '</h3> \
		</div> \
		';

		html += ' \
		<div class="dsq-options"> \
			<span class="dsq-item-sort">'
				+ Dsq.Strings.SORT_BY + ' \
				<select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);"> \
					<option value="hot" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 4 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.POPULAR_NOW + '</option> \
					<option value="best" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 3 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.BEST_RATING + '</option> \
					<option value="newest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 2 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.NEWEST_FIRST + '</option> \
					<option value="oldest" ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sort == 1 ? 'selected="selected"' : '') + '>' + Dsq.Strings.OLDEST_FIRST + '</option> \
				</select> \
				&nbsp; \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<span id="dsq-subscribe">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.subscribed
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.UNSUBSCRIBE + '</a>'
						: '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_EMAIL + '</a>')
				+ '</span> \
			</span> \
			<span class="dsq-subscribe-rss" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle"> \
				<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png" alt="" /> \
				<a href="http://scobleizer.disqus.com/microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really/latest.rss">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_BY_RSS + '</a> \
			</span> \
		</div> \
		';

		
		

		return html;

	};
	
	this.footer = function() {
		var html = '';

		html += Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
		
			html += Dsq.Templates.realtime();
			html += Dsq.Templates.showThreadSettings();
			html += Dsq.Templates.postBox();

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		


		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) {
 			html += ' \
				<div class="dsq-global-moderator-extras">'
					+ '<strong>shortname:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url
					+ '<strong>thread id:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.id
					+ '<strong>thread slug:</strong> ' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.slug
				+ '</div> \
			';
		}

		return html;
	};
	
	this.realtime = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			html += '<div id="dsq-realtime-options" class="dsq-options">'
					 + Dsq.Strings.REALTIME_UPDATING_IS + ' <strong id="dsq-realtime-status" style="text-transform: lowercase">' + Dsq.Strings.ENABLED + '</strong>. \
					 <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-toggle" style="text-transform: capitalize"></a> \
					</div>';
		}

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
			html += ' \
				<div style="display: none" id="dsq-realtime-alert" class="dsq-realtime-alert"><span id="dsq-realtime-queued"></span> <a href="#" id="dsq-realtime-show"></a></div> \
			';
		}
		
		return html;
	};

	this.showThreadSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '<div id="dsq-thread-settings" class="dsq-thread-settings">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATOR_OPTIONS;
		html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.showSettings(); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.SETTINGS + '</a>';
		html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.showModeratorActions(); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATE + '</a>';
		if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.reactions_enabled && Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			html += '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.reportMissingReactions(); return false;">'
						+ Dsq.Strings.REPORT_MISSING_REACTIONS
						+ '</a>';
		}
		html +='</div>';

		return html;
	};

	this.postBox = function(post_id, use_fallback_iframe) {


		var html;
		var display_sharing_options = Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated;

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post) {
			return '';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.hasOwnProperty(Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain)) {
				display_sharing_options = false;
			}
		}
		
		if (post_id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];				
		}
		
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		var _requestUserInfo = function() {
			var html;



			var user_has_email = false;

			html = '<div class="dsq-request-user-info"> <!-- // If authenticated --> \
				<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT + '?ctkn=' + Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN + '" class="dsq-request-user-logout">' + Dsq.Strings.LOGOUT + '</a> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td rowspan="2">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '')
								+ '<img src="' + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR + '" width="48" height="48" class="dsq-request-user-avatar">'
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-name">'
								+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
									 ? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '">' + Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain + '</span>'
									 : (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_verified
											? '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span>'
											: '<span class="dsq-badge-small dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span>'))
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE + '">' : '') 
								+ Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username 
							+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '</a>' : '')
							+  (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && user_has_email ? ' <small>(<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.remoteAccountSettings(); return false;">change settings</a>)</small>' : '')
							+  (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? ' <small>(<a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/info/" target="_blank">change name</a> or <a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/avatar/" target="_blank">picture</a>)</small>' : '')
						+ '</td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-request-user-stats"> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.comments_count == 1 ? 'comment' : 'comments') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.likes_count == 1 ? 'like' : 'likes') + '</span> \
							<span><big>' + Dsq.jsonData.request.points + '</big> ' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.points == 1 ? 'point' : 'points') + '</span> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		var _loginOptions = function() {
			var html;
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-authenticate"> \
				<p class="dsq-autheneticate-copy">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
					? Dsq.Strings.YOU_ARE_COMMENTING_AS_A + ' <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. ' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.LOGIN_BELOW + '.'
					: Dsq.Strings.REQUIRED + ': ' + Dsq.Strings.PLEASE_LOGIN_BELOW_TO_COMMENT + '.')
				+ '</p> \
				<ul class="dsq-login-buttons">'
					+ (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-disqus.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Facebook.login(); return false;"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-facebook.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-twitter.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL(); return false" ><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-openid.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_yahoo ? '<li class="dsq-login-button"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Yahoo.startYahooConnect(); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/login-yahoo.gif" /></a></li>' : '')
				+ '</ul> \
			</div> \
			';
			return html;
		};

		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {


			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {



				return '<div id="dsq-form-area" style="display:none"><div id="dsq-textarea-wrapper"></div></div>' + _loginOptions();
			} else {
				return '';
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<div id="' + (post_id 
			? 'dsq-reply-post-' + post_id
			: 'dsq-new-post')
		 	+ '" class="dsq-post-area"> \
			<div class="dsq-dc-logo"> \
				<a href="http://disqus.com/comments" target="_blank"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/disqus-logo.png"></a> \
			</div>'
			+ (post_id 
				? '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.REPLYING_TO + ' ' + userData.display_name + '</h3>'
				: '<h3>' + Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT + '</h3>')
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated 
				? _requestUserInfo()
				: _loginOptions() )
			+ '<div id="dsq-form-area' + pid + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-textarea"> \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper" id="dsq-textarea-wrapper' + pid + '"></div> \
			</div>'
			+ (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated
			? ' \
			<div class="dsq-post-fields"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-name' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_name ? disqus_def_name : (Dsq.jsonData.session.name ? Dsq.jsonData.session.name : Dsq.Strings.NAME + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'name\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-website' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (Dsq.jsonData.session.url ? Dsq.jsonData.session.url : Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')" class="dsq-placeholder') + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'website\')" /></div></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-left"><div class="dsq-input-wrapper"><input id="dsq-field-email' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (disqus_def_email ? disqus_def_email : (Dsq.jsonData.session.email ? Dsq.jsonData.session.email : Dsq.Strings.EMAIL + '" class="dsq-placeholder')) + '" onfocus="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" onblur="Dsq.Templates.handlePlaceholder(event, this, \'email\')" /></div></td> \
						<td class="dsq-post-fields-right"> \
							<div class="dsq-subscribe"> \
								<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.chooseSubscribe(' + post_id + '); return false" class="dsq-subscribe-menu"><span id="dsq-subscribe-select' + pid + '">' + (Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post ? Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL : Dsq.Strings.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS) + '</span> <small>&#9660;</small></a> \
								<ul class="dsq-panel" id="dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid + '"> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(2, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.SUBSCRIBE_TO_ALL_COMMENTS_BY_EMAIL + '</a></li> \
									<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.setSubscribe(0, this, ' + post_id + '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.DO_NOT_SUBSCRIBE_TO_COMMENTS + '</a></li> \
								</ul> \
								<input id="dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid + '" type="hidden" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.request.subscribe_on_post + '" /> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div>'
			: '')
			+ '<div class="dsq-post-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-sharing-options" ' + (!display_sharing_options ? 'style="display:none;"' : '') + '> \
					<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onfocus="document.getElementById(\'dsq-post-button' + pid + '\').focus();"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.SHARING_OPTIONS + ' <small>&#9660;</small></span></button> \
					<div class="dsq-panel"> '
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '"'
								  + (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.twitter.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-twitter' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Twitter</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook
								&& (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.enabled === true ||
										(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote && Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'facebook'))
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.facebook.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-facebook' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Facebook</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.yahoo.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-yahoo' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Yahoo!</label> \
								</div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.tumblr.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-tumblr' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Tumblr</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress !== undefined
								&& Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.wordpress.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-wordpress' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Wordpress</label> \
								 </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.movabletype.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
									<label for="dsq-sharing-movabletype' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' Movable Type</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad !== undefined
							  && Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.enabled === true
							? '<div><input type="checkbox" id="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '"'
									+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.sharing.typepad.auto === true ? 'checked=true' : '') + '/> \
								  <label for="dsq-sharing-typepad' + pid + '">' + Dsq.Strings.SHARE_ON + ' TypePad</label> \
							   </div>'
							: '')
						+ '<div><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections/" target="_blank" class="dsq-configure-options">' + Dsq.Strings.CONFIGURE_OPTIONS + '</a></div>'
					+ '</div> \
				</div>'
				+ '<button type="button" class="dsq-button" id="dsq-post-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, false)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.POST_AS + ' '
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					? Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username
					: Dsq.Strings.GUEST)
				+ '</span></button>'
				+ (post_id
					? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button" id="dsq-cancel-button' + pid + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"><span>' + Dsq.Strings.CANCEL + '</span></button>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
			+ '</div>' // end dsq-form-area
		+ '</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};




	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-append-post-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		html = ' \
		<table> \
			<tr> \
				<td id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-avatar" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
					<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
					? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
					: '')
				+ '</a> \
				</td> \
				<td class="dsq-comment-header-meta"> \
		';

		
		return html;
	};
	
	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var html;
		var parent_display_name = '';
		
		if(_meta.parent_post_id) {

			var _parent_meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[_meta.parent_post_id];

			if (_parent_meta) {
				var parentUserData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_parent_meta.user_key];
				parent_display_name = parentUserData.display_name;
			}
		}

		html = ' \
		<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/themes/narcissus/moderator.png" class="dsq-moderator-star" title="Moderator" /> \
		<span class="dsq-comment-header-time"><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')" title="Permalink">' + (_meta.is_realtime ? Dsq.Strings.JUST_NOW : _meta.date) + '</a></span> '
		+ (_meta.parent_post_id && parent_display_name
			? '<a href="#comment-' + _meta.parent_post_id + '" title="Jump to comment">in reply to ' + parent_display_name + '</a>'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		<td id="dsq-like-pts-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-comment-header-likes">'
		+ (_meta.points
			? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.'
			: '')
		+ '</td> \
		</tr> \
		</table> \
		';
		return html;
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		var html = '';
		return html;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		var html;
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed || !_meta.approved) { return ''; }
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left">'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
					? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.moderateOptions(' + post_id+ '); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.MODERATE + '</a>'
					: '')
				+ '<a href="#" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG + '</a> \
			</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right">'
				+ (_meta.votable 
					? '<span id="dsq-like-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-like">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1)" >Like</button>'
						: 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;')
					+ '</span>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-post-edit" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + ')" >' + Dsq.Strings.EDIT + '</button>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<span class="dsq-comment-footer-reply" id="dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(' + post_id +', this)"> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-comment-footer-reply-tab">' + Dsq.Strings.REPLY + '</button><span></span> \
					</span>'
					: '')
			+ '</div> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		return html;
	};



	
	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		var item = '<li class="dsq-comment dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-header"> \
			<table> \
			<tr> \
			<td class="dsq-header-avatar"> \
			';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'" class="dsq-avatar">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {

			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar92.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== ''
				? '</a>'
				: '')
			+ '</td>'
			+ '<td><cite class="dsq-comment-cite">' + reaction.author_name + '</cite> <span class="dsq-comment-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</span></td>'
			+ '<td class="dsq-comment-header-likes"></td>'
			+ '</tr></table></div>' // end dsq-comment-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header" \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-reaction-header-left">'
							+ '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png" />'
							+ ' From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
							+ 'via <a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? 'BackType' : 'UberVU') + '</a>'
						+ '</td>'
						+ '<td class="dsq-reaction-header-right">';

			if(reaction.retweets) {
				var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
				if (num_retweets > 0) {
					if (num_retweets == 1) {
						item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
					} else {
						item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');
						item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
						var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 3) ? 3 : num_retweets;
						item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);
						if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
							item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
								+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
						}
					}
				}
			}	
			item += '</td></tr> \
			</table> \
			</div>' // end dsq-reaction-header
			+ '<div class="dsq-comment-body"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '</div> \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer"> \
				<div class="dsq-comment-footer-left"> \
				</div>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator 
					? ' \
					<div class="dsq-comment-footer-right"> \
						<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-hide-reaction" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + ')">Hide</button> \
					</div>'
					: '')
			+ '</div>'
		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions" class="dsq-show-more-reactions"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</button></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 id="dsq-reactions-title" class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-container"> \
			<table> \
				<tbody> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-tl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-tr"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-body"> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
								<div class="dsq-popup-title"> \
									<button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" style="float:right" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)">Close</button>'
									+ content['header'] 
								+ '</div>'
								+ content['body']
							+ '</div> \
							<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
						</td> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-b"></td> \
					</tr> \
					<tr> \
						<td class="dsq-popup-bl"></td><td class="dsq-popup-b"></td><td class="dsq-popup-br"></td> \
					</tr> \
				</tbody> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
	};



	
	this.chooseSubscribe = function(post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		menu.style.display = menu.style.display == 'block' ? 'none' : 'block';
		
	};
	
	this.setSubscribe = function(value, el, post_id) {

		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var input = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + pid);
		var select = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-select' + pid);
		var menu = Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-menu' + pid);
		
		select.innerHTML = el.innerHTML;
		input.value = value;
		this.chooseSubscribe(post_id);
	};
	
	this.getFormFields = function(post_id) {

		var fields = {};
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var name = Dsq.$('dsq-field-name' + pid);
		var email = Dsq.$('dsq-field-email' + pid);
		var website = Dsq.$('dsq-field-website' + pid);
		var username = Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid);
		var password = Dsq.$('dsq-field-password' + pid);

		fields = {
			'name': name,
			'email': email,
			'website': website,
			'username': username,
			'password': password
		}
		
		return fields;
	}
	
	this.validateFields = function(post_id) {
		
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) { return true; }
		
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		
		var nameField = fields.name;
		var websiteField = fields.website;
		var emailField = fields.email;
		
		websiteField.value = (websiteField.value == Dsq.Templates.placeholder['website']) ? '' : websiteField.value;
		
		var v = [{

			validator: Dsq.Validators.name,
			value: nameField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.email,
			value: emailField.value
		}, {

			validator: Dsq.Validators.url,
			value: websiteField.value
		}];
		
		return Dsq.Validators.validate(v, function(e) { Dsq.Popup.popModal(e, 'Oops...') } );
	};
	
	this.checkExistingUser = function(post_id) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);		
		Dsq.Popup.loading(post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].getUserByEmail(fields.email.value);
		}
	};

	this.validateAuth = function(el_clicked, post_id, auth_choice) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		var email = fields.email ? fields.email.value : '';
		var username = fields.username ? fields.username.value : '';
		var password = fields.password ? fields.password.value : '';
		
		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		
		if (post_id) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		} else {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].validateAuth(auth_choice, email, username, password);
		}
	};

	this.lightboxUpdateEmail = function(post_id, new_email) {
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		fields.email.value = new_email;
	};

	this.lightboxAuthenticate = function(post_id, auth_choice, auth_data) {
		var title, body;
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';

		if(typeof(auth_data) == 'undefined') {
			var auth_data = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);
		}

		d = auth_data;

		switch(auth_choice) {
			case 'register':
				var suggestedUsername = d.name.value.replace(/[^a-zA-Z0-9-]/g,'').toLowerCase();
			
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Register a <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';

				body = ' \
				<ul class="dsq-lightbox-register-reasons"> \
				<li>Verify your comments</li> \
				<li>Edit and delete comments</li> \
				<li>Manage comments and replies</li> \
				</ul> \
				';

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Email</td> \
							<td><input type="text" value="' + d.email.value + '" onchange="Dsq.Templates.lightboxUpdateEmail(' + post_id + ', this.value)" /><div id="dsq-email-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + suggestedUsername + '"/><div id="dsq-username-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /><div id="dsq-password-errors' + pid + '"></div></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'login\'); return false">Login instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button type="button" class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Register and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			case 'login':
				title = Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post ? 'Optional:' : 'Required:';
				title += ' Login to your <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-profile.png" alt=Disqus Profile" />';
				body = '';
				
				if(d.avatar_url) {
					body += '<div class="dsq-lightbox-recognized"><table><tr>';
					body += '<td><img src="' + d.avatar_url + '" alt="" /></td>';
					body += '<td><span class="dsq-badge ' + (d.verified ? 'dsq-badge-verified' : 'dsq-badge-registered') + '">' + (d.verified ? 'Verified' : 'Registered') + '</span></td>';
					body += '<td>Hey <strong>' + d.display_name + '</strong>, is that you? Login below to claim this comment.';
					body += '</tr></table></div>';
				}

				body += ' \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-fields"> \
					<table> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Username or Email</td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-username' + pid + '" type="text" value="' + (d.avatar_url ? d.username : '') + '" /></td> \
						</tr> \
						<tr> \
							<td>Password <a href="http://disqus.com/forgot" target="_blank">(cannot log in?)</a></td> \
							<td><input id="dsq-field-password' + pid + '" type="password" /></td> \
						</tr> \
					</table> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-switch-auth"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Templates.lightboxAuthenticate(' + post_id + ',\'register\'); return false">Register instead</a></div> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-lightbox-errors' + pid + '" class="dsq-lightbox-errors"></div> \
				<div class="dsq-lightbox-submit"> \
					<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-post"><button type="button" class="dsq-button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.validateAuth(this, ' + post_id + ',\'' + auth_choice + '\')">Login and Post comment</button></div>'
					+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
						? '<div class="dsq-lightbox-auth-skip"><button type="button" class="dsq-button-small" onclick="Dsq.Templates.postComment(' + post_id + ', this, true)">Just post as a Guest</button></div>'
						: '')
				+ '</div> \
				';
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
		Dsq.$('dsq-field-username' + pid).focus();
	};
	
	this.buttonsToRestore = [];
	this.setLoadingButton = function(btn, post_id) {
		var pid = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		if (btn) {

			var loadingBtn = document.createElement('button');
			loadingBtn.id = btn.id + '-loading';
			loadingBtn.innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-lite.gif" alt="" /> ' + Dsq.Strings.JUST_A_MOMENT;
			loadingBtn.className = btn.className + ' dsq-post-loading';
			btn.parentNode.appendChild(loadingBtn);
			btn.style.display = 'none';
			var cancelBtn = Dsq.$('dsq-cancel-button' + pid);
			if(cancelBtn) { cancelBtn.style.display = 'none'; this.buttonsToRestore.push(cancelBtn); }
			this.buttonsToRestore.push(btn);
		} else {

			var buttons = this.buttonsToRestore;
			for(var i = 0; i < buttons.length; i++) {
				buttons[i].style.display = 'inline';
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$(buttons[i].id + '-loading'));
			}
		}
		
	};

	this.postComment = function(post_id, el_clicked, force, auth_choice) {
		var append_id = post_id ? '-' + post_id : '';
		var fields = Dsq.Templates.getFormFields(post_id);

		if (Dsq.Templates.validateFields(post_id)) {

			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && !force &&
				((!Dsq.Utils.readCookie('skipped_auth') && !disqus_skip_auth && !Dsq.jsonData.forum.disqus_auth_disabled) || !Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post)) {
				Dsq.Templates.checkExistingUser(post_id);
				return false;
			}
			var params = [];
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
				params.push(fields.name.value,
					fields.email.value,
					fields.website.value);

				if (auth_choice == 'login' || auth_choice == 'register') {
					params.push({
						auth_choice: auth_choice,
						username: fields.username.value,
						password: fields.password.value,
						email: fields.email.value
					});
				} else {
					params.push(null);
				}

				params.push(null /* sharing options */, Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe-on-post' + append_id).value);
			} else {
				var service_checked = function(name) {
					var el = Dsq.$('dsq-sharing-' + name + append_id);
					return (el !== null && el.checked === true) ? '1' : '0';
				};
				params.push(null, null, null, null, {
					tw: service_checked('twitter'),
					fb: service_checked('facebook'),
					tr: service_checked('tumblr'),
					wp: service_checked('wordpress'),
					mt: service_checked('movabletype'),
					tp: service_checked('typepad'),
					yh: service_checked('yahoo')
				});
			}

			var frame = Dsq.frames['reply_' + (post_id ? post_id : 0)];
			frame.post.apply(frame, params);

			if (el_clicked) {
				Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
			}
			
			if (force) {
				Dsq.Utils.createCookie('skipped_auth', true);	
			}
			
		} else {
			return false;
		}
	};

	this.editComment = function(el_clicked, post_id) {
		var edited_message = Dsq.$('dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id).value;

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked, post_id);
		Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].edit(post_id, edited_message);
	};

	this.toggleEdit = function(post_id) {
		var body = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-body-' + post_id);
		var message = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + post_id);

		if (!Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id]) {


			message.style.display = 'none';
			if (Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {

				var edit_area = document.createElement('div');
				edit_area.id = 'dsq-edit-' + post_id;
				edit_area.className = 'dsq-edit dsq-textarea';
				edit_area.innerHTML = ' \
				<div class="dsq-textarea-wrapper"> \
					<textarea class="dsq-edit-textarea" id="dsq-edit-textarea-' + post_id + '">' + message.innerHTML + '</textarea> \
				</div> \
				<div class="dsq-save-edit"> \
					<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Templates.editComment(this, ' + post_id + ')" class="dsq-button-small">Save Edit</button> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id + '" style="display: none"></div> \
				';

				body.appendChild(edit_area);

				if (!Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-edit-iframe-' + post_id), post_id);
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].init();
					Dsq.frames['edit_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
		} else {

			message.style.display = 'block';
			Dsq.$('dsq-edit-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id] = !Dsq.Post.stateEditToggled[post_id];
	};
	
	this.edit = function(el, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.toggleEdit(post_id);
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(post_id, button) {
		
		if(!this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

			if (Dsq.$('dsq-reply-post-' + post_id)) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'block';
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id);
				var container = Dsq.$('dsq-textarea-wrapper-' + post_id);
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] && container) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(container, post_id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].init(function() {

						Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.postBox(post_id, true);
						Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id).innerHTML = '';

						var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
						Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-form-area-' + post_id), post_id, {theme: theme});

					});
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + post_id].setState(post_id, _meta.depth);
				}
			}
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-append-post';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply-active';
			
		} else {

			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.$('dsq-append-post-' + post_id).className = '';
			Dsq.$('dsq-comment-footer-reply-' + post_id).className = 'dsq-comment-footer-reply';
		}
		
		this.stateReplyToggled[post_id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[post_id];

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie && this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]) {

		}

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: post_id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[post_id]
		});
	};
	
	this.moderateOptions = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		
		if(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator) { return false; }

		var html;
		
		html = ' \
		<div class="dsq-moderate-options"> \
		<table>'
		+ (_meta.email ? '<tr><td>Email</td><td>' + _meta.email + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ (_meta.ip ? '<tr><td>IP address</td><td>' + _meta.ip + '</td></tr>' : '')
		+ '<tr> \
			<td>Actions</td> \
			<td><ul>'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
				? '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
				: '')
			+ '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Delete Comment</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li> \
			</ul></td> \
			</table> \
		</div> \
		';
		
		html += '<p>Go to the full <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/moderate/" target="_blank">moderate panel</a> for more options.</p>';
		
		return Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Moderate Options', post_id);
	};
	
	this.placeholder = {
		'class': 'dsq-placeholder',
		'name': Dsq.Strings.NAME,
		'email': Dsq.Strings.EMAIL,
		'website': Dsq.Strings.WEBSITE + ' (' + Dsq.Strings.OPTIONAL.toLowerCase() + ')'
	};
	
	this.handlePlaceholder = function(evt, el, key) {
		var placeholder = Dsq.Templates.placeholder[key];
		var className = Dsq.Templates.placeholder['class'];
		
		switch(evt.type) {
			case 'focus':
				if(el.value == placeholder) {
					el.value = '';
					el.className = '';
				}
				break;

			case 'blur':
				if(el.value == '') {
					el.value = placeholder;
					el.className = className;
				}
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}
	};
	
	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked) {

		var extra_params = '';

		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(el_clicked);
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};
	
	
	this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {


		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
			}
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/vote.js'
				+ '?post_id='    + id
				+ '&vote='        + vote);
		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login('To rate, please log in');
		}
	};

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {

		Dsq.$('dsq-like-pts-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this.';

		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-like-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.&nbsp;&nbsp;';
		}
	};




	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {
		var approved = response.message.post_meta.approved;

		if (parent_post_id) {
			Dsq.Post.toggleReply(parent_post_id);
		}

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
		
		if (approved) {
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		} else {			
			var unapproved_msg = 'Thanks for posting!\
	 Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.\
			';
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(unapproved_msg, 'Comment awaiting approval', post_id);
		}

		var sharing_results = response.message.sharing_results;
		var sharing_errors = '';
		for (var service in sharing_results) {
			if (sharing_results.hasOwnProperty(service) === true) {
				if (sharing_results[service].error === true) {
					sharing_errors += service + ', ';
				}
			}
		}

		if (sharing_results.facebook && sharing_results.facebook.callback) {
			FB.ensureInit(function() {
				FB.Connect.streamPublish('', sharing_results.facebook.attachment);
			});
		}

		if (sharing_errors !== '') {
			var message = 'Your comment was posted, but there were errors sharing with the following connections: ';
			message += sharing_errors.replace(/,\s$/, '');
			message += '<p><a href="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/profile/connections" target="_blank">Configure your connections here</a></p>'
			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, 'Sharing options');
		}

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};

	this.postComment_onFailure = function(response, parent_post_id, post_id) {

		Dsq.Templates.setLoadingButton(false);
	};
};




// TODO: It might be faster to use string methods to find all <li (...) </li> blocks and pass to Dsq.PostHandler manually.
Dsq.CommentsHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_post = Dsq.Templates.prependPost(post_id);
	var append_post = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(post_id);

	content = content.replace(Dsq.POST_RE, Dsq.PostHandler);
	Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter++;
	head = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContainer(post_id, head);
	return prepend_post + head + content + tail + append_post;
};

Dsq.PostHandler = function(str, h_head, post_id, h_content, h_tail, b_head, b_content, b_tail, offset, s) {
	var prepend_header = Dsq.Templates.postPrependHeader(post_id);
	var append_header = Dsq.Templates.postAppendHeader(post_id);
	var prepend_body = Dsq.Templates.preBody(post_id);
	var append_body = Dsq.Templates.postBody(post_id);
	var append_footer = Dsq.Templates.postFooter(post_id);

	b_content = b_content.replace(Dsq.POST_BODY_RE, Dsq.PostBodyHandler);
	return h_head + prepend_header + h_content + append_header + h_tail + b_head + prepend_body + b_content + append_body + b_tail + append_footer;
};

Dsq.PostBodyHandler = function(str, head, post_id, content, tail, offset, s) {
	content = Dsq.Templates.Filters.commentContent(post_id, content);
	return head + content + tail;
};

Dsq.MediaPostHandler = function(str, args, offset, s) {
	args = args.split(' ');
	if(args[0] == 'seesmic') {
		return '<br />' + Dsq.Templates.mediaSeesmic(args[1], args[2]);
	}
	return '';
};


/**
 * Shorcuts
 */
Dsq.$ = function(element) { return document.getElementById(element); };
Dsq.$b = document.body || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0];


/**
 * Dsq.Debug: Logging functions.
 */

Dsq.Debug = new function() {this.log=function(s){};this.profile=function(f){if(typeof f == 'function')return f();else return eval(f);};};


/**
 * Dsq.Urls: URL paths
 */
Dsq.Urls = new function() {
	this.LOGIN = '/profile/login/';
	this.LOGOUT = '/logout/';
	this.REPLY = 'http://scobleizer.disqus.com/microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really/reply.html';
	this.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE = '/AnonymousUser/';
	this.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR = 'http://media.disqus.com/images/noavatar92.png';
};
// Dsq.Urls

/**
 * Dsq.Validators: Validation for form fields
 */
Dsq.Validators = new function() {
	this.VALID_EMAIL_RE = /^[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*\@(([a-z0-9\-\_\+]+(\.[a-z0-9\-\_\+]+)*)+\.[a-z]{2,}|([0-9]+\.){3}[0-9]+)$/i;
	this.name = function(name) {
		var error = false;

		if(typeof Dsq.Templates.placeholder !== 'undefined' &&
		   name == Dsq.Templates.placeholder.name) {
			error = true;
		}
		if(name.length <= 1) {
			error = true;
		}

		if(error) {
			return "Please enter a name to comment.";
		} else {
			return true;
		}
	};
	this.email = function(addr) {
		if(Dsq.Validators.VALID_EMAIL_RE.test(addr)) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please enter a valid email to comment.";
		}
	};
	this.url = function(addr) {
		if(!addr || addr.indexOf('.') != -1) {
			return true;
		} else {
			return "Please check your website URL (this field is optional).";
		}
	};

	this.validate = function(bulk_validation, failure_callback) {
		failure_callback = failure_callback || function(e){ alert(e); };

		for(var i = 0; i < bulk_validation.length; i++) {
			v = bulk_validation[i];
			ret = v.validator(v.value);
			if(ret !== true) {
				failure_callback(ret);
				return false;
			}
		}
		return true;
	};
};

/**
 * Dsq.Utils: Generic utility functions.
 */
Dsq.Utils = new function() {
	this.ie = /msie/i.test(navigator.userAgent) && !/opera/i.test(navigator.userAgent);
	this.ie7 = (document.all && !window.opera && window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true : false;
	this.ie6 = (!window.XMLHttpRequest) ? true: false;
	this.webkit = navigator.userAgent.indexOf('AppleWebKit/') >= 0;
	this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = {};
	this._styleSheet = null;

	this.gebiFromElement = function(el, id, tag) {
		// This only method only helps IE.
		if(!this.ie) {
			return Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var cacheKey = el.id + '-' + tag;
			tag = tag || 'div';
			if(typeof this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] != 'undefined') {
				collection = this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey];
			} else {
				collection = el.getElementsByTagName(tag);
				this.gebiFromElementCollectionCache[cacheKey] = collection;
			}

			for(var i = 0; i < collection.length; i++) {
				if(collection[i].id == id) {
					return collection[i];
				}
			}
			return null;
		}
	};

	this.execOnReady = function(func) {
		var node = document.createElement('document:ready');
		try {
			node.doScroll('left');
			func();
			node = null;
		} catch(err) {
			setTimeout(function() { Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(func); }, 10);
		}
	};


	// Courtesy of http://www.quirksmode.org/js/cookies.html
	this.createCookie = function(name,value,days) {
		if (days) {
			var date = new Date();
			date.setTime(date.getTime()+(days*24*60*60*1000));
			var expires = "; expires="+date.toGMTString();
		}
		else var expires = "";
		document.cookie = name+"="+value+expires+"; path=/";
	};

	this.readCookie = function(name) {
		var nameEQ = name + "=";
		var ca = document.cookie.split(';');
		for(var i=0;i < ca.length;i++) {
			var c = ca[i];
			while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1,c.length);
			if (c.indexOf(nameEQ) == 0) return c.substring(nameEQ.length,c.length);
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.eraseCookie = function(name) {
		Dsq.Utils.createCookie(name,"",-1);
	};

	this.deleteNode = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			this.deleteChildren(node);
			if(typeof node.outerHTML != 'undefined') { node.outerHTML = ''; }
			else if(node.parentNode) { node.parentNode.removeChild(node); }
			delete node;
		}
	};

	this.deleteChildren = function(node) {
		if(node) {
			for(var x = node.childNodes.length-1; x >= 0; x--) {
				var childNode = node.childNodes[x];
				if(childNode.hasChildNodes()) { this.deleteChildren(childNode); }
				if(typeof childNode.outerHTML != 'undefined') { childNode.outerHTML = ''; }
				else node.removeChild(childNode);
				delete childNode;
			}
		}
	};

	this.findPos = function(obj) {
		var curleft = 0;
		var curtop = 0;
		if (obj.offsetParent) {
			do {
				curleft += obj.offsetLeft;
				curtop += obj.offsetTop;
			} while (obj = obj.offsetParent);
		}
		return [curleft,curtop];
	};

	this.getWindowSize = function() {
		var windowWidth = -1;
		var windowHeight = -1;

		if(typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number') { //Non-IE
			windowWidth = window.innerWidth;
			windowHeight = window.innerHeight;
		} else if(document.documentElement) { // IE 6+ in 'standards compliant mode'
			windowWidth = document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.body.clientWidth;
			windowHeight = document.documentElement.clientHeight || document.body.clientHeight;
		}

		return [windowWidth, windowHeight];
	}

	this.getScrollPos = function() {
		var scrollWidth, scrollTop;

		if(document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.documentElement.scrollWidth)) {
			scrollWidth = document.documentElement.scrollWidth;
			// IE is weird here.  If no doctype is provided, document.body.scrollTop is 0,
			// otherwise document.documentElement.scrollTop is 0.
			scrollTop = document.documentElement.scrollTop || document.body.scrollTop;
		} else if(document.body.scrollTop && document.body.scrollWidth) {
			scrollWidth = document.body.scrollWidth;
			scrollTop = document.body.scrollTop;
		}

		return [scrollWidth, scrollTop];
	}

	this.addEventListener = function(instance, eventName, listener) {
		var listenerFn = listener;
		if (instance.addEventListener) {
			instance.addEventListener(eventName, listenerFn, false);
		} else if (instance.attachEvent) {
			listenerFn = function() {
				listener(window.event);
			};
			instance.attachEvent("on" + eventName, listenerFn);
		} else {
			throw new Error("Event registration not supported");
		}
		return {
			instance: instance,
			name: eventName,
			listener: listenerFn
		};
	};

	this.removeEventListener = function(event) {
		var instance = event.instance;
		if (instance.removeEventListener) {
			instance.removeEventListener(event.name, event.listener, false);
		} else if (instance.detachEvent) {
			instance.detachEvent("on" + event.name, event.listener);
		}
	};

	this.fixIframesIE = function(id) {
		var disqusThread = Dsq.$(disqus_container_id);
		var iframes = disqusThread.getElementsByTagName('iframe');

		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$(id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-content');
		}

		for(i = 0; i < iframes.length; i++) {
			if (container) {
				iframes[i].style.width = container.offsetWidth;
			}
		}
	};

	this.getElementsByClassName = function(oElm, strTagName, strClassName) {
	/* Credit: Jonathan Snook [http://www.snook.ca/jonathan], Robert Nyman [http://www.robertnyman.com] */
		var arrElements = (strTagName == "*" && oElm.all)? oElm.all : oElm.getElementsByTagName(strTagName);
		var arrReturnElements = new Array();
		strClassName = strClassName.replace(/\-/g, "\\-");
		var oRegExp = new RegExp("(^|\\s)" + strClassName + "(\\s|$)");
		var oElement;
		for(var i = 0; i < arrElements.length; i++) {
			oElement = arrElements[i];
			if(oRegExp.test(oElement.className)) {
				arrReturnElements.push(oElement);
			}
		}
		return (arrReturnElements);
	};

	this.postToUrl = function(url, post_data, opt_redirect) {
		var form = document.createElement('form');
		var iframe_container = document.createElement('div');
		var id = 'dsq-temp-iframe-' + (new Date()).getTime();

		form.method = 'POST';
		form.action = url;
		if (!opt_redirect) {
			form.target = id;
		}
		iframe_container.innerHTML = '<iframe style="display:none" name="' + id + '" id="' + id + '"></iframe>';

		for(var key in post_data) {
			if(post_data.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var input = document.createElement('input');
				input.name = key;
				input.type = 'hidden';
				input.value = post_data[key];

				form.appendChild(input);
			}
		}

		Dsq.$b.appendChild(iframe_container);
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(form);
		form.submit();
	};

	// Strips integer id from id of element in the form ('some-id-###')
	this.extractId = function(e) {
		var chunks = e.id.split('-');
		if(chunks.length <= 1) {
			return 0;
		} else {
			var retval = parseInt(chunks[chunks.length-1]);
			return !isNaN(retval) ? retval : null;
		}
	};

	this.getStyle = function(el, styleProp) {
		if(el.currentStyle) {
			var y = el.currentStyle[styleProp];
		} else if(window.getComputedStyle) {
			var y = document.defaultView.getComputedStyle(el, null).getPropertyValue(styleProp);
		}

		if(y == 'transparent' || y == '') {
			this.getStyle(el.parentNode, styleProp);
		} else {
			return y;
		}
	};

	this.execScript = function(url, append_qs, container) {
		var script = document.createElement('script');
		append_qs = typeof append_qs == 'undefined' ? true : append_qs;
		container = container || Dsq.container;

		if(append_qs) {
			var j = (url.indexOf('?') >= 0) ? '&' : '?';
			url += j + (new Date()).getTime();
		}
		script.type = 'text/javascript';
		script.charset = 'UTF-8';
		script.src = url;
		container.appendChild(script);
		return script;
	};

	this.pluralize = function(num, singular, plural) {
		return (num != 1) ? plural || 's' : singular || '';
	};

	this.getRequestParams = function(queryString /* optional */) {
		var pairs, tuple;
		var params = {};

		queryString = queryString || window.location.search.substring(1);
		pairs = queryString.split('&');

		for (var i = 0, pair; pair = pairs[i]; i++) {
			tuple = pair.split('=');
			params[tuple[0]] = (tuple[1] || true);
		}

		return params;
	};

	this.addCssRule = function(selector, styleText, index) {
		var stylesheet;
		index = index || 0;

		if(!this._styleSheet) {
			var styleEl = document.createElement('style');
			document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(styleEl);
			this._styleSheet = styleEl.sheet;
			if(!this._styleSheet) {
				// IE does not like our newly created stylesheet.
				this._styleSheet = document.styleSheets[document.styleSheets.length-1];
			}
		}
		stylesheet = this._styleSheet;

		if(stylesheet.insertRule) {
			var ruleText = selector + ' { ' + styleText + ' }';
			if(index == -1) {
				index = stylesheet.cssRules.length;
			}
			stylesheet.insertRule(ruleText, index);
		} else if(stylesheet.addRule) {
			stylesheet.addRule(selector, styleText, index);
		}
	};

	this.forEachIn = function(obj, callback) {
		for(var key in obj) {
			if(obj.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				callback(key, obj[key]);
			}
		}
	};

	this._interpolateGlobalContext = {
		// values that get used a lot and are global to the request
		'profile_url': Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE,

		'disqus_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url,
		'media_url': Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url,
		'request_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.username,
		'request_display_username': Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username,
		'forum_name': Dsq.jsonData.forum.name
	};

	this.renderFromContextStack = function(key, contexts) {
		// Returns the first instance of `key` in the array of objects `contexts` or else ''
		for (var i=0; i<contexts.length; i++) {
			if (contexts[i][key] !== undefined) {
				return String(contexts[i][key]);
			}
		}
		throw new Error('key ' + key + ' not found in context');
	};

	var that = this;
	this.interpolate = function(fmt, opt_localContext) {
		// Interpolate `fmt` named-format string with an assumed global context.
		// Based on `interpolate` in django.views.i18n
		var contextStack = [opt_localContext || {}, that._interpolateGlobalContext];
		return fmt.replace(/%\(\w+\)s/g, function(match){
			return that.renderFromContextStack(match.slice(2,-2), contextStack);
		});
	};

	this.stripTags = function(s) {
		// Removes HTML tags from `s`
		return s.replace(/(<([^>]+)>)/g,"");

	};

	this.assert = function(b) {
		if (!b) {
			throw new Error('Assertion error.');
		}
	};

};
// Dsq.Utils

/**
 * Dsq.Popup: Popup helper functions.
 */
Dsq.Popup = new function() {
	this.timeHide = new Array();
	this.timeShow = new Array();
	this.activePopup = {};
	this.profileCache = {};
	this.statusCache = {};

	this.showTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the hide timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeHide[post_id]);

		// start the timer
		if(!Dsq.Popup.profileIsOn && !Dsq.Thread.adminIsOn) {
			this.timeShow[post_id] = setTimeout("Dsq.Popup.popProfile(\"" + post_id + "\")", 400);
		}
	};

	this.hideTimer = function(post_id) {
		// clear the show timer
		clearTimeout(this.timeShow[post_id]);
	};

	this.updateProfile = function(username) {
		// Callback from /embed/profile.js
		if (this.statusCache[username]) {
			var statusEl = Dsq.$('dsq-profile-status-' + username);
			statusEl.innerHTML = this.statusCache[username];
			statusEl.style.display = 'block';
		}

		if (this.profileCache[username]) {
			var _cache = this.profileCache[username];

			var _genhtml = function(text) { return '<span><big>' + text + '</big></span>'; };
			var _no_comments = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_COMMENTS(_cache.comments_count));
			var _no_likes = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_LIKES(_cache.likes_count));
			var _no_points = _genhtml(Dsq.FmtStrings.NUMBER_OF_POINTS(_cache.points));

			var statsEl = Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + username);
			statsEl.innerHTML = '';

			if (Dsq.jsonData.users[username].registered) {
				statsEl.innerHTML = _no_comments + _no_likes;
			}
			statsEl.innerHTML += _no_points;

			var activeSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.active_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.active_sites[i];
				activeSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (activeSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = activeSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + username).innerHTML = 'This site.';
			}

			var moderatedSites = '';
			for (var i = 0; i < _cache.moderated_sites.length; i++) {
				var site = _cache.moderated_sites[i];
				moderatedSites += '<li><a href="' + site.url + '"> \
					<img src="' + site.favicon + '"/ width="16" height="16"/></a>\
					<a href="' + site.url + '">' + site.name + '</a></li>';
			}
			if (moderatedSites !== '') {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + username).innerHTML = moderatedSites;
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + username).innerHTML = '';
			}
		}

		// Reposition popup after full HTML is rendered
		if(Dsq.Popup.activePopup && Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el) {
			Dsq.Popup.initPopup(Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id, Dsq.Popup.activePopup.type);
		}

	};

	this.showCookieMsgs = function() {
		var title = '';
		var message = '';
		var numAlerts = 0;

		Dsq.Utils.forEachIn(Dsq.jsonData.cookie_messages, function(k, v) {
			if (!v) return;

			switch(k) {
				// Cookie: Twitter
				case 'post_twitter':
					if (v === 'error') {
						title = 'Twitter Error!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-error">Oops, we couldn\'t tweet this comment. Please check your <a href="http://disqus.com/account/services">account settings</a>.</li>';
					} else {
						var _msg = v.split(':');
						title = 'Tweeted!';
						message += '<li id="dsq-msg-twitter-success">Your comment was successfully tweeted. <a href="http://twitter.com/' + _msg[0] + '/status/' + _msg[1] + '">Click here to view the tweet</a>.</li>';
					}
					break;
				// Cookie: Unapproved Post
				case 'post_not_approved':
					title = 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-not-approved">Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.</li>';
					break;
				// Cookie: Profile Found
				case 'post_has_profile':
					title = 'Use your existing commenter profile';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-post-has-profile">You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a></li>';
					break;
				case 'user_created':
					var _data = v.split(':');
					title = 'Profile created!';
					message += '<li id="dsq-msg-user-created">You have just created a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, the best way to claim, manage, and track your comments all over the web. \
					<br /><br />A confirmation is being sent to <strong>' + _data[1] + '</strong>. Please check for this email in order to verify your profile. \
					<ul class="dsq-list-tick"> \
						<li>Your username is <strong>' + _data[0] +'</strong>. <a href="http://disqus.com/people/' + _data[0] + '/" target="_blank">Click here to view your public profile</a>.</li> \
						<li>Be sure to set your profile picture, as well as connect your <span class="dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> and <span class="dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> accounts. <a href="http://disqus.com/account/" target="_blank">Click here for account settings</a>.</li> \
					</ul> \
					</li>'
					break;
				default:
					break;
			}
			numAlerts++;
		});

		if(numAlerts > 1) {
			message = '<ul class="dsq-list-bluebullet">' + message;
			message += '</ul>';
			title = 'Thanks for posting!';
		}
		if(numAlerts > 0) {
			if(typeof(disqus_cookie_msgs) == 'function') {
				disqus_cookie_msgs(message, title);
			} else {
				Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
			}
		}
	};

	this.helpBadges = function(post_id) {
		var html = ' \
			<ul class="dsq-popup-help"> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile with a confirmed email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> has a <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> Profile, but has not yet confirmed his or her email address.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span> is not logged in with any account and has not claimed his or her comments.</li> \
				<li class="dsq-help-otheraccts">Other accounts</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-facebook">Facebook</span> is using his or her Facebook profile via Facebook Connect.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-twitter">Twitter</span> is using his or her Twitter profile via Twitter Sign-in.</li> \
				<li><span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-openid">OpenID</span> is using his or her OpenID.</li> \
			</ul> \
		';

		this.popModal(html, 'Help: Types of Commenters', post_id);
		return;
	};

	this.permalink = function(post_id) {
		var header = 'Link to this comment';
		var body = '<strong>You are anchored to</strong>:<br />' + document.location.protocol + '//' + document.location.host + document.location.pathname + document.location.search + '#comment-' + post_id;

		this.popModal(body, header, post_id);
	};

	this.login = function(header, body) {
		var h = header || 'Login or Register';
		var b = body || '';
		b += Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: 'dsq-popup-login'});
		b += '</iframe>'; // HACK: Sometimes there is something funky with the IFRAME SRC that causes no end tag
		this.popModal(b, h, null, true, 'dsq-popup-login');
	};

	this.blacklist = function(id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		var title = 'Add to Blacklist';
		var message = ' \
		Adding this person to the blacklist will block him or her from commenting on this site. Check the following types that you would like to add to the blacklist:'
		+ (userData['registered'] ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-username" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-username"><strong>Username</strong>: ' + userData['username'] + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ (_meta.email ?
			'<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
				<input id="dsq-blacklist-email" type="checkbox" checked> \
				<label for="dsq-blacklist-email"><strong>Email address</strong>: ' + _meta.email + '</label> \
			</div>'
			: '')
		+ '<div class="dsq-blacklist-option"> \
			<input id="dsq-blacklist-ip" type="checkbox" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-blacklist-ip-warning\').style.display=\'block\'"> \
			<label for="dsq-blacklist-ip"><strong>IP address</strong>: ' + _meta.ip + '</label> \
		</div> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p id="dsq-blacklist-ip-warning" style="display:none">	\
				Note: Blocking this person\'s IP address may also unintentionally prevent others, who share his/her IP address, from commenting on this site. \
				This may include people who are sharing the same computer, living in the same house, or using the same Internet provider. Only block an IP address as a last resort. \
			</p> \
		';

		message += ' \
			<p style="text-align:center"><button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Post.blockUser(' + id + '); this.disabled=true; this.innerHTML=\'Just one moment...\'">Add to Blacklist</button></p> \
		';

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
	};

	this.remoteAccountSettings = function() {
		var body = '';
		// Set up IFrame.
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/_auth/embed/remote_settings/';
		var attributes = {id: 'dsq-popup-account-settings'};
		if (typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}

		body = Dsq.Templates._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
		this.popModal(body, 'Account Settings', null, true, 'dsq-popup-account-settings');
	};

	this.popModal = function(message, title, post_id, use_listener, extra_classes) {
		var container = document.createElement('div');
		var header, body;

		Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);

		if(typeof(title) == 'undefined') { title = ''; }
		if(typeof(use_listener) == 'undefined') { use_listener = true; }

		if(post_id) {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message-' + post_id;
		} else {
			container.id = 'dsq-popup-message';
		}

		header = title;
		body = message;

		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupModal(header, body);
		Dsq.Popup.initPopup(container, post_id, 'message', extra_classes);
		if(use_listener) {
			Dsq.Popup.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', Dsq.Popup._closePopup);
		}
	};

	this.popAlert = this.popModal;

	this.loading = function(post_id) {
		var title = Dsq.Strings.JUST_A_MOMENT;
		var body = '<div style="text-align:center; padding: 5px 0 10px 0"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif" alt="" /></div>'
		Dsq.Popup.lightbox(body, title, post_id);
	};

	this.lightbox = function(message, title, post_id) {
		// Wraps Dsq.Popup.popModal

		var overlay = document.createElement('div');
		overlay.id = 'dsq-overlay';
		overlay.className = 'dsq-overlay';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(overlay);
		
		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, post_id, false, 'dsq-lightbox');
	};

	this.popProfile = function(post_id, userKey) {
		var post = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id];
		if (post && post.has_been_anonymized) {
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('This message was anonymized by its previous owner.', 'Anonymized', post_id);
			return;
		}

		if(post_id) {
			userKey = Dsq.jsonData['posts'][post_id].user_key;	
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][userKey];
		var elId = 'dsq-popup-profile-' + userKey;
		var container = document.createElement('div');

		if(this.activePopup.el) {
			this._closePopup(null, true);
			if(this.activePopup.linkClicked) {
				this.activePopup.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		container.id = elId;
		container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.popupProfile(userKey);

		this.initPopup(container, post_id, 'profile');
		this.popupListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._closePopup);

		if(!this.profileCache[userKey]) {
			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/embed/profile.js'
				+ '?username=' + userKey
				+ '&anon=' + (userData['registered'] ? 0 : 1)
				+ '&f=' + Dsq.jsonData['request'].forum);
		} else {
			this.updateProfile(userKey);
		}
	};

	this._closePopup = function(e, force) {
		var activePopup = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.el;
		var id = Dsq.Popup.activePopup.id;
		var link = 'dsq-avatar-' + id; // HACK: Specific to profile toggle target

		// HACK: This event should be gone if there is no active popup.
		if(!activePopup) {
			return;
		}
		if(force || !Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, activePopup.id)) {
			// TODO: This is breaking iE?
			if(Dsq.Popup.popupListener) {
				Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Popup.popupListener);
			}
			
			// Kill overlay
			var overlay = Dsq.$('dsq-overlay');
			if(overlay) { Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(overlay); }
			
			try {
				Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(activePopup);
			} catch(e) {
				// HACK: IE6 throws an error when using deleteNode() with a node containing a <table> in the html.
				activePopup.parentNode.removeChild(activePopup);
			}
			Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {};
		}

		if(!force && Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Popup.activePopup.linkClicked = true;
		}

	};

	this.initPopup = function(popup, post_id, type, extra_classes) {
		popup.className = 'dsq-popup dsq-popup-' + type + ' ' + (extra_classes ? extra_classes : '');
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6 || Dsq.Utils.ie7) {
			// HACK: We can't modify the body before it's ready, so we need
			//       to use an IE-safe "DOMReady" workaround before loading
			//       our popup.
			Dsq.Utils.execOnReady(function() {Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup); });
		} else {
			Dsq.$b.appendChild(popup);
		}

		popup.style.display = 'block';

		var xPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[0] - popup.offsetWidth) / 2;
		var yPos = (Dsq.Utils.getWindowSize()[1] - popup.offsetHeight) / 2;

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) {
			yPos += Dsq.Utils.getScrollPos()[1];
		}

		popup.style.left = xPos + 'px';
		popup.style.top = yPos + 'px';

		Dsq.Popup.activePopup = {
			'el' : popup,
			'id' : post_id,
			'type': type,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};
	};

	this.isClicked = function(e, id) {
		var t = e.target || e.srcElement;
		while(t && t.parentNode) {
			if(t.id == id) {
				return true;
			}

			t = t.parentNode;
		}
		return false;
	};
};
// Dsq.Popup

/**
 * Dsq.Templates
 */
Dsq.Templates = new function() {
	/*
	 * Counter keeping track of the number of posts iterated over.
	 */
	this.postLoopCounter = 0;
	this.filters = {};
	this.addPostContainer = 'dsq-post-add';
	this.textareaContainer = 'dsq-post-add';

	this.registerTemplate = function(name, func) {
		this['$$_' + name] = func;

		if(typeof DsqLocal.Filters != 'undefined'
		&& typeof DsqLocal.Filters[name] == 'function') {
			// Push filters to this.filters to unify code.
			this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
			this.filters[name].push(DsqLocal.Filters[name]);
		}

		this[name] = function() {
			var ret;

			if(typeof DsqLocal.Templates != 'undefined'
			&& typeof DsqLocal.Templates[name] == 'function') {
				ret = DsqLocal.Templates[name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(ret === undefined) {
				ret = this['$$_' + name].apply(this, arguments);
			}

			if(this.filters[name]) {
				var args = [ret];

				args.push.apply(args, arguments);
				for(var i = 0; i < this.filters[name].length; i++) {
					ret = this.filters[name][i].apply(this, args);
				}
			}

			return ret;
		};
	};

	this.registerFilter = function(name, func) {
		this.filters[name] = this.filters[name] || [];
		this.filters[name].push(func);
	};

	/**
	 * Dsq.Templates.Filters
	 */
	this.Filters = new function() {
		this.commentContainer = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			var classes = [];
			if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page > 1) {
				classes.push('dsq-append');
			}

			//
			// Extra classes used for custom themes
			//

			if(_meta.depth) {
				classes.push('dsq-comment-child', 'dsq-depth-' + _meta.depth, 'dsq-parent-is-' + _meta.parent_post_id);
			}


			//

			if(_meta.author_is_creator) {
				// TODO: We need to deprecate the "special" class since it is not properly prefixed.
				classes.push('special', 'dsq-special');
			}
			if(_meta.author_is_moderator) {
				classes.push('dsq-moderator');
			}
			classes.push(['dsq-odd', 'dsq-even'][Dsq.Templates.postLoopCounter % 2]);

			s = s.substring(0, s.lastIndexOf('>'));
			return s + ' class="dsq-comment ' + classes.join(' ') + '" style="margin-left:' + _meta.depth*30 + 'px">';
		};

		this.commentContent = function(post_id, s) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
			if (_meta.killed) {
				return '<em>Comment removed.</em>';
			} else if (!_meta.approved) {
				return '<em>This comment was flagged for review.</em>';
			}

			s = s.replace(Dsq.MEDIA_POST_RE, Dsq.MediaPostHandler);
			return s;
		};
	};

	//
	// Thread
	//
	// TODO: These need to be stripped of all Django template tags.

	this.authPost = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			return '';
		}
		var result = [];
		result = result.concat([
				'<div id="dsq-auth"',
						Dsq.jsonData.integration.reply_position ? 'class="dsq-auth-bottom"' : '',
						'>',
					'<div class="dsq-by">',
						'<a href="http://disqus.com" target="_blank">',
							(Dsq.jsonData.integration.disqus_logo ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/by-disqus.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">') :
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img src="%(media_url)s/images/embed/dsq-button-120x19.png" alt="discussion by DISQUS">')
							),
						'</a>',
					'</div>',
					'<div class="dsq-auth-header">',
						'<h3 id="dsq-add-new-comment" class="dsq-h3-addcomment">',
								Dsq.Strings.ADD_NEW_COMMENT,
						'</h3>',
						'<div id="dsq-login">',
						(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated && Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post
								? '<p class="dsq-login-message" id="dsq-login-message">You are commenting as a <a class="dsq-help" title="Click for more information" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Guest</a>. You may select one to log into:</p>'
								: '')
		]);
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			result = result.concat([
							Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
								'<a id="dsq-login-toggle" href="%(disqus_url)s%(login_url)s?next=article:%(thread_id)s" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false"><img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsq-profile-btn.png" title="%(log_into)s" alt="%(log_into)s"/></a>',
								{login_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGIN, thread_id: Dsq.jsonData.thread.id, log_into: Dsq.Strings.LOG_INTO_DISQUS}
								),
							'&nbsp; ',
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ?
								'<div id="dsq-fbc-login" onlogin="DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin()" size="medium" background="light" length="short" style="display:inline; margin-right:7px"></div>' :
								''
							),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-twitter-login" class="dsq-twitter-login" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect();" style="display:inline; cursor: pointer"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/twitter-signin-short.png" style="margin-right:7px" /></div>', {}) : ''),
							(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ?
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate(
									'<div id="dsq-openid-login" class="dsq-openid-login" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.requestURL();" style="display:inline; cursor:pointer;"><img src="%(media_url)s/images/openid-login-button.png"/></div>', {}
								) : '')
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
						'</div>', // dsq-login
					'</div>', // dsq-auth-header
					'<div id="dsq-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated" ',
						Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated ? 'style="display:block"' : '',
						'>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-pic">',
								Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">' +
																			'<img class="dsq-post-avatar" src="%(avatar_url)s" alt="" /></a>',
																			{avatar_url: Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_AVATAR,
																			url: (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
																					 ? Dsq.jsonData.request.url
																					 : Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + Dsq.Urls.REQUEST_USER_PROFILE) }),
						'</div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>', {url:Dsq.jsonData.request.url})
										  )
										: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(
												Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(profile_url)s" title="%(request_display_username)s">%(request_display_username)s</a>')
											)
									),
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">',
									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="%(media_url)s/images/dsqicon12.png" alt="%(logged_in_as)s"/>&nbsp',
											{logged_in_as: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGGED_IN_AS(Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username)})
										: ''),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote
										? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="%(logout_from_disqus)s">',
											{logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN, logout_from_disqus: Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('DISQUS')})
										: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'twitter')
												? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using Twitter (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
												 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
												: ((Dsq.jsonData.request.remote_domain == 'openid')
													 ? Dsq.Utils.interpolate('using OpenID (<a href="%(disqus_url)s%(logout_url)s?ctkn=%(csrf_token)s" title="Logout">Logout</a>)',
													 {logout_url: Dsq.Urls.LOGOUT, csrf_token: Dsq.CSRF_TOKEN})
													 : ''
													)
											)
									),

									(!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_remote ? Dsq.FmtStrings.LOGOUT_FROM('<span class="logo-disqus">DISQUS</span>') : ''),
									'</a>',
								'</li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
		]);
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect) {
			result = result.concat([
					'<div id="dsq-fbc-authenticated" class="dsq-authenticated">',
						'<div id="dsq-fbc-profilepic" class="dsq-authenticated-pic" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.ProfilePic" size="square" facebook-logo="true"></div>',
						'<div class="dsq-authenticated-info">',
							'<ul>',
								'<li>',
									'Logged in as <span id="dsq-fbc-name" uid="loggedinuser" type="FB.XFBML.Name" linked="true" useyou="false"></span>',
								'</li>',
								'<li class="logout">using Facebook Connect <a href="#" onclick="javascript:DisqusFbcParentController.logout();return false;">(Logout)</a></li>',
							'</ul>',
						'</div>',
					'</div>'
			]);
		}
		result = result.concat([
				'</div>', // dsq-auth
				'<div id="dsq-toolbar-items">',
				'</div>'
		]);
		result = result.concat([
					//
					//
					//
				((!Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_post && !Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) ?
					// Needs to be translated:
					('<p id="dsq-no-anon-msg">Required: Please log into <span class="logo-disqus">Disqus</span> ' +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_fb_connect ? 'or connect with Facebook ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_twitter_signin ? 'or sign in with Twitter ' : '') +
					(Dsq.jsonData.context.use_openid ? 'or sign in using OpenID ' : '') +
					Dsq.Utils.interpolate('to comment on <strong>%(forum_name)s</strong>.</p>')) :
					''
				),
				'<div id="dsq-post-add"></div>',
				'<div style="margin:10px 0">',
				((Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media) ?
						'<a href="#" id="dsq-media-link" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, false, \'media\'); return false">' + Dsq.Strings.USE_MEDIA + ' <small>&#9660;</small></a>' :
						''),
				'</div>'
		]);
		return result.join('');
	};


	this.header = function() {

		var html = '\<h3 id="dsq-comments-count" class="dsq-h3-commentcount">\
	 <span id="dsq-num-posts">251</span> Comments\
	 &nbsp;\
	 <span class="dsq-item-feed">\
	 <a href="http://scobleizer.disqus.com/microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really/latest.rss"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/bullet-feed.png"></a>\
	 </span>\
	 </h3>\
	 <div id="dsq-options" style="margin:15px 0">\
	 <span class="dsq-item-sort">\
	 Sort by\
	 <select id="dsq-sort-select" onchange="Dsq.Thread.sortBy(this.value);">\
	 <option value="hot" selected="selected">Popular now</option>\
	 <option value="best" >Best Rating</option>\
	 <option value="newest" >Newest first</option>\
	 <option value="oldest" >Oldest first</option>\
	 </select>\
	 &nbsp;\
	 </span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-cp"><a href="http://scobleizer.disqus.com/microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really/">Community Page</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>\
	 <span class="dsq-item-subscribe">\
	 <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/email.png" style="width:12px;height:12px;vertical-align:middle">\
	 <span id="dsq-subscribe">\
	 <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a>\
	 </span>\
	 </span>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-alerts">\
	 <p>Comments for this page are closed.</p>\
	 </div>\
		';

		

		
		if (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) { 
			html = ' \
			<div class="dsq-alert-message dsq-upgrade-message"> \
				<strong>Disqus upgrade available.</strong> Hi ' + Dsq.jsonData.request.display_username + ', this message is being displayed to you because you are a moderator of this site. <a href="#" onclick="Dsq.$(\'dsq-upgrade-message\').style.display=\'block\';this.style.display=\'none\';return false">Click here for details.</a> \
				<div style="display:none; margin-top:10px;" id="dsq-upgrade-message"> \
					A new theme is available with added features. <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/settings/' + Dsq.jsonData.forum.url + '/?p=customize">To change your theme, click here</a> and choose the theme Narcissus. \
					If you do not upgrade, you are missing out on features such as: real-time commenting, new sign-in integrations, and an upgrade interface. \
					<strong>This message will automatically go away in one week.</strong> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			' + html; 
		}
		return html;
	};

	this.footer = function() {
		var html = Dsq.Templates.pagination();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.authPost();
		

		html += Dsq.Templates.reactions();

		
			html += Dsq.Templates.trackbacks();
		

		return html;
	};

	this.pagination = function() {
		var html = '';
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) { Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = ''; }
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.thread.paginate) { return ''; }

		//
		// TODO: num_paginator still uses the template tag for pagination, 
		// 		while append_paginator does it all in JavaScript.
		//		This should all be in JavaScript.
		//

		if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages > 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.page < Dsq.jsonData.thread.num_pages) {
			html = ' \<a class="dsq-paginate-append-text" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this); return false">Show more comments...</a>\
	 <button type="button" class="dsq-button-small dsq-paginate-append-button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.paginate(Dsq.jsonData.request.page + 1, this);">Load more comments</button>\
			';
		}
		
		if (Dsq.$('dsq-pagination')) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML = html;
			return '';
		} else {
			return '<div id="dsq-pagination" class="dsq-pagination">' + html + '</div>';
		}
	};

	this.trackbacks = function() {
		var html = '';

		if(typeof DsqLocal != 'undefined' && DsqLocal.trackback_url && DsqLocal.trackbacks) {
			var trackbacks = DsqLocal.trackbacks;
			var trackback_url = DsqLocal.trackback_url;
		} else {
			var trackbacks = [
			
			
			];
			var trackback_url = 'http://scobleizer.disqus.com/microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really/trackback/';
		}

		html += '<div class="dsq-item-trackback">Trackback URL&nbsp;&nbsp;<input class="dsq-trackback-url" onclick="this.select()" readonly="true" value="' + trackback_url + '"></div>';

		if(trackbacks.length) {
			html += '<ul id="dsq-references">'
			for(var i = 0; i < trackbacks.length; i++) {
				var trackback = trackbacks[i];
				html += '<li><cite><a href="' + trackback.author_url + '" rel="nofollow">' + trackback.author_name + '</a></cite> \
						<p class="dsq-meta">' + trackback.date + '</p> \
						<p class="dsq-content">' + trackback.excerpt + '</p></li>';
			}
			html += '</ul>';
			html = '<h3 class="dsq-h3-trackbacks">Trackbacks</h3>' + html;
		}

		return html;
	}

	this.showRetweets = function(id, limit, element_id /* Optional */) {
		var source, html = '';

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			if (reaction.id === id) {
				source = reaction.retweets;
			}
		}

		if (source) {
			if (limit === 0) {
				limit = source.length;
			}

			for (var j = 0; j < limit; j++) {
				var rt = source[j];
				html += '<a href="' + rt.url + '">' + rt.author_name + '</a>'	+ ((j === (limit - 1)) ? '.' : ', ');
			}
		}

		if (element_id === undefined) {
			return html;
		}

		var element = document.getElementById(element_id);
		element.innerHTML = html;
		return element;
	};

	this.showMoreReactions = function(reactions, has_more, start, limit) {
		var link = document.getElementById('dsq-show-more-reactions');
		var container = link.parentNode;
		container.removeChild(link);

		for (var i = 0, reaction; reaction = reactions[i]; i++) {
			var el = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (el) {
				container.innerHTML += el;
			}
		}

		if (has_more) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = start;
			var l = limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			container.innerHTML += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}
	};

	this.generateReactionHTML = function(reaction) {
		if (reaction.body === null || reaction.body == '') {
			return;
		}

		if (reaction.author_name === '') {
			reaction.author_name = '&nbsp;';
		}

		if (reaction.url === '') {
			reaction.url = reaction.get_service_url;
		}

		/* Reaction HTML begins */
		var item = '<li class="dsq-reaction" id="dsq-reaction-' + reaction.id + '">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-header">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-header-avatar">';

		if (reaction.author_url && reaction.author_url !== '') {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="' + reaction.author_url +'">';
		} else {
			item += '<a target="_blank" href="#" onclick="return false;">';
		}

		if (reaction.avatar_url && reaction.avatar_url !== '') {
			item += '<img src="' + reaction.avatar_url + '"/>';
		} else {
			item += '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/noavatar32.png"/>';
		}

		var service_icon = (reaction.get_service_name == 'trackback' || reaction.get_service_name == 'pingback' ? 'rss' : reaction.get_service_name.replace(' ', ''));
		item += '<img class="dsq-service-icon" src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/reactions/services/' + service_icon + '.png"/>'
			+ '</a></div>'
			+ '<cite><span>' + reaction.author_name + '</span></cite>'
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"><a class="dsq-header-time">' + reaction.date_created + '</a></span>'
			+ '</div><div class="dsq-reaction-body">'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-message">' + reaction.body + '</div>'
			+ '<div class="dsq-reaction-footer">From <a class="dsq-service-name" target="_blank" href="' + reaction.url + '">' + reaction.get_service_name + '</a> '
			+ 'via <a href="' + reaction.source_url + '">' + (reaction.source == 'backtype' ? 'BackType' : 'UberVU') + '</a>'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator ? '&nbsp;&bull;&nbsp;<a class="dsq-hide-reaction" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Reaction.hide(' + reaction.id + '); return false;">Hide</a>' : '') + '</div></div>';

		if(reaction.retweets) {
			var num_retweets = reaction.retweets.length;
			if (num_retweets > 0) {
				item += '<div class="dsq-reaction-retweets">';
				if (num_retweets == 1) {
					item += 'One more retweet from <a href="' + reaction.retweets[0].url + '">'  + reaction.retweets[0].author_name + '</a>';
				} else {
					item += (num_retweets + ' more retweets from ');

					item += '<span id="dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '">';
					var n_tweets = (num_retweets > 15) ? 15 : num_retweets;
					item += Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(reaction.id, n_tweets);

					if (n_tweets != num_retweets) {
						item += '</span> <a onclick="Dsq.Templates.showRetweets(' + reaction.id + ', 0, \'dsq-reaction-retweets-' + reaction.id + '\');'
							+ 'this.parentNode.removeChild(this); return false;" href="#">Show all</a>';
					}
				}
				item += '</div>';
			}
		}

		item += '</li>'; /* Reaction HTML ends */
		return item;
	};

	this.reactions = function() {
		var html, reaction;

		if (Dsq.jsonData.reactions === undefined || Dsq.jsonData.reactions.length === 0) {
			return '';
		}

		html = '';
		for (var i = 0; reaction = Dsq.jsonData.reactions[i]; i++) {
			var item = Dsq.Templates.generateReactionHTML(reaction);
			if (item) {
				html += item;
			}
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.has_more_reactions) {
			var d = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url;
			var f = Dsq.jsonData.forum.url;
			var t = Dsq.jsonData.thread.id;
			var s = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_start;
			var l = Dsq.jsonData.reactions_limit;

			var handler = 'Dsq.Utils.execScript(\'' + d + '/forums/' + f + '/more_reactions.js?t=' + t + '&s=' + s + '&l=' + l + '\', true); return false;';
			html += '<li id="dsq-show-more-reactions"><a href="#" onclick="' + handler + '">Show more reactions</a></li>';
		}

		return '<h3 class="dsq-h3-reactions">Reactions</h3><ul id="dsq-reactions" class="dsq-reactions">' + html + '</ul>';
	};
	
	this.missingPermissions = function() {
		return '	<p>Comments for this page are closed.</p>\n';
	};

	//
	// Post
	//

	this.prependPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="comment-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.appendPost = function(post_id) {
		var html = '<div id="dsq-comment-reply-' + post_id + '"></div>';
		return html;
	};

	this.postPrependHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-header-avatar" id="dsq-header-avatar-' + post_id + '" onmouseover="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')"> \
				<a id="dsq-avatar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-avatar" href="' + userData.url + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">'
			+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.show_avatar
				? '<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key].avatar + '" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '</a>'
			+ '</div> \
		';
	};

	this.postAppendHeader = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];

		return ''
			+ (_meta.author_is_moderator
				? '<img class="dsq-mod-star" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/bullet-star.png" title="Moderator" alt="" />'
				: '')
			+ '<span class="dsq-header-meta"> \
				<a id="dsq-time-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-header-time" href="#comment-' + post_id + '" title="Permalink">' + _meta.date + '</a> \
			</span>';
	};

	this.preBody = function(post_id) {
		return '';
	}

	this.postBody = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Deprecate flagging conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		return ''
			+ (_meta.edited
				? '<p class="dsq-editedtxt">(Edited by a moderator)</p>'
				: '')
			;
	};

	this.postFooter = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: Use media should be conditional
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		if(_meta.killed) { return ''; }

		return ' \
			<div class="dsq-comment-footer" id="dsq-comment-footer-' + post_id + '"> \
				<div id="dsq-points-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-likedtxt">'
				+ (_meta.points
					? _meta.points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(_meta.points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.'
					: '')
				+ '</div>'
				+ '<ul class="dsq-comment-options dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.votable
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first dsq-rate" id="dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id + '">'
					+ (!_meta.up_voted
						? '<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.rate(this, ' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Like</a>'
						: 'You liked this.') + '</li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-report' + (!_meta.votable ? ' dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-post-report-' + post_id + '"><a href="#" class="dsq-post-report" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + post_id + ', false); return false;">Report</a></li> \
				</ul> \
				<ul class="dsq-list-style">'
				+ (_meta.can_reply
					? '<li class="dsq-list-first"><a href="#" id="dsq-reply-link-' + post_id +'" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleReply(this, ' + post_id +'); return false;">Reply</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ (_meta.can_reply && !_meta.has_replies && _meta.from_request_user
					? '<li id="dsq-edit-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-edit-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit</a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="' + (!_meta.can_reply ? 'dsq-list-first' : '') + '" id="dsq-more-el-' + post_id + '"><a id="dsq-more-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'more\'); return false">More <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
				+ (Dsq.jsonData.forum.use_media
					? '<li id="dsq-media-el-' + post_id +'" style="display:none"><a id="dsq-media-link-' + post_id + '" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.showMenu(this, ' + post_id + ', \'media\'); return false">Use Media <small>&#9660;</small></a></li>'
					: '')
				+ '</ul>'
				+ '<div id="dsq-reply-bar-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar" style="display:none"> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-items-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-items"> \
						</div> \
						<div id="dsq-reply-bar-auth-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-reply-bar-auth"> \
							 \
								 \
								 	<a href="#" class="dsq-help dsq-reply-req-opt" title="You are commenting as a Guest. You may choose to log into an existing DISQUS Profile, your Facebook, Twitter or OpenID account to comment on Scobleizer" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges(); return false">Optional:</a> \
								 \
								<img class="dsq-login-icon" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/dsq-favicon-16x16.png" alt="" /> \
								<a id="dsq-reply-login-' + post_id + '" href="http://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=article:18356404" onclick="Dsq.Popup.login(); return false">Login</a> \
								 \
									&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img class="fb_login_image" src="http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/images/fbconnect/login-buttons/connect_light_small_short.gif" alt="Facebook Connect"/> \
									<a href="#" onclick="FB.Connect.requireSession(DisqusFbcParentController.onLogin); return false;">Connect</a> \
								 \
								&nbsp;or&nbsp; \
									<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/twitter-signin-icon.png" alt="" /> \
									<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Twitter.startTwitterConnect(); return false">Sign-in</a> \
								 \
								 \
							 \
						</div> \
					</div> \
					<div id="dsq-reply-' + post_id + '"></div> \
			</div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Iframes
	//

	this._makeAttributes = function(attributes) {
		// Makes a tag attributes string out of an object.
		// Caller is responsible for making sure nothing needs to be escaped.
		var result = [];
		for (key in attributes) {
			result.push(' ' + key + '="' + attributes[key] + '"');
		}
		result = result.join('');
		return result;
	};

	this._frameGeneric = function(base_url, params, attributes) {
		if(typeof(disqus_callback_params) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_callback_params = '';
		}

		var default_params = {
			// TODO: These should be moved to Dsq.jsonData.
			'f'				: 'scobleizer',
			't'				: 'microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really',
			// Do we need encodeURIComponent here?
			'ifrs'			: encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css),
			'to_redirect'	: encodeURIComponent(window.location),
			'cbp'			: disqus_callback_params,
			'ff'			: Dsq.Thread.ff,
			'fc'			: Dsq.Thread.fc,
			'ac'			: Dsq.Thread.ac,
			'default_text'	: disqus_default_text
		};

		base_url += '?' + (new Date()).getTime();
		// Add params to default_params.
		if(params) {
			for(var key in params) {
				if(params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					default_params[key] = encodeURIComponent(params[key]);
				}
			}
		}
		// Build querystring.
		for(var key in default_params) {
			if(default_params[key] && default_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				base_url += '&' + key + '=' + default_params[key];
			}
		}

		return [
			'<iframe marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" hspace="0" vspace="0" frameborder="0"',
			(' allowtransparency="true" src="' + base_url + '"'),
			this._makeAttributes(attributes),
			'</iframe>'].join('');
	};

	this.frameLogin = function(opt_attributes) {
		var params = {};
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/login.html';
		var attributes = opt_attributes || {};
		attributes['class'] = 'dsq-post-login';

		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameReply = function(post_id, extra_params, attributes) {
		// Returns the HTML for a reply iframe. Called by Dsq.Iframes.setReplyIframeToContainer
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = Dsq.Urls.REPLY;
		var params = {
			'def_email'		: disqus_def_email,
			'def_name'		: disqus_def_name
		};
		if(extra_params) {
			for(var key in extra_params) {
				if(extra_params.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
					params[key] = extra_params[key];
				}
			}
		}
		if(_meta) {
			params['parent_post'] = post_id;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined') {
			params['per_page'] = disqus_per_page;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_frame_theme != 'undefined') {
			params['theme'] = disqus_frame_theme;
		}
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated) {
			attributes['class'] += '-authenticated';
		}
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, attributes);
	};

	this.frameEdit = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = (typeof post_id != 'undefined') ? Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] : false;
		var base_url = 'http://disqus.com/embed/edit.html';
		var params = {
			'p' : post_id
		};
		return this._frameGeneric(base_url, params, {'class': 'dsq-post-edit', 'name': 'dsq-edit_' + post_id + '-frame'});
	};

	//
	// Menus
	//

	this.menuMore = function(post_id) {
		// TODO: "Remove post" button should hide menu.
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#comment-' + post_id + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.permalink(' + post_id + ')">Link</a></li> \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Profile</a></li>'
	+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || Dsq.jsonData.request.is_global_moderator
		? '	<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>' + (_meta.email ? '<li class="dsq-admin-email">' + _meta.email + '</li>' : '')
		+ '	<li class="dsq-admin-ip">' + _meta.ip + '</li> \
			<li class="dsq-menu-sep"></li>'
		+ (Dsq.jsonData.request.moderator_can_edit
			? ' <li class="dsq-admin-edit"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.edit(this, ' + post_id + '); return false;">Edit Comment</a></li>'
			: '')
		+ ' <li class="dsq-remove"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.removePost(' + post_id + ', 1); return false;">Remove Comment</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-report-spam"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.reportSpam(' + post_id + '); return false;">Mark Spam</a></li> \
			<li class="dsq-block-user"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.blacklist(' + post_id + '); return false">Block User</a></li>'
		: '');
	};

	this.menuMedia = function(post_id) {
		return ' \
			<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(this, ' + post_id + ', \'seesmic\'); return false;">Record video</a></li> \
		';
	};

	this.dropProfile = function(post_id) {
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id];
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][_meta.user_key];

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(null, post_id);
			var html = '';
			var hiddenThreshold = 3; // Define # of services to show before stuffing them in hidden div

			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == hiddenThreshold
					? '<li id="dsq-drop-hidden-' + post_id +'" class="dsq-drop-hidden"><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li class="dsq-drop-services"> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank"> \
						<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>';
			}

			if(i >= hiddenThreshold) {
				html += '</ul></li> \
				<li id="dsq-drop-more-' + post_id + '" class="dsq-drop-more"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Post.dropProfileMore(this, '+ post_id + '); return false"><small>&#9660;</small></a></li> \
				';
			}
			return html;
		};


		var menu = '<li class="dsq-drop-showlnk"><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup.popProfile(' + post_id + '); return false;">Expand &#8663;</a></li>';
		var pointsMessage = '';
		if (userData['registered']) {
			pointsMessage = 'with ' + userData['points'] + ' points (more points are better).';
		}

		if (userData['is_remote']) {
			var domain = userData['remote_domain_name'];
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' is a ' + domain + ' user ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
			menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-' + domain.toLowerCase() + '">' + domain + '</span></li>';
		} else if (userData['registered']) {
			if (userData['verified']) {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a verified commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-verified">Verified</span></li>';
			} else {
				menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has a registered, but unverified, commenter profile ' + pointsMessage + '" onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()">';
				menu += '<span class="dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span></li>';
			}
		} else {
			menu += '<li class="dsq-drop-badge" title="' + userData['display_name'] + ' has not claimed this commenter profile." onclick="Dsq.Popup.helpBadges()"><span class="dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span></li>';
		}

		menu += _includeServices();
		return menu;
	};

	//
	// Popups
	//

	this._popupGeneric = function(content) {
		return ' \
		<div class="dsq-popup-content"> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-top"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-body" class="clearfix"> \
				<div class="dsq-popup-body-padding"> \
					<div class="dsq-popup-header"> \
						<a class="dsq-close-link" href="#" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true); return false"><img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/modal-close.png" alt="" /></a>'
						+ content['header']
					+ '</div>'
					+ content['body']
					+ '<div class="powered-by"><a href="http://disqus.com/comments/">Powered by <img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/embed/disqus-logo.png" alt="Disqus Comments" style="margin-bottom:-5px" /></a></div> \
				</div> <!-- padding --> \
			</div> <!-- body --> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-bottom"></div> \
		</div> \
		';
	};

	this.popupProfile = function(user_key) {
		var userServices = Dsq.Post.getUserServices(user_key, null);
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		var _includeServices = function() {
			var html = '';
			for(var i = 0; i < userServices.length; i++) {
				html +=
				(i == 0
					? '<h4>Connections</h4><ul>'
					: '')
				+ '<li> \
					<img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.media_url + '/images/embed/services/' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '.png" alt="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" title="' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" /> \
					<a class="dsq-service-' + userServices[i].name.toLowerCase() + '" href="' + userServices[i].url + '" target="_blank">'
					+ userServices[i].name
					+ '</a> \
				</li>'
				+ (i+1 == userServices.length ? '</ul>' : '');
			}
			return html;
		};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<table> \
				<tr> \
					<td> \
						<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><img class="dsq-popup-profile-avatar" src="' + userData['avatar'] + '" alt="" /></a> \
					</td> \
					<td> \
						<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user"> \
							<h3>' + userData['display_name'] + '</h3> \
							<div class="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats" id="dsq-popup-profile-user-stats-' + user_key + '">Loading...</div> \
						</div> \
					</td> \
				</tr> \
			</table> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-state"> \
				This is a&nbsp;<span class="'
					+ (userData['registered']
						? (userData['verified']
							? ' dsq-badge-verified'
							: (userData['is_remote']
								? ' dsq-badge-' + userData['remote_domain_name'].toLowerCase()
								: ' dsq-badge-registered')
							)
							: ' dsq-badge-guest') + '">'
			+ (userData['registered']
				? (userData['verified']
					? 'Verified'
					: (userData['is_remote']
						 ? userData['remote_domain_name']
						 : 'Registered')
					)
				: 'Guest')
			+ '</span>&nbsp;commenter profile.'
			+ '&nbsp;<a class="dsq-profile-userurl" href="' + userData.url + '"><strong>View more comments </strong></a>'
			+ (!userData['points']
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice">If this is you, <a href="http://disqus.com/profile" target="_blank">claim it now</a> to manage your comments.</p>'
				: '')
			+ ((userData['registered'] && !userData['verified'] && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username && (Dsq.jsonData.request.username == userData['username'])) && !userData['is_remote'])
				? '<p class="dsq-popup-notice"><strong>Alert</strong>: You have not verified this account. <a href="http://disqus.com/verify">Verify it now.</a></p>'
				: '')
			+ '</div> \
			<div id="dsq-profile-status-' + user_key + '" class="dsq-popup-profile-status" style="display:none"></div> \
			<div class="dsq-popup-profile-snapshot"> \
				<table> \
					<tr> \
						<td> \
							<div id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Most active sites</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-active-sites-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
						<td>'
							+ _includeServices()
							+ '<div id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-wrapper-' + user_key + '"> \
								<h4>Moderator of</h4> \
								<ul id="dsq-popup-profile-moderated-' + user_key + '"> \
									<li>Loading...</li> \
								</ul> \
							</div> \
						</td> \
					</tr> \
				</table> \
			</div> \
			';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupReblog = function() {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<cite><span>Reblog this comment</span></cite> \
		';

		bodyHtml = ' \
			<div id="dsq-reblog-form" class="dsq-reblog-form"> \
			</div> \
		';

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.popupModal = function(title, message) {
		var headerHtml = '';
		var bodyHtml = '';
		var content = {};

		headerHtml = ' \
			<h3>' + title + '</h3> \
		';

		bodyHtml = message;

		content = {
			'header': headerHtml,
			'body': bodyHtml
		};

		return this._popupGeneric(content);
	};

	this.alertContent = function(name, post_id) {
		var alert = {
			'post_not_approved': {
				'title': 'Comment awaiting approval by a moderator',
				'message': 'Thanks for posting. Your comment must be approved by a moderator before appearing here.'
			},
			'post_has_profile': {
				'title': 'Use your existing commenter profile',
				'message': 'You have just posted your commment as a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-guest">Guest</span>, but you may already have a <span class="dsq-badge dsq-badge-registered">Registered</span> commenter profile.<br /><br /><a href="http://disqus.com/claim">Log in and claim this comment!</a>'
			}
		};
		return alert[name] || false;
	};

	//
	// Actions
	//

	this.voted = function(post_id, points, vote) {
		// Update number of points
		Dsq.$('dsq-points-' + post_id).innerHTML = points + Dsq.Utils.pluralize(points, ' person', ' people') + ' liked this comment.';

		// Update link text
		if(vote) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + post_id).innerHTML = 'You liked this.';
		}
	};

	this.subscribed = function(status) {
		var title, message;

		if(status) {
			title = 'Subscribed!';
			message = 'You have subscribed to this comment thread. New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox, where you may read and respond by email.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(0); return false">Unsubscribe</a> \
			';
		} else {
			title = 'Unsubscribed';
			message = 'You have unsubscribed to this comment thread. New comments will no longer be sent to your email inbox.';
			Dsq.$('dsq-subscribe').innerHTML = ' \
				<a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1); return false">Subscribe by email</a> \
			';
		}

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);

	};
	
	this.highlighted = function() {
		Dsq.Popup.popModal('This comment has been highlighted.', 'Highlighted comment');
	};

	//
	// Media
	//

	this.mediaSeesmic = function(id, thumb) {
		return ' \
			<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_preview" class="dsq-seesmic-preview"><a href="http://www.seesmic.com/video/' + id + '" target="_blank" class="see_link">&nbsp;</a> \
				<div style="display:block;width:160px; height:120px; border:none; background-image:url(http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/' + thumb + ')"> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_hide" class="seePlayOverlay" style="display:none;"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',false)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/stopOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
					<div id="dsq-seesmic-' + id + '_show" class="seePlayOverlay"><img onclick="see_play_video(\'' + id + '\',true)" src="http://media.disqus.com/images/seesmic/playOverlay.png" width="50" height="50" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand; border:none; padding-top: 30px; padding-left: 50px" alt="" /></div> \
				</div> \
			</div> \
			<div id="' + id + '_content" style="display:block; width:100%; padding-top:5px"></div> \
		';
	};

	//
	// Callbacks
	//

	this.postComment_onSuccess = function(parent_post_id) {
		// Increment post count
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');
		
		if (num_posts) { 
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) { 
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML) + 1;
		}
	};
};
// Dsq.Templates


/**
 * Dsq.Post
 */
Dsq.Post = new function() {
	this.openedMenu = {};
	this.menuEventListener = null;
	this.stateReplyToggled = {};
	this.stateEditToggled = {};
	this.stateRecordLink = {};

	/**
	 * Inserts a new post into the document.
	 *
	 * @param after_id {Number}	Insert a post before specified id.  If after_id
	 *							evaluates to false, then post in the front.  If
	 *							after_id is -1, post at the end.
	 */
	this.insert = function(after_id, id, message, author) {
		// Skeleton template from thread_posts.html.
		var skeleton = ' \
			<li id="dsq-comment-%(id)s"> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-header-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-header"> \
					<cite id="dsq-cite-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-cite"> \
						<a id="dsq-author-user-%(id)s" href="%(author_url)s" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">%(author_name)s</a> \
					</cite> \
				</div> \
				<div id="dsq-comment-body-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-body"> \
					<div id="dsq-comment-message-%(id)s" class="dsq-comment-message">%(message)s</div> \
				</div> \
			</li> \
		';
		var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
		var _user_meta = Dsq.jsonData.users[_meta.user_key];
		var markup = Dsq.Utils.interpolate(skeleton, {
			id: id,
			message: message,
			author_url: _user_meta.blog,
			author_name: _user_meta.display_name
		});
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		markup = markup.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
		div.innerHTML = markup;

		if (after_id === -1) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').appendChild(div);
		} else if (!after_id) {
			Dsq.$('dsq-comments').insertBefore(div, Dsq.$('dsq-comments').firstChild);
		} else if (Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + after_id)) {
			// Get next node after "after_id", so we can insert before it.
			// If "after_id" is the last comment, the target node is the
			// last node.
			
			// var append_post_id = Dsq.Templates.appendPost(after_id).replace('<div id="','').replace('"></div>', '');
			var append_post_id = 'dsq-append-post-' + after_id;
			var node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			while (node = node.nextSibling) {
				if (!node || node.nodeType == 1) { // 1 == Node.ELEMENT_NODE
					break;
				}
			}
			if (!node) {
				node = Dsq.$(append_post_id);
			}
			node.parentNode.insertBefore(div, node);
		}
	};

	this.incrementPostCount = function() {
		
		var num_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-num-posts');
		var total_posts = Dsq.$('dsq-total-posts');

		if (num_posts) {
			num_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(num_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
		if (total_posts) {
			total_posts.innerHTML = parseInt(total_posts.innerHTML, 10) + 1;
		}
	}
	
	this.outlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className += ' dsq-comment-outline';
		setTimeout("(function () { Dsq.Post.clearOutlineComment(" + post_id + ") })()", 3000);
	};
	
	this.clearOutlineComment = function(post_id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-' + post_id).className.replace('dsq-comment-outline', '');
	};

	this.showMenu = function(el, id, name) {
		var anchorPos = Dsq.Utils.findPos(el);
		var menu = document.createElement('ul');

		if(this.openedMenu) {
			if(this.openedMenu.linkClicked) {
				this.openedMenu.linkClicked = false;
				return;
			}
		}

		switch(name) {
			case 'more':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMore(id);
				break;
			case 'media':
				menu.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.menuMedia(id);
				break;
			default:
				break;
		}

		// Add menu to document body
		menu.id = 'dsq-menu-' + id;
		menu.className = 'dsq-menu';
		Dsq.$b.appendChild(menu);

		// Position and show
		anchorPos[1] += 15;
		menu.style.left = anchorPos[0] + 'px';
		menu.style.top = anchorPos[1] + 'px';
		menu.style.display = 'block';

		// Set global reference
		this.openedMenu = {
			'el' : menu,
			'id' : id,
			'name' : name,
			'linkClicked' : false
		};

		// Set listener
		this.menuEventListener = Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(document, 'mouseup', this._hideMenu);
	};

	this._hideMenu = function(e) {
		var el = e.target || e.srcElement;
		var openedMenu = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el;
		var id = Dsq.Post.openedMenu.id;

		if(!id) {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link';
		} else {
			var link = 'dsq-' + Dsq.Post.openedMenu.name + '-link-' + id;
		}

		if(!openedMenu) {
			return;
		}

		if(!Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, openedMenu.id)) {
			openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
			Dsq.Utils.removeEventListener(Dsq.Post.menuEventListener);
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(openedMenu);

		} else {
			// Hide the menu if a link was clicked inside the menu.  We can't
			// completely remove the menu until the onclick event on the link
			// fires, but the menuEventListener will prevent multiple menus
			// from polluting the DOM.
			if(el && typeof el.href != 'undefined') {
				openedMenu.style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Post.openedMenu.el = null;
			}
		}

		if(Dsq.Popup.isClicked(e, link)) {
 			Dsq.Post.openedMenu.linkClicked = true;
		}
	};


	this.getUserServices = function(user_key, id) {
		if(!user_key && id) {
			var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
			user_key = _meta.user_key;
		}
		var userData = Dsq.jsonData['users'][user_key];
		var userServices = [];

		// Keep a full list of supported services. This is the order they will display in the drop-profile.
		// Each service must have a corresponding case in _buildServiceUrl()
		var supportedServices = ['blog', 'twitter', 'facebook', 'tumblr'];

		function _buildServiceUrl(serviceName) {
			var data = userData[serviceName];
			var services = {
				blog:		function(d) { return d; },
				twitter:	function(d) { return d; },
				facebook:	function(d) { return d; },
				tumblr:		function(d) { return 'http://' + d + '.tumblr.com'; }
			};
			return services[serviceName](data);
		}

		for(var i = 0; i < supportedServices.length; i++) {
			if(userData[supportedServices[i]]) {
				var serviceUrl = _buildServiceUrl(supportedServices[i]);
				userServices.push({'name' : supportedServices[i], 'url' : serviceUrl});
			}
		}
		return userServices;
	}

	this.dropProfile = function(id) {
		var dp = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-profile-' + id);

		// IE6 needs JS to display/hide. All other browsers use CSS.
		if(dp) {
			if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) dp.style.display = (dp.style.display == 'inline') ? 'none' : 'inline';
			return false;
		} else {
			dp = document.createElement('ul');
		}

		dp.id = 'dsq-drop-profile-' + id;
		dp.className = 'dsq-drop-profile';

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) { dp.style.display = 'inline'; }

		var container = Dsq.$('dsq-header-avatar-' + id);
		dp.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.dropProfile(id);
		container.appendChild(dp);
	};

	this.dropProfileMore = function(el, id) {
		var hiddenItems = Dsq.$('dsq-drop-hidden-' + id);

		hiddenItems.style.display = 'inline';
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
	};

	this._updateReplyLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "reply / cancel" links based on state.
		var displayDict = {};

		if(id) {
			if(this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				el.innerHTML = 'Cancel';
				displayDict['media'] = 'inline';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'none';
			} else {
				el.innerHTML = 'Reply';
				displayDict['media'] = 'none';
				displayDict['edit'] = 'inline';
			}
		}

		for(var key in displayDict) {
			if(displayDict.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
				var	linkEl = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-el-' + id),
					spacer = Dsq.$('dsq-' + key + '-spacer-' + id);

				if(linkEl) {
					linkEl.style.display = displayDict[key];
					if(spacer) spacer.style.display = displayDict[key];
				}
			}
		}
	};

	this._updateMediaLinks = function(el, id) {
		// Update "use media / cancel" links based on state.
		var appendId = (id) ? ('-' + id) : '';
		var link = Dsq.$('dsq-media-link' + appendId);

		if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			link.innerHTML = 'Cancel Media';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.toggleMediaReply(link, id); return false; };
		} else {
			link.innerHTML = 'Use Media <small>&#9660;</small>';
			link.onclick = function() { Dsq.Post.showMenu(link, id, 'media'); return false; };
		}
	};

	this.toggleReply = function(el, id) {
		// Create reply IFrame
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			if (!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				// Create IFrame if it doesn't exist.
				if (!Dsq.frames['reply_' + id]) {
					var _meta = Dsq.jsonData.posts[id];
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-frame-' + id), id);
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].init();
					Dsq.frames['reply_' + id].setState(id, _meta.depth);
				}
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
			}
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			if(!this.stateReplyToggled[id]) {
				// Reply toolbar
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'block';
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id), id);
			} else {
				Dsq.$('dsq-reply-bar-' + id).style.display = 'none';
				Dsq.Iframes.hideAllInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id));
				if(this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
					// HACK: Cancel media before canceling self.
					this.toggleMediaReply(Dsq.$('dsq-media-link-' + id), id);
				}
			}
		}

		this.stateReplyToggled[id] = !this.stateReplyToggled[id];
		this._updateReplyLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-reply-' + id); }

		Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED, {
			postId: id,
			opened: this.stateReplyToggled[id]
		});
	};

	this.toggleMediaReply = function(el, id, xtype) {
		id = id || 0;
		if(id) {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + id);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(!this.stateRecordLink[id]) {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id, {xtype:xtype}, 'dsq-post-video');
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, id);
		}
		this.stateRecordLink[id] = !this.stateRecordLink[id];
		this._updateMediaLinks(el, id);

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};

	this.edit = function(el, id) {
		Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id).innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.frameEdit(id);
		el.parentNode.style.display = 'none';
		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE('dsq-comment-message-' + id); }
	};

    this.rate = function(el, id, vote) {
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || Dsq.jsonData.forum.allow_anon_votes) {
			if(vote == 1) {
                Dsq.$('dsq-rate-cont-' + id).innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
            }

            Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/vote.js'
                + '?post_id='    + id
                + '&vote='        + vote);

		} else {
			Dsq.Popup.login(Dsq.Strings.TO_RATE_PLEASE_LOG_IN);
		}
    };

	this.report = function(id, confirmed) {
		if(confirmed) {
			Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really/post_report/', {'post_id': id});
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('Thank you. This comment has been flagged for moderator attention.', 'Successfully flagged');
			Dsq.Utils.deleteNode(Dsq.$('dsq-post-report-' + id));
		} else {
			var title = Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT;
			var message = Dsq.Strings.ARE_YOU_SURE_YOU_WOULD_LIKE_TO_REPORT_THIS_COMMENT_TO_A_MODERATOR + '? \
			<br /><br /> \
			<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true)"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.NO + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.NEVER_MIND + '</button>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Post.report(' + id + ', true);"><strong>' + Dsq.Strings.YES + '</strong>, ' + Dsq.Strings.FLAG_INAPPROPRIATE_COMMENT + '</button><br /><br />'
			+ Dsq.Strings.THIS_WILL_FLAG_COMMENTS_FOR_MODERATORS_TO_TAKE_ACTION + '. \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title, id);
		}
	};



	this.showAlert = function(id, msg) {
		var msgEl = Dsq.$('dsq-comment-message-' + id);
		var alert = '<div class="dsq-comment-alert">' + msg + '</div>';

		msgEl.innerHTML = alert + msgEl.innerHTML;
	};

};
// Dsq.Post


/**
 * Dsq.Thread
 */
Dsq.Thread = new function() {
	this.fc = null;
	this.ff = null;
	this.ac = null;

	
	this.adminIsOn = false;

	
	
	

	this.hlComment = null;
	this.hlCommentClass = null;

	this.getNextComment = function(el) {
		var start_id = el.id;
		while(el = el.nextSibling) {
			if(el.id && el.id.indexOf('dsq-comment-') != -1 && el.id != start_id) {
				return el;
			}
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.getActiveCommentId = function() {
		if (document.URL.indexOf('#comment-') >= 0) {
			var anchor = document.URL.slice(document.URL.indexOf('#') + 1);
			return anchor.replace('comment-', '');
		}
		return null;
	};

	this.highlightAnchor = function() {
		var i = this.getActiveCommentId();
		if (i == null) return false;
		var id = 'dsq-comment-' + i;
		var hash = window.location.hash;

		// Toggle the hash incase the comment isn't available when the page loads
		// for WebKit-based browsers.
		if (Dsq.Utils.webkit) {
			window.location.hash = '';
			window.location.hash = hash;
		}

		this.hlComment = Dsq.$(id);
		// Adding this conditional guard pending #289
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlCommentClass = this.hlComment.className;
		this.hlComment.className += ' dsq-hl-anchor';

		setTimeout("Dsq.Thread.highlightClear()", 3000);
	};

	this.highlightClear = function() {
		if (!this.hlComment) {
			return;
		}
		this.hlComment.className = this.hlCommentClass;
	};

	this.login = function(toggle) {
		// toggle id is #dsq-reply-login-[id]
		var postId;
		if(toggle.id.indexOf('dsq-reply-login') != -1) {
			postId = toggle.id.slice(16);
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-reply-' + postId);
		} else {
			var container = Dsq.$('dsq-post-add');
		}

		if(toggle) {
			if(toggle.className == 'dsq-login-active') {
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed(container, postId);
				toggle.className = '';
			} else {
				Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
				toggle.className = 'dsq-login-active';
			}
		} else {
			Dsq.Iframes.showLoginIframeInContainer(container, postId);
		}

		if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
	};


	this.paginate = function(page, el_clicked, per_page) {
		// Use extra_params to pass any override parameters that we need to persist.
		var extra_params = '';

		// "Per page" can either be overriden by providing it as an argument
		// (per-call) or setting the disqus_per_page override variable (global).
		if(typeof per_page == 'undefined') {
			per_page = null;
		}
		if(typeof disqus_per_page != 'undefined' && per_page === null) {
			per_page = disqus_per_page;
		}

		if(typeof disqus_sort != 'undefined') {
			extra_params += '&sort=' + disqus_sort;
		}
		if(per_page !== null) {
			extra_params += '&per_page=' + per_page;
		}

		Dsq.$('dsq-pagination').innerHTML += '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading-small.gif">';
		
		if(el_clicked) {
			el_clicked.style.display = 'none';
		}
		
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really'
			+ '&p='		+ page
			+ extra_params);
	};

	this.sortBy = function(sort) {
		var disqus_script = document.createElement('script');
		var disqus_date = new Date();

		if (location.hash != '') {
			location.hash = '#disqus_thread';
		}

		if(typeof(disqus_url) == 'undefined') {
			disqus_url = disqus_href;
		}
		disqus_script.type = 'text/javascript';
		disqus_script.src = 'http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/thread.js'
			+ '?slug='	+ 'microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really'
			+ '&sort='	+ sort
			+ '&title='
			+ '&'		+ disqus_date.getTime();

		Dsq.$('dsq-comments').innerHTML = '<img src="http://media.disqus.com/images/loading.gif">';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(disqus_script);
	};

	this.subscribe = function(status, email) {
		// `status` is an int -- 1 to subscribe, 0 to unsubscribe
		if(Dsq.jsonData.request.is_authenticated || email) {
			// If authenticated user OR anonymous email provided

			if(email) {
				Dsq.Popup._closePopup(null, true);
			}

			Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/subscribe.js'
				+'?status=' 	+ status
				+ '&slug='		+ 'microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really'
				+ '&email=' 	+ encodeURIComponent(email));

		} else if(!email) {
			// If anonymous user and no email has been provided yet, prompt for email

			var title = 'Subscribe to this comment thread';
			var message = ' \
				New comments will be sent directly to your email inbox! \
				<div class="dsq-subscribe-submit"> \
					<p><strong>Enter your email address below.</strong></p> \
					<input type="text" id="dsq-subscribe-email"> \
					<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.subscribe(1, Dsq.$(\'dsq-subscribe-email\').value)">Subscribe</button> \
				</div> \
			';

			Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, title);
		}
	};

	this.showSettings = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
			return;
		}

		/* The form has to be re-designed when more options will come out. */
		var html = 'Automatically close comments after <input size="3" id="dsq-thread-days-alive" value="' + Dsq.jsonData.thread.days_alive + '" type="text" /> days. Existing comments will still be displayed.<br /><br />(Using 0 days will disable this feature)<br /><br />'
								 + '<button type="button" onclick="Dsq.Thread.updateDaysAlive();" class="dsq-button-small"><span>Save</span></button>'
								 + '<span id="dsq-thread-settings-status" class="dsq-options-status"></span>';

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, 'Settings');
	};

  this.showModeratorActions = function() {
      if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator) {
          return;
      }

      var html = '<div class="dsq-moderate-options"><table><tr>' +
                 '<td>' + Dsq.Strings.ACTIONS + '</td><td><ul>';
      html += '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.toggleClosed(); return false;">' +
              (Dsq.jsonData.thread.closed ? Dsq.Strings.OPEN_THREAD : Dsq.Strings.CLOSE_THREAD) +
              '</a></li>';
      html += '<li><a href="#" onclick="Dsq.Thread.toggleKilled(); return false;">' +
              (Dsq.jsonData.thread.killed ? Dsq.Strings.RESTORE_THREAD : Dsq.Strings.REMOVE_THREAD) +
              '</a></li>';
      html += '</ul></td></tr></table></div>' +
              '<p>Go to the full <a href="http://disqus.com/comments/moderate-threads/" target="_blank">moderate panel</a> for more options.</p>';
      Dsq.Popup.popModal(html, Dsq.Strings.MODERATE_OPTIONS);
  };

	this.updateDaysAlive = function() {
		  var days = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-days-alive').value;
		  var status = Dsq.$('dsq-thread-settings-status');
		  Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/update_days_alive.js', {days:days,thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
		  status.innerHTML = 'Saved!';
		  window.setTimeout(function() { status.innerHTML = ''; }, 1000);
	};

  this.toggleClosed = function() {
      Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/toggle_thread_closed.js', {thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
      window.setTimeout(function() { window.location.reload(); }, 500);
  };

  this.toggleKilled = function() {
      Dsq.Utils.postToUrl('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/toggle_thread_killed.js', {thread:Dsq.jsonData.thread.id});
      window.setTimeout(function() { window.location.reload(); }, 500);
  };
};
// Dsq.Thread

Dsq.Events = function() {
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var handlers = {};
	var getHandlers = function(event) {
		if (handlers[event] === undefined) {
			handlers[event] = [];
		}
		return handlers[event];
	};

	// Public
	// Value keys : postId, node, xtype
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED = 1;
	// Value keys : postId, opened
	obj.REPLY_IFRAME_TOGGLED = 2;
	obj.fire = function(event, opt_value) {
		if (!event) {
			throw new Error('Unknown event');
		}
		var value = opt_value || {};
		for (var i=0; i<getHandlers(event).length; i++) {
			getHandlers(event)[i](value);
		}
	};
	obj.addHandler = function(event, callback) {
		getHandlers(event).push(callback);
	};

	return obj;
}();

/**
 * Dsq.Realtime
 */
Dsq.Realtime = new function() {
	var initialized = false;
	var interval = null;
	var last_checked = Dsq.jsonData.request.timestamp;
	var new_posts = [];
	var ongoing_request = false;
	var prev_script = null;

	function updateNewPostCount() {
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-alert').style.display = new_posts.length ? 'block' : 'none';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-queued').innerHTML = new_posts.length
		+ ' new '
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, 'comment', 'comments')
		+ Dsq.Utils.pluralize(new_posts.length, ' was', ' were')
		+ ' just posted.';

		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.SHOW + ')';
	}

	function insertNewPosts() {
		var post_id = null;
		var after_id = Dsq.$('dsq-sort-select').value === 'oldest' ? -1 : null;

		for (var i=0; i<new_posts.length; i++) {
			post_id = new_posts[i];
			Dsq.Post.insert(after_id, post_id, Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id].message);
			Dsq.Post.incrementPostCount();
			Dsq.Post.outlineComment(post_id);
		}
		new_posts = [];
	}

	this.enableInterval = function() {
		interval = setInterval(Dsq.Realtime.check, Dsq.jsonData.context.realtime_speed);
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.ENABLED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.PAUSE + ')';
	}

	this.disableInterval = function() {
		if (interval) {
			clearInterval(interval);
			interval = null;
		}
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-status').innerHTML = Dsq.Strings.PAUSED;
		Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').innerHTML = '(' + Dsq.Strings.RESUME + ')';
	}

	this.toggleInterval = function() {
		if (!interval) {
			Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
		} else {
			Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
		}
		return false;
	}

	this.initialize = function() {
		if (!initialized) {
			initialized = true;
			Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-toggle').onclick = this.toggleInterval;
			if (!Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				Dsq.$('dsq-realtime-show').onclick = this.show;
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
			if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.realtime_paused) {
				Dsq.Realtime.disableInterval();
			} else {
				Dsq.Realtime.enableInterval();
			}
		}
	}

	this.show = function() {
		insertNewPosts();
		updateNewPostCount();
		return false;
	}

	this.check = function() {
		if (!ongoing_request && Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			if (prev_script) {
				prev_script.parentNode.removeChild(prev_script);
			}
			ongoing_request = true;
			prev_script = Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/18356404/realtime.js?timestamp=' + last_checked);
		}
	};

	this.update = function(timestamp, posts, users) {
		ongoing_request = false;
		last_checked = timestamp;

		if (users) {
			for (var user_id in users) {
				if (users.hasOwnProperty(user_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.users[user_id] = users[user_id];
					}
				}
			}
		}

		if (posts) {
			for (var post_id in posts) {
				if (posts.hasOwnProperty(post_id)) {
					if (!Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id]) {
						Dsq.jsonData.posts[post_id] = posts[post_id];
						new_posts.push(post_id);
					}
				}
			}

			if (Dsq.jsonData.forum.streaming_realtime) {
				insertNewPosts();
			} else {
				updateNewPostCount();
			}
		}
	};

}();

// DEPRECATED
Dsq.Iframes = function() {
	// Different style of object from the above. Hoping to switch to this for some reason.
	var obj = {};

	// Private
	var showIframeInContainer = function(container, id, markup) {
		// Look through container for iframes, hiding them, except show one that matches id
		// If none of them matched id, create a new iframe using markup and insert it.
		// Returns the iframe node if and only if it was newly created.
		var found = false;
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				if (child.id == id) {
					child.style.display = 'block';
					found = true;
				} else {
					child.style.display = 'none';
				}
			}
		}
		if (found) {
			return;
		}
		// The iframe wasn't found, so construct it and add it to the container.
		// Don't use innerHTML because it might reload iframes
		var div = document.createElement('div');
		div.innerHTML = markup;
		var iframe = div.childNodes[0];
		div.removeChild(iframe);
		container.appendChild(iframe);
		return iframe;
	};

	// Public
	obj.makeReplyIframeId = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var id = 'dsq-post-add-iframe';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			id += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			id += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return id;
	};
	obj.makeLoginIframeId = function(opt_postId) {
		if (!opt_postId) {
			return 'dsq-login-iframe';
		}
		return 'dsq-login-iframe-' + opt_postId;
	};
	obj.makeReplyIframeName = function(opt_postId, opt_xtype) {
		var name = 'dsq-reply-frame';
		if (opt_xtype) {
			name += '-' + opt_xtype;
		}
		if (opt_postId) {
			name += '-' + opt_postId;
		}
		return name;
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId, opt_extraParams, opt_className) {
		// Construct the id so we can check if it's already present.
		// Hide any other iframes we find, and show this one if it's found.
		var params = opt_extraParams || {};
		// use xtype in the id and name so we can distinguish media replies from text replies:
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeId(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var name = Dsq.Iframes.makeReplyIframeName(opt_postId, params.xtype);
		var attributes = {
			'id': id,
			'name': name,
			'class': opt_className || 'dsq-post-reply'
			};
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameReply(opt_postId, opt_extraParams, attributes);
		var iframe = showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
		// It was newly created
		if (iframe) {
			Dsq.Events.fire(Dsq.Events.REPLY_IFRAME_CREATED, {
				postId: opt_postId,
				node: iframe,
				xtype: params.xtype
			});
		}
	};
	obj.showLoginIframeInContainer = function(container, opt_postId) {
		var id = Dsq.Iframes.makeLoginIframeId(opt_postId);
		var markup = Dsq.Templates.frameLogin({id: id});
		showIframeInContainer(container, id, markup);
	};
	obj.showReplyIframeInContainerIfAllowed = function(container, opt_postId) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.context.show_reply) {
			obj.showReplyIframeInContainer(container, opt_postId);
		} else {
			obj.hideAllInContainer(container);
		}
	};
	obj.hideAllInContainer = function(container) {
		for (var i=0; i<container.childNodes.length; i++) {
			var child = container.childNodes[i];
			if (child.nodeName == 'IFRAME') {
				child.style.display = 'none';
			}
		}
	};

	return obj;
}();

Dsq.Twitter = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startTwitterConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._twitterWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/twitter/begin/', 'twitterWindow', popupParams);
		that._twitterInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeTwitterConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeTwitterConnect = function() {
		if (that._twitterWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._twitterInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.Yahoo = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.startYahooConnect = function() {
		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=400';
		that._yahooWindow = window.open(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/yahoo/begin/', 'yahooWindow', popupParams);
		that._yahooInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeYahooConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeYahooConnect = function() {
		if (that._yahooWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._yahooInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.OpenID = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.requestURL = function() {
		var message = '<table class="dsq-openid-form"><tr><td style="vertical-align:top;" rowspan="2"><img src="' + Dsq.jsonData.settings.media_url + '/images/openid-icon-100x100.png" /></td>';
		message += '<td><label for="dsq-openid-url">OpenID URL:</label></td><td><input type="text" id="dsq-openid-url" /></td></tr>';
		message += '<tr><td><label for="dsq-openid-username">Display name:</label></td><td><input type="text" id="dsq-openid-username" /></td></tr>';
		message += '<tr><td class="dsq-openid-submit" colspan="3"><input type="button" value="Sign in" onclick="Dsq.OpenID.startConnect();" /></td></tr>';
		message += "</table>";

		Dsq.Popup.popModal(message, 'Sign in using OpenID');
	};

	this.startConnect = function() {
		var isblank = function(str) {
			return /^\s*$/.test(str);
		};

		var openid_url = Dsq.$('dsq-openid-url').value;
		var username = Dsq.$('dsq-openid-username').value;

		if (isblank(openid_url)) {
			return;
		}

		var popupParams = 'location=0,status=0,width=800,height=500';
		var url = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/_ax/openid/begin/' + '?url=' + encodeURIComponent(openid_url) + '&username=' + encodeURIComponent(username);
		that._openidWindow = window.open(url, 'openidWindow', popupParams);
		that._openidInterval = window.setInterval(that.completeConnect, 1000);
	};

	this.completeConnect = function() {
		if (that._openidWindow.closed) {
			window.clearInterval(that._openidInterval);
			window.location.reload();
		}
	};
};

Dsq.Reaction = new function() {
	var that = this;

	this.hide = function(id) {
		Dsq.Utils.execScript('http://disqus.com/forums/scobleizer/hidereaction.js?' + 'reaction_id=' + id);
	};

	this.reportMissingReactions = function() {
		if (!Dsq.jsonData.request.is_moderator || !Dsq.jsonData.forum.reactions_enabled) {
			return;
		}

		if (Dsq.jsonData.thread.queued) {
			Dsq.Popup.popModal('Your report has been received. The system will automatically search for new reactions; if any are found, they will be displayed on this comment thread.<br/><br/>Thank&nbsp;you.',
												 'Reported missing reactions');
			return;
		}

		Dsq.Utils.execScript(Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + '/forums/scobleizer/queueurl.js');
	};
};

Dsq.CNN = function() {
	var obj = {};

	obj.authenticate = function() {
		var url = Dsq.jsonData.settings.disqus_url + "/saml/cnn/try/";
		Dsq.Utils.postToUrl(url, {'target': document.location}, true);
	};

	return obj;
}();


if(Dsq.Utils.ie6) {
	(function() {
		DSQ_HEADER_AVATAR_RE = /<div class="dsq-header-avatar"(.*?)>/gim;
		Dsq.Templates.registerFilter('postPrependHeader', function(html, post_id) {
			// Add "onmouseout" for dsq-header-avatar for dropProfile
			// functionality since IE6 cannot use :hover.
			function _headerAvatarReplace(content, inner, _unused, html) {
				return '<div class="dsq-header-avatar" '
					+ inner
					+ ' onmouseout="Dsq.Post.dropProfile(' + post_id + ')">';
			}
			html = html.replace(DSQ_HEADER_AVATAR_RE, _headerAvatarReplace);
			return html;
		});
	})();
}





	// TODO: Move Seesmic code outside of the main script.  Don't let this script clobber the global namespace.
	if(typeof seesmic == 'undefined') { var seesmic = {}; }
	seesmic.widget = new function () {
		this.callback = function (data) {
			playerVersion = data.disqusplayer;
		};
	};

	
	var scriptEl = document.createElement('script');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('src', 'http://seesmic.com/version.js?callback=seesmic.widget.callback');
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(scriptEl);

	
	var scriptEl = document.createElement('script');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript');
	scriptEl.setAttribute('src', 'http://media.disqus.com/javascript/library/swfobject.js');
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(scriptEl);

	function see_play_video(_videoUri, _add) {
		var swf = !!playerVersion ? playerVersion : 'http://seesmic.com/embeds/StandalonePlayer.swf';

		flashcontentDiv = Dsq.$(_videoUri + '_content');
		previewDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_preview');
		hideDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_hide');
		showDiv = Dsq.$('dsq-seesmic-' + _videoUri + '_show');
		if(_add) {
			// push flash widget
			var so = new SWFObject(swf, 'sotester', '300', '270', '9', '#000000');
			so.addVariable('video', _videoUri);
			so.addParam('allowFullScreen', 'true');
			so.addParam('allowScriptAccess','always');
			so.useExpressInstall('swfobject/expressinstall.swf');
			so.write(_videoUri + '_content');

			previewDiv.style.display = 'none';
			hideDiv.style.display = 'block';
			showDiv.style.display = 'none';
		}
		else {
			flashcontentDiv.innerHTML = '';
			previewDiv.style.display = 'block';
			hideDiv.style.display = 'none';
			showDiv.style.display = 'block';
		}
	};





(function() {
	//
	// Load theme.  This overrides the base templates with template functions
	// from the respective themes.
	//
	if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
		var theme = 'narcissus';
		// HACK: Set variable on window to use post message.
		window.disqus_use_postmessage = true;

		
		for(var prop in Dsq.Themes[theme]) {
			if(Dsq.Themes[theme] && Dsq.Themes[theme].hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
				Dsq.Templates[prop] = Dsq.Themes[theme][prop];
			}
		}
		
		for(var prop in Dsq.Post) {
			if(Dsq.Themes[theme] && Dsq.Themes[theme].hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
				Dsq.Post[prop] = Dsq.Themes[theme][prop];
			}
		}
	}

	//
	// Register templates.  This must be done after all themes are loaded.
	//
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('authPost', Dsq.Templates.authPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('header', Dsq.Templates.header);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('footer', Dsq.Templates.footer);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('trackbacks', Dsq.Templates.trackbacks);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('reactions', Dsq.Templates.reactions);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('prependPost', Dsq.Templates.prependPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('appendPost', Dsq.Templates.appendPost);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postPrependHeader', Dsq.Templates.postPrependHeader);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postAppendHeader', Dsq.Templates.postAppendHeader);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('preBody', Dsq.Templates.preBody);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postBody', Dsq.Templates.postBody);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postFooter', Dsq.Templates.postFooter);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('_popupGeneric', Dsq.Templates._popupGeneric);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('voted', Dsq.Templates.voted);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('popupProfile', Dsq.Templates.popupProfile);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postBox', Dsq.Templates.postBox);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('pagination', Dsq.Templates.pagination);
	Dsq.Templates.registerTemplate('postComment_onSuccess', Dsq.Templates.postComment_onSuccess);

})();

Dsq.container.className = "clearfix";
Dsq.container.innerHTML = ' \
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673248">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673248" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673248" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673248" href="http://hauntingthunder.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Neuromancer</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673248" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673248" class="dsq-comment-message">"better cross-platform Web development ecosystem than Adobe"<br><br>This is the flash2.0 thing they are touting - does it work with Google thats the only browser you sould write for thease days</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673249">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673249" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673249" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673249" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673249" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673249" class="dsq-comment-message">Neuromancer: yes, look here: <a href="http://finance.google.com/finance?q=MSFT" rel="nofollow">http://finance.google.com/finance?q=MSFT</a><br><br>That chart? It\'s done in Adobe Flash.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673250">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673250" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673250" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673250" href="http://wenchadmin.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">deannie</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673250" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673250" class="dsq-comment-message">*sigh* indeed. In it "to win"? And what happens to the rest of us who are in the trenches? Businesses don\'t pick software because they perceive the product to be from \'winners\', we choose products because they work, provide value and yeah, are probably best of breed because the features kick ass.<br><br>My job is not to provide winningest software to the business I support - it is to make sure they get their hands on the very best software that helps them succeed.<br><br>Darn it Microsoft, make ME the winner. Or go home.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673245">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673245" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673245" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673245">anona</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673245" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673245" class="dsq-comment-message">"Microsoft isn’t going away. Don’t get me wrong. They have record profits, record sales, all that."<br><br>Yes, they are going away, albeit slowly. And they don\'t have record anything when it comes to financial performance as reflected by its stock price, during Ballmer\'s disastrous reign:</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673247">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673247" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673247" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673247" href="http://www.chrisg.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Chris Garrett</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673247" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673247" class="dsq-comment-message">Microsoft are the old guard trying to hold on to the fading glory. IBM-&gt;Microsoft-&gt;Google - I am more interested in who will supplant Google now than worrying about Microsoft, though I would still like to see Microsoft succeed :)<br><br>For all Googles perceived invincibility, it was a couple of low-level people who saved the company from what I understand. Adwords/Adsense wasn\'t in the business plan from the get-go, it was an employees bright idea. All those billions of dollars that move through the company might not have been there if some dude hadn\'t taken a good look at Overture and thought they could do it better. Microsoft needs to start listening to their real outside the box thinkers and forget about clinging to shrinkwrapped software and de facto operating system "taxes". They have money, credible competition and smart people - surely enough ? :)</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673244">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673244" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673244" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673244" href="http://www.bynkii.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John C. Welch</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673244" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673244" class="dsq-comment-message">Considering Microsoft\'s addiction to "Everything By Committee and Consensus"?<br><br>No chance. Microsoft can\'t allow any group that small to do anything. It\'s not the Microsoft Way.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673237">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673237" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673237" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673237" href="http://hauntingthunder.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Maurice</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673237" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673237" class="dsq-comment-message">Re working with google<br><br>Er what I was geting at was  does it get indexed corectly if you build a compleat site in it and not just a graph on a more traditionaly.<br><br>I\'me also not totaly convinced by Googles DIY aproach writing your own hdd drivers? - I bet theres  a lot of kludgy stuff we dont see in there DC\'s</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673238">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673238" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673238" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673238">boreno</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673238" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673238" class="dsq-comment-message">This might very well be the toughest Microsoft shoot-out post you\'ve ever made. Facinating! :-)<br><br>But your analysis seems to be limited to the consumer services that Microsoft is working on. Although this is the bigger piece of the market, it\'s still important to consider the business solutions strategies that Microsoft is pursuing. Recent announcements, such as the "Bookkeeper community" (Windows Live Finance if I remember correctly) contradicts some of your critizism. Being in the business solutions market today means watching Microsoft very, very closely for exactly the reasons you argue make Microsoft not doing "Internet".</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673239">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673239" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673239" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673239" href="http://alfredo.octavio.net/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Alfredo Octavio</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673239" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673239" class="dsq-comment-message">Welcome back, Robert!</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673240">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673240" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673240" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673240">or</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673240" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673240" class="dsq-comment-message">Ballmer says MS did two things well, and google only does one thing well.  But this is wrong.  Search - one,  Adwords/Adsense - two.  They may be somewhat related, but are separate.  Ranking sites, and responding correctly to queries is one thing.  Billing advertisers, and having a system for advertisers to create, and classify their ads is something different. Remember, wasn\'t MSN using another company for its ads until recently</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673242">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673242" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673242" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673242" href="http://teop.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ludvig A. Norin</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673242" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673242" class="dsq-comment-message">Ballmer-bashing aside (nothing wrong with that), Microsoft is doing business solutions way better than Google (with business solutions I\'m talking ERP solutions), and they\'re definitely doing it online. What Google have shown in that space so far is... nothing unique, innovative or especially useful.<br><br>(I\'m the one behind the "boreno" nickname, btw).</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673243">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673243" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673243" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673243">or</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673243" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673243" class="dsq-comment-message">When Google is serious about a product they don\'t stop until they get it right.  Their search engine was noy good from day one. If google is serious about business solutions, watch out - they will persist until they get it right.  The Google Reader Team was serious about it, and stuck to it till they got it right. But Google Reader was not a company wide priority, only to the reader team.  If the company is serious about business solutions, watch the various get going.  This is why google bought Youtube; they were serious about online video; their own wasn\'t having traction, so they bought.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673241">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673241" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673241" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673241" href="http://www.makeyougohmm.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TDavid</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673241" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673241" class="dsq-comment-message">Wow, maybe you don\'t want to work for Microsoft ever again after all :)<br><br>(This seems more show than tell, however)<br><br>"Again, Microsofties, you’d be better served not to talk trash until you have something YOU CAN SHIP!"<br><br>Got to tip your hat to Microsoft in the console gaming sector, Robert. The Xbox 360 is rocking and they managed to create the best online console gaming out there (Xbox Live) against the odds. Sony has an interesting idea with Home if they get enough people to pay too much for a PS3, or lower the price to be competitive, but right now it looks more like Nintendo could be the threat going forward.<br><br>Vista sucks, Tablet PCs are still overpriced, UMPCs are nowhere to be seen, IE continues to leak users to Firefox and the list goes on.<br><br>But as long as Microsoft has the warchest of $$$ they are at least in the running.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673234">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673234" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673234" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673234" href="http://www.daivddalka.com/createvalue" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">David Dalka</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673234" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673234" class="dsq-comment-message">While I agree Microsoft (and Yahoo!) both need a blog search(and that Google needs to move blog seach onto the front page immediately), to say that Microsoft search sucks is broad and unfounded. I recently had an experience where I needed to delete an item at the request of someone from my flickr account. Within a week, the <a href="http://live.com" rel="nofollow">live.com</a> and <a href="http://ask.com" rel="nofollow">ask.com</a> indexes had updated for it - item gone. Google and Yahoo! still have the item cluttering up their index one month later with a phantom item - now *that* is irrelevancy defined.<br><br>In a related matter, what is del.icio.us doing about rogue del.icio.us scraper sites? poorly written scrappers are combing multiple entries creating serious reputation management issues. Who indexes these sites? Again, not <a href="http://live.com" rel="nofollow">live.com</a> or Ask, but Google  and Yahoo!<br><br>Robert, you are not looking at the whole story with your statement. More data on top of spammy results is not more valuable in many situations.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673235">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673235" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673235" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673235" href="http://techworking.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Greg</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673235" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673235" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert, how did MS search go from being only slightly less worthy than Google\'s to sucking in less than a year?<br><a href="http://scobleizer.com/2006/10/12/microsofts-search-a-lot-better-than-it-used-to-be/" rel="nofollow">http://scobleizer.com/2006/10/12/microsofts-sea...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673236">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673236" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673236" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673236" href="http://gwhiz.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">gwhiz</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673236" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673236" class="dsq-comment-message">Greg - By not taking advantage of the situation and shipping something better. Instead, they\'ve sat on their behinds and managed to shed their search management in the process. Is that exhibiting leadership in any form/fashion?<br><br>I can create a version 1.0. If I don\'t iterate/improve in some perceptible manner in one year\'s time... I SUCK! ergo... MS Search = SUCK<br><br>In the past year Google\'s added layer upon layer to their search results, grown their data centers immensely. Meanwhile, MS has only "budgeted" for it. Big woop.<br><br>START SHIPPING! or take the whipping!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673232">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673232" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673232" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673232">Caleb</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673232" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673232" class="dsq-comment-message">Microsoft doesn\'t innovate, I worked 10-15 years ago with  Sybase/Unix then Microsoft did SQL, everybody said, It doesn\'t work, Microsoft should do DOS not DataBases, now you can see where is Sybase.  I think Microsoft its a very copy/cat, they see something and work in version 1, 2 maybe 3 and suddenly they have a better product.<br>So, if I see Microsoft is doing something I wait..</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673233">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673233" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673233" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673233" href="http://www.liveside.net/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Matthew Weyer</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673233" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673233" class="dsq-comment-message">Scoble: To clarify, I think specifically what Microsoft is trying to say is that they\'ve learned from the past and are going to correct mistakes for the future, and that\'s how they expect to win. I\'m going to be critical as well, just like any MVP or even a Microsoft employee should be, but additionally I like the optimism. I think part of the reason Google is winning is they have confidence that they can, and wave 1 of Windows Live has taken a beating, management needs to make some changes, as well as increasing morale.<br><br>I know I\'ll be disappointed in not being able to see more stuff before release, but just like Allchin was hammered for "taking things out of Vista", no one else at Microsoft wants to hear any crap anymore.  Thus they\'re going to keep quiet and go back to the basics of releasing great products and services, and concentrate on listening to feedback.<br><br>Something we can all do is offer Microsoft constructive criticism.  I think some press/blog sites want to make outrageous claims that Windows Live is dead, or whatever, and that doesn\'t help anyone.  Microsoft is building some great products that we\'re all going to love, which increases competition in the industry. We will all benefit from an even faster moving industry where all companies think "we\'re in it to win!"<br><br>As always, thanks for your comments Robert.<br><br>@Matthew</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673229">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673229" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673229" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673229" href="http://www.stat.ucla.edu/~jose" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">HG</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673229" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673229" class="dsq-comment-message">Overlooked is that iTunes is a sophisticated web application in disguise which integrates services and software.  So you might also add to your wish list that Microsoft make a better media store than Apple\'s, but I wouldn\'t hold my breath on that one either.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673230">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673230" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673230" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673230" href="http://www.ngkhai.net/bizdrivenlife" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">wilson ng</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673230" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673230" class="dsq-comment-message">Well, I think Google is on a stage where they could do no wrong, but it is dangerous for a company who is doing a lot of things just for the coolness factor.  Last great innovation I constantly heard from google is giving free massage, free car wash, free food, free laundry, and free shuttle rides to their employees....<br><br>If you have been to the Microsoft MVP summit, you will note that there were hundreds of sessions going on -- real focused partners talking to MS developers and executives about hundreds of products evolving and solving real life business world problems in real corporations that will earn hard more hard cash.<br><br>If that isn\'t the business, I don\'t know what is.<br><br>Google may also be reining in cash, but for now, they have consumers market and still hardly matter to real enterprises except I reckon the ad folks.  and it is when you have products that solve problems and creates solutions for big bucks companies with personal relationships that you really have a long term viable business that signals that you will be there for a long time to come.<br><br>I do business with both,and I know dozens of Microsoft people who I correspond, talk and meet, and all I know in google is working through their web sites. That hardly counts as a business relationship.<br><br>Best regards,</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673231">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673231" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673231" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673231">MSWatcher</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673231" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673231" class="dsq-comment-message">Come on Robert, you know better-this was preaching to the choir, nothing more. Of COURSE everyone over there bought the act.<br><br> I mean, this is a dedicated group of people who work for free for Microsoft, evangelize tirelessly for Microsoft, spam Digg defending Microsoft, and even travel great distances to hang out with others just like themselves, all for the cause of Microsoft.<br><br>The funny thing is, no one ever accuses them of being a "cult" like Apple users, yet this is a much more intensely loyal, kool aid drinking crowd than even Steve could hope for.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673220">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673220" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673220" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673220">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673220" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673220" class="dsq-comment-message">@13, "When Google is serious about a product they don’t stop until they get it right. "<br><br>Really? like Google Answers? like Google Video? Gmail outages last month? Google apps for your domain going down last month?<br><br>as somebody noted above, Google has a great perception advantage now. So whatever they do will look like a winning move.<br><br>No doubt google has a bigger pie in serach market. But that doesn\'t mean its behind google.<br><br>It\'s not a good idea to calibrate the capabilities of search engines using a single search phrase. Consider this - search for \'Robert\' in both live and google<br><a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=robert" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=robert</a><br><a href="http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=robert" rel="nofollow">http://search.live.com/results.aspx?q=robert</a><br><br>Google\'s first link is scobleizer. While scoble is a great blogger, there is no way people are looking for him when they type in \'Robert\' in the search box.<br><br>Live shows wikipedia entry on the firstname \'Robert\' which is perfectly reasonable. So do we conclude that live is better?<br><br>Business is not a 100 mtr sprint. Being first doesn\'t mean that there is NOBODY before you. The winner is one who can do more things better than any other guy. Sure, someone can do a specific thing better than the winner. But that doesn\'t mean the winner is losing.<br><br>Blogs are replacing the old media. Exactly. Sensation now matters more than substance. Unfortunately Microsoft is not providing the former.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673221">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673221" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673221" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673221">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673221" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673221" class="dsq-comment-message">"The funny thing is, no one ever accuses them of being a “cult” like Apple users, yet this is a much more intensely loyal, kool aid drinking crowd than even Steve could hope for."<br><br>Becuase, MVPs don\'t indulge in personal attacks in a debate.<br>Because MVPs don\'t rationalize every word that comes out of Redmond.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673222">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673222" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673222" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673222" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673222" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673222" class="dsq-comment-message">seshadri: maybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes.<br><br>Google reflects Internet popularity.<br><br>The fact that I can rely on it for people\'s names far more than <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> means I use it a lot more.<br><br>gwhiz: you got it!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673223">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673223" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673223" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673223">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673223" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673223" class="dsq-comment-message">Oh and another thing.<br><br>Why is google not seen as a failure when \'a nobody\' launches something like a twitter? I mean, twitter is part of the *world\'s information*. Shouldn\'t the \'shipping\' google have come up with an application like that?</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673224">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673224" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673224" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673224">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673224" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673224" class="dsq-comment-message">@28, I agree to that for the world \'scoble\'. No questions. But surely not robert<br><br>why doesn\'t Bruce Schneier show up for a search on Bruce?<br><a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=bruce" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=bruce</a> ( he was on the list. IIRC he was about 5-10 positions behind you)<br>and the same for Om (malik)- <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=om" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=om</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673225">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673225" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673225" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673225" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673225" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673225" class="dsq-comment-message">@MSWatcher: Microsoft needs to learn to just be quiet when they aren\'t doing well.<br><br>What I can see behind the scenes that most people can see is just how messed up Microsoft is internally. My friends are telling stories that would make your head spin.<br><br>That\'s what makes Seshadri just a hype job. He can\'t explain the incessant reorgs. The incessant killings of products by marketing. The constant leaving of smart people. The M&amp;A where Microsoft doesn\'t buy best of breed.<br><br>Yes, there are places where Microsoft is working pretty well. Xbox and anything Scott Guthrie does seem pretty good.<br><br>But the Internet space? Has Microsoft really learned and is on a good path? The evidence hasn\'t been shown and stories from inside from my friends (IE, people I trust) don\'t tell a good story. We\'ll see.<br><br>As to business side of the Internet. Microsoft is the business computing company now. We\'ll see how it goes there cause Microsoft is going to be under constant relenting attack by lots of forces, not just Google there, but Microsoft\'s position is far more defensable in business than it is in the consumer space.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673226">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673226" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673226" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673226" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673226" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673226" class="dsq-comment-message">seshadri: Google did have a Twitter-like thing. It\'s called Dodgeball and it was around before Twitter did.<br><br>Twitter is lame software. What\'s cool about it is most of my friends are on it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673227">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673227" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673227" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673227" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673227" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673227" class="dsq-comment-message">Bruce and Om?<br><br>Om is #3 on Google.<br><br>Bruce is #6 on Google.<br><br>Not too bad.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673228">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673228" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673228" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673228">MSWatcher</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673228" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673228" class="dsq-comment-message">"Because MVPs don’t rationalize every word that comes out of Redmond."<br><br>Thats exactly what Scoble is pointing out about "We\'re in it to Win", dude. How the MVPs are rationalizing it, while everyone outside the tent is asking, wtf?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673218">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673218" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673218" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673218">Billy</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673218" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673218" class="dsq-comment-message">It\'s interesting how Oracle has gone pretty quiet lately. It seems the more posturing the "leaders" rant and rave about the more desperate they seem. No one wants talk, they want OSs that are fast and don\'t crash. They want cross-app functionality (still can\'t believe the issues I have with Outlook &amp; Word). Like my dad says, using Windows \'95 - "Don\'t Touch my stuff! It works and every time I get an update or something it stops working and I can never figure out how to fix it so don\'t touch it!"</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673219">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673219" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673219" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673219">John</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673219" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673219" class="dsq-comment-message">Sad, but I agree with you here Robert...and I\'m a softie.  The thing is that nobody in the trenches at MSFT believes the execu-spin either.  I read Ballmer\'s talk at Stanford and wanted to jump out my 2nd story window (why won\'t these windows open?).  And after reading it, I\'m even more convinced (like I wasn\'t already...yeah right) that Ballmer needs to go.  He and the SLT are lost, just lost and can\'t see the forest...because they\'re f--king blind.  They all need to go.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673212">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673212" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673212" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673212" href="http://mike.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mike Torres</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673212" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673212" class="dsq-comment-message">"maybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes."<br><br>Every once in a while, the ego shines on through the rants :)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673213">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673213" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673213" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673213">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673213" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673213" class="dsq-comment-message">@32, "What’s cool about it is most of my friends are on it."<br>Why weren\'t your friends on it? why did they choose twitter over dodgeball?<br><br>@33, "Not too bad."<br>This is not what you expect from Google. Do you? You expect the best of the lot.<br><br>"That’s what makes Seshadri just a hype job"<br><br>Incorrect. Nowhere in my comments do/did i hype up MSFT. All i am saying is that a totally different scale is being applied to MSFT to callibrate it while all its competitors seem to enjoy a free ride.<br><br>@34, "How the MVPs are rationalizing "<br>Where do you see this? Any links where someone has justified anything that was said in this weeks meet?<br><br>( I can\'t tell you how excited i am for Google to launch its GPhone. For the first time in quite a while we will have a direct 1-to-1 between the #1 and #2 rivals of MSFT. GPhone Vs iPhone. WOW. Should be fun to see if equal scales are applied in that case)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673214">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673214" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673214" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673214">MSWatcher</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673214" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673214" class="dsq-comment-message">"It\'s an exciting time for the industry, and Microsoft is going to win!  Go get them Steven!"<br><br>go team! :p</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673215">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673215" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673215" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673215">Christopher Coulter</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673215" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673215" class="dsq-comment-message">You are comparing one product, up against a company with a multitude of products, the comparison isn\'t really level, nor fair, and they have a number of competitors across all product lines. And Google is a one-trick pony, they haven\'t really been successful outside of one area, whereas Microsoft has been. Each company has their pluses and their vices. But rant at the moon, if it makes you feel better. :) Productwise, I think they are doing great, Vista and Office 2007, are wonders to behold, perhaps not all they could have been, but still great for the market. The thing killing Microsoft is not Google, it\'s their own internal bitterly political warfare games.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673216">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673216" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673216" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673216">Pam</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673216" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673216" class="dsq-comment-message">I don\'t know what MVPs you hang out with, but the MVPs I know are not particularly fond of koolaid.  Just because you work with and understand the tech doesn\'t mean you are by definition an apologist.<br><br>But that doesn\'t make for such sensational text, does it?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673217">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673217" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673217" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673217" href="http://toddsieling.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Todd Sieling</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673217" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673217" class="dsq-comment-message">In it to win? Seriously profound statement, and way outta left field. It is still topped by<br><br>"I GOT 4 WORDS FOR YUH: I. LOVE. [GASP WHEEZE] THIS. COMPANY."<br><br>yeaaaah. go MS</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673210">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673210" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673210" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673210" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673210" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673210" class="dsq-comment-message">Mike: and you\'re not egotistical? Riiiiigggghhhhhttttt.<br><br>When you gonna build a better blog service? My wife is on it and it really really sucks.<br><br>Let me worry about my ego, you worry about my wife\'s blog service. It\'s always so freaking slow.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673211">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673211" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673211" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673211" href="http://www.livedigitally.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Jeremy Toeman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673211" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673211" class="dsq-comment-message">Re: "robert" being first in Google.  Scoble, man, you know I like you and all, but you can\'t take all this stuff so seriously that you have let yourself think that when people google "Robert" they are all looking for you???  How many people even think of you as "Robert" versus just "Scoble"?<br><br>Google results for "Robert" = 429,000,000<br>Google results for "Scoble" = 5,180,000<br>Google results for "Robert Scoble" = 1,210,000<br><br>I did a whole post recently on first names and Google results: <a href="http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/03/12/googling-first-names/" rel="nofollow">http://www.livedigitally.com/2007/03/12/googlin...</a><br><br>Back to the point at hand, I think you are probably right that they aren\'t acting like a company who is tyring to win.  That said, I do believe that they still *want* to win, much the same way Sony still *wants* to dominate the MP3 market.  They just have way too many people operating with 1990s (or even 1980s) mentality to even become a contender again...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673208">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673208" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673208" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673208" href="http://www.makeyougohmm.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TDavid</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673208" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673208" class="dsq-comment-message">@45 Scoble, easy on Mike, he\'s one of the good guys. I do agree with you on MSN Spaces being slow but I\'m thinking <a href="http://Wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">Wordpress.com</a> would be crippled with a fraction of the MSN Spaces traffic.<br><br>@46 Still, 5.1 million results for Scoble is impressive, Jeremy, got to give Scoble props for that.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673209">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673209" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673209" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673209" href="http://www.livedigitally.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Jeremy Toeman</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673209" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673209" class="dsq-comment-message">I *completely* give him props for that, and would even state that 99% (or more) of searches for "Scoble" are for him!  I give him props for a lot of stuff, I just don\'t agree that 99% of people who enter "Robert" as a search term (which I don\'t think happens all that frequently to begin with) are looking for him, that\'s all...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673204">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673204" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673204" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673204">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673204" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673204" class="dsq-comment-message">another trivia, Larry Page is not the \'Larry\'-est of em all in google - <a href="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=larry" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&amp;q=larry</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673205">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673205" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673205" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673205">anona</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673205" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673205" class="dsq-comment-message">@seshadri: "Something we can all do is offer Microsoft constructive criticism..."<br><br>Why? Some of us would like to see MSFT just implode. We\'d all be better seeing a convicted monopoly abuser that taxes computing the world over just go away. So I love Ballmer. I love what he\'s done to the MSFT stock. I love the fact that MSFT just can\'t do anything right. I love the fact that product after product they have failed pretty much in everything they\'ve gone after. Love it.<br><br>"Microsoft is building some great products that we’re all going to love"<br><br>And you\'re claiming you\'re not a MSFT mouthpiece? Get real.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673206">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673206" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673206" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673206">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673206" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673206" class="dsq-comment-message">@50, what are you smoking? i didn\'t say either of those things.<br><br>Try to match them up with the actual commenter.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673207">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673207" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673207" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673207" href="http://comicstripblog.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Comic Strip Blogger</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673207" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673207" class="dsq-comment-message">After several years of strongly supporting Windows Mobile Microsoft still has not given me MVP just because old MVPs, who get the award for ever, are jealous of myself. So you are absolutely right that "The words are empty.".</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673201">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673201" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673201" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673201">Billy</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673201" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673201" class="dsq-comment-message">PS their MVP process is stupid. I know people who should most definitely not be representing MSFT as MVPs and others who should (and have been nominated and not chosen).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673202">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673202" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673202" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673202" href="http://stephensmith.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Steve</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673202" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673202" class="dsq-comment-message">I was just scrolling back through your post and came up with this: that MSFT has no Pipes killer, no adWords killer, no Flash killer, no killer searchbox, no killer datacenter. Just what Ballmer might call cute efforts.<br><br>And I\'m wondering if that\'s fine.<br><br>Has MSFT already bet on business communications instead? I mean, I haven\'t seen it yet, but I thought the Live Communications server/client is intended to be MSFTs next trick. That search is kind of a competitive reflex, but enterprise communications is supposed to be the future growth area for the company. Isn\'t everything else just smoke and mirrorss? I thought that was why Jeff Raikes took the telephone job himself last spring.<br><br>I kind of interpreted Live and the internet products as they stand today as mostly misdirection - sort of a pump fake.<br><br>And I think the TellMe acquisition lines up really well with my idea.<br><br>Am I on to something?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673203">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673203" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673203" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673203" href="http://mike.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mike Torres</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673203" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673203" class="dsq-comment-message">"Mike: and you’re not egotistical? Riiiiigggghhhhhttttt."<br><br>Well, I don\'t know.  But I don\'t praise myself in my own comments every week :)<br><br>"When you gonna build a better blog service? My wife is on it and it really really sucks."<br><br>That\'s constructive.  You guys have my email address, phone number, office number, and URL.  The last time I received any feedback was probably almost 2 years ago.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673194">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673194" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673194" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673194" href="http://maryamie.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Maryam Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673194" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673194" class="dsq-comment-message">Mike,<br><br>I agree with David. You are one of the good guys. I still am using spaces, but it does have a few problems. I mentioned them last August in my blog and none of the problems, to my knowledge, have been fixed.<br><br><a href="http://maryamie.spaces.live.com/blog/cns%219592F3DEF41537A3%212002.entry" rel="nofollow">http://maryamie.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!9592F3...</a><br><br>Thanks for your consideration.<br><br>Maryam</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673195">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673195" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673195" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673195" href="http://nelsonbiagiojr.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nelson Biagio Junior</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673195" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673195" class="dsq-comment-message">Maryam, change your blog to Wordpress. It\'s the best!!!!<br><br>:)<br><br>regards,</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673196">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673196" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673196" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673196" href="http://mike.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mike Torres</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673196" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673196" class="dsq-comment-message">Thanks Maryam.  I will check it out.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673197">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673197" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673197" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673197" href="http://maryamie.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">maryam scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673197" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673197" class="dsq-comment-message">Thanks Mike! Really the commenting system is the one that makes my readers upset.<br><br>Nelson,<br>I like Wordpress and I like Matt, but spaces feels like home. I am hoping with time they will improve. It\'s hard to move!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673198">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673198" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673198" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673198">shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673198" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673198" class="dsq-comment-message">"maybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes."<br><br>You\'ve gotta be kidding me! Seriously, you\'re saying that when people serch for "Robert" on Google, they\'re not looking for Robert DeNiro or Robert Redford, but for Robert Scoble? Aren\'t you giving yourself a little too much importance? That\'s probably one of the reasons you like Google so much - because of the importance they give you. Wow! :-)<br><br>Also, I don\'t know Mike personally but he comes across as a nice person in his blog.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673199">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673199" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673199" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673199">Diego</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673199" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673199" class="dsq-comment-message">Mike: \'“When you gonna build a better blog service? My wife is on it and it really really sucks.”<br><br>That’s constructive. You guys have my email address, phone number, office number, and URL. The last time I received any feedback was probably almost 2 years ago.\'<br><br>You mean you can\'t tell that it\'s slow? Are you bypassing something that everyone else outside of Microsoft sees?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673200">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673200" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673200" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673200">shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673200" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673200" class="dsq-comment-message">On second thoughts, maybe you are the most popular "Robert" of them all!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673193">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673193" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673193" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673193" href="http://fakesteve.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">FSJ</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673193" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673193" class="dsq-comment-message">Maryam,<br><br>You\'re a doll, but your husband needs help. Soon all sorts of Softietards will be calling him with advice to apologize to Ballmer &amp; Co. Don\'t let him do it. I\'m told he might be prone to doing so. He doesn\'t have to go back to Redmond for another tour of duty. The world is seeing the salesguy for what he is. He\'s asleep at the wheel; let him be. Much love.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673191">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673191" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673191" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673191" href="http://mike.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mike Torres</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673191" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673191" class="dsq-comment-message">Diego: Ultimately, just like any site, the more content you have on your page(s) the slower the page will load.  We do take performance very seriously and are making gains every release - we\'ve improved quite a bit recently.<br><br>Maryam: We\'re working on commenting!<br><br>One thing to point out though: comparing WordPress to Spaces is like comparing Twitter to IM or Facebook to Flickr.  They are just different tools with different goals for a different audience.  Not everyone strives to be the #1 Robert or to get their service mentioned in Mashable on Tuesdays.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673192">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673192" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673192" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673192" href="http://www.makeyougohmm.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TDavid</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673192" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673192" class="dsq-comment-message">@Mike - I\'m still rooting for just giving domain control features to MSN Spaces users so that people like Maryam, myself and others could have our own domain names instead of a live.whatever.whatever/name/ space or whatever flavor the domain structure changes. I think since launch it\'s changed what, four times?<br><br>Hopefully speed and increased flexibility are on the map as high priorities for the team.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673189">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673189" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673189" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673189">Dr. Internet</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673189" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673189" class="dsq-comment-message">Eh, who really wants Microsoft to win? I mean, they already control the desktop and the office suite. I\'d rather not have my only option for everything to be Microsoft.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673190">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673190" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673190" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673190" href="http://mike.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mike Torres</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673190" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673190" class="dsq-comment-message">I know TDavid, I want it too (I have my domain ready to go) but there are some pretty complex scaling and authentication issues to get over first before it\'s possible.  Part of the "problem" with a big service.  If we only had 10,000 or 100,000 or even 1 mil users, we could do it tomorrow.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673188">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673188" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673188" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673188" href="http://0nestop.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Jason Williams</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673188" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673188" class="dsq-comment-message">Microsoft has two problems really.  1. They don\'t develop, they takeover/buy (although Google seems to be heading in that direction).  2.  When they do develop, they do it for the lowest common denominator (Reminds me of AOL).<br><br>Its all about the bottom dollar and not innovation for them.  If it\'s not pre-installed it doesn\'t do well.  Give anyone a choice and 9/10 times they will use a competitors product.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673187">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673187" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673187" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673187" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673187" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673187" class="dsq-comment-message">Mike: why would we continue giving feedback when you don\'t listen to what we told you years ago?<br><br>1) Make it faster.<br>2) Make it so our friends can comment without signing in (anonymous jerks are a big part of commenting).<br>3) Make it faster.<br>4) Make it so we can customize the look and feel.<br>5) Make it so we can add lots of cool gadgets easily.<br>6) Make it faster.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673186">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673186" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673186" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673186" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673186" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673186" class="dsq-comment-message">#47: There are TONS of good guys at Microsoft. They just aren\'t focused on me as a customer. Rather they want to "win." WTF?<br><br>Big companies win by listening.<br><br>Microsoft doesn\'t demonstrate listening behavior very often.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673183">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673183" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673183" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673183">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673183" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673183" class="dsq-comment-message">"Big companies win by listening.<br><br>Microsoft doesn’t demonstrate listening behavior very often."<br><br>And obviously, any big company that doesn\'t demonstrate listening behavior does not win because it does not come up with cool products, right?<br><br>So, your position is: Microsoft doesn\'t make any cool products... errr... no, wait... they do make cool products.... no, they don\'t...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673184">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673184" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673184" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673184" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri(former bloggerATwordp</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673184" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673184" class="dsq-comment-message">"Big companies win by listening"<br><br>very true. Do you have any examples?<br>(My examples : Google -big, not listening; Apple - big, not listening)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673185">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673185" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673185" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673185" href="http://mike.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mike Torres</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673185" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673185" class="dsq-comment-message">You can install thousands of gadgets including custom HTML (so technically unlimited) already.  There are tons of cool ones in Live Gallery.  And if you see one you like on someone\'s space, you can add it to your own.<br><br>And we HAVE made it faster. If something is still running slower than you\'d like, you might want to remove some stuff (like gadgets).  You can\'t load your page up with a bunch of Ajax goodness and expect it to load as fast as Google search results of course.<br><br>Anonymous comments is something we all want.<br><br>Customization has also gotten a LOT more flexible (more layouts, more themes, more color and transparency options, more custom HTML options) and we have even more coming that will allow people to make the page look completely unique without having to deal with HTML.<br><br>I can take you through it so you are up to speed on everything.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673182">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673182" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673182" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673182">Norberto</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673182" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673182" class="dsq-comment-message">I agree with you, Robert. MS isn\'t going anywhere. They make a product that is just "good enough". They have 95% of the desktop market, so technically, since they have achieved vendor lock-in, good enough is all they have to do.<br><br>They throw a few bones to the masses now and again, like Vista. Vista is more or less XP with a few new things, but a lot of eye candy. I\'m not even going there.<br><br>I\'m rarely a tech front liner. In other words, I\'m not a hardware/software guinea pig. I wait for others to blow their money and let the bugs get worked out first.<br><br>MS is along for the ride, that\'s it. They don\'t deliver anything that I can\'t do without. Nothing.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673177">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673177" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673177" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673177">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673177" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673177" class="dsq-comment-message">@74:<br>"My examples : Google -big, not listening; Apple - big, not listening"<br><br>They don\'t need to. The media (including bloggers) loves what they do. They may be big but as far as the media is concerned, they\'re still underdogs in the fight against Microsoft.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673178">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673178" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673178" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673178" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673178" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673178" class="dsq-comment-message">@77,<br>I agree.<br><br>That\'s why i can\'t wait for iPhone Vs GPhone</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673179">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673179" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673179" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673179" href="http://fakesteve.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">FSJ</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673179" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673179" class="dsq-comment-message">@seshadri: "Do you have any examples?"<br><br>Sure, Microsoft.<br>MSFT listened to companies that want better search.<br>MSFT went back to the labs to see if it can out-innovate Google.<br>MSFT realized it couldn\'t. So it unleashed Ballmer to go bark at Google.<br>And, as it always does, MSFT decided to PAY companies to use its (otherwise) unpopular products:<br><br><a href="http://news.com.com/2061-10803_3-6168028.html" rel="nofollow">http://news.com.com/2061-10803_3-6168028.html</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673180">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673180" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673180" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673180">Norberto</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673180" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673180" class="dsq-comment-message">@77,<br><br>what about Linux? Linux seems to be the underdog in its own circles, but no one else seems to care about getting out from under MS.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673181">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673181" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673181" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673181">msserf</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673181" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673181" class="dsq-comment-message">"Google writes its own hard disk drivers."<br><br>Microsoft writes its own entire OPERATING SYSTEM.  It writes drivers!<br><br>Anyway I think you are confusing GoogleFS (filesystem) with HD drivers.  Their boxes probably max out on RAM -- HD search is just too slow, so it\'s probably not even a factor here.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673173">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673173" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673173" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673173">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673173" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673173" class="dsq-comment-message">@79, what about Google paying Dell to have its toolbar installed on every computer sold? Also, what about this: <a href="http://www.spreadfirefox.com/node/24451" rel="nofollow">http://www.spreadfirefox.com/node/24451</a> ?<br><br>I\'m going to restate Scoble\'s comment: "Companies survive by listening." No company that doesn\'t listen to its customers can survive for as long as Microsoft has.<br><br>@80:<br>"what about Linux? Linux seems to be the underdog in its own circles, but no one else seems to care about getting out from under MS."<br><br>Realistically speaking, Apple and Google have a better chance of beating Microsoft.<br><br>"They don’t deliver anything that I can’t do without. Nothing."<br><br>I can say the same about Apple or Google too. I really can do without Google search or the iPod. In fact, I don\'t think I can do without Excel or Outlook.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673174">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673174" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673174" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673174">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673174" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673174" class="dsq-comment-message">@77,<br>in the Pre-google era, Linux was the mascot of anything anti-MSFT. (Redhat was supposed kicking MSFT\'s ass in the desktops)<br><br>@79 - I think that\'s a good move.<br>Why?<br>LIVE search is certainly not inferior to Google/yahoo/. But it is suffering from not having acceptability and lack of intertia. (and some branding confusion too). So this will help overcome those issues.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673175">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673175" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673175" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673175">Norberto</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673175" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673175" class="dsq-comment-message">@82,<br><br>I use Linux exclusively. No Outlook, no Excel. OpenOffice has served me well for years now with no hitches on either end.<br><br>You (metaphorically speaking) are only trapped by MS if you choose to remain trapped. See, that\'s the rub. People care too much about compatibility with their friends. Ever heard of plain text? What about RTF? What about pushing, encouraging, and ACTUALLY using open standards instead of complaining about MS?<br><br>I left MS products a long time ago with zero ill effects. You, too, can do this.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673176">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673176" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673176" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673176">anona</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673176" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673176" class="dsq-comment-message">"I think that’s a good move."<br><br>Of course, it is.<br>IF all you\'re interested in is to "win."<br>But then don\'t be surprised if MSFT is despised and not trusted.<br>Who needs to listen to customers when you can literally bribe them into using your products?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673172">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673172" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673172" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673172">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673172" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673172" class="dsq-comment-message">@86 - this is an accepted practice in the tech world. google bundles its toolbar with acrobat reader install. Not just in software, every industry bundles deals as part of promotions.<br><br>Particularly in this case, its not an inferior product. All the negative perception apart, Live search is atleast on par with google.<br><br>BTW,How do you connect this with \'trust\'?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673171">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673171" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673171" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673171">anona</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673171" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673171" class="dsq-comment-message">@ seshadri: "this is an accepted practice in the tech world."<br><br>Boggles the mind. Lots of thigs are "accepted practice" out there; does that make them good?<br><br>If a company\'s natural reaction to adversity is to "win" by bribing, then you have MSFT exactly where it belongs: unable to invent or innovate, it bullies or bribes.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673170">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673170" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673170" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673170" href="http://www.bynkii.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John C. Welch</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673170" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673170" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>Got to tip your hat to Microsoft in the console gaming sector, Robert. The Xbox 360 is rocking and they managed to create the best online console gaming out there (Xbox Live) against the odds. Sony has an interesting idea with Home if they get enough people to pay too much for a PS3, or lower the price to be competitive, but right now it looks more like Nintendo could be the threat going forward.</i><br><br>*looks like*?<br><br>Dude, the Xbox can\'t even outsell the PS2, meanwhile the Wii is kicking EVERYONE\'s ass. The *Wii* is rocking, the Xbox is wobbling.<br><br><i>Mike: and you’re not egotistical? Riiiiigggghhhhhttttt.<br><br>When you gonna build a better blog service? My wife is on it and it really really sucks.<br><br>Let me worry about my ego, you worry about my wife’s blog service. It’s always so freaking slow.</i><br><br>Dear god, what is up with the new login for spaces. Could it suck any MORE? I don\'t see how.<br><br><i>“Big companies win by listening”<br><br>very true. Do you have any examples?<br>(My examples : Google -big, not listening; Apple - big, not listening)</i><br><br>Funny how Apple "doesn\'t listen", but they keep coming out with stuff that people love. Maybe there\'s more ways of listening besides blogs...oh wait, how silly of me...blogs are the only things that count. Observation and all the rest are crap, right? Only blogs matter. Microsoft has hundreds of blogs, and look how well they\'re doing...um...oops.<br><br><i>Realistically speaking, Apple and Google have a better chance of beating Microsoft.</i><br><br>"beating the other guy" is the wrong focus. It puts you into a reactive posture. Just like Microsoft. They only care about beating the competition, so everything they do is derived from that.<br><br>Apple and Google are servicing their customers, and doing the things they do best. They have a small number of things they do, they do them really well, and trust in their customers to recognize that. They ship regularly, and don\'t bullshit their customers the way Microsoft does, like with that entire Port25 marketing spew.<br><br>That\'s why they\'re doing well. And why Microsoft isn\'t.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673169">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673169" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673169" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673169">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673169" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673169" class="dsq-comment-message">@85:<br>"I left MS products a long time ago with zero ill effects. You, too, can do this."<br><br>I agree. I could start using Gnumeric instead of Excel. But I can live without Google too, or even Apple.<br><br>@88:<br>"If a company’s natural reaction to adversity is to “win” by bribing, then you have MSFT exactly where it belongs: unable to invent or innovate, it bullies or bribes."<br><br>So, it\'s okay for Google to pay Dell to have its toolbar installed on every PC sold? It\'s okay for Google to pay AdSense publishers $1 for referring Firefox with Google toolbar?<br><br>@90:<br>" The *Wii* is rocking, the Xbox is wobbling."<br>Yes, the Wii is rocking. Is the XBox really wobbling? Whatever makes you happy.<br><br>"That’s why they’re doing well. And why Microsoft isn’t."<br>So, Microsoft isn\'t doing well? Hmm. Again, whatever makes you happy!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673168">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673168" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673168" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673168">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673168" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673168" class="dsq-comment-message">"That’s why they’re doing well. And why Microsoft isn’t"<br><br>All bashing aside, its not like MSFT is in red. It still has double digit growth. If - this is a forecast - i would love to see how many  of the nay sayers actually go short on MSFT. The market does let you bet both ways.<br><br>Apple can gain 1% marketshare and be called \'doing well\', but XBOX 360 is a failure even when it is gaining marketshare and is #2? (Yeah yeah PS2 kicks 360 in the rear. unfortnately theres some friendly fire going on with PS3 as well)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673164">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673164" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673164" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673164" href="http://www.bynkii.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John C. Welch</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673164" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673164" class="dsq-comment-message">IBM was making lots of profit, even when it was doing really poorly.<br><br>The fact is, No one cares about Vista, Office 2007 is a non-issue for at least a year, and the Xbox 360 can\'t outsell a five year old game system, and is getting its ass beat by everything BUT the PS3.<br><br>Microsoft didn\'t build the Xbox 360 to do anything but beat the PS3. In that, it succeeded. Nintendo ignored both of them, and built a game system that was damned near instantly usable by anyone with enough coordination to hold a stick, and made playing games fun OUTSIDE of the game.<br><br>That\'s the difference. Nintendo decided on a goal that wasn\'t dependent on the competition, Microsoft was all about being better than Sony.<br><br>And no, the Xbox 360 is not #2.<br><br>It\'s number *Three*.<br><br>the Wii is #1, the PS2 is #2.<br><br>Xbox? #3.<br><br>Your own myopia here is a perfect example of Microsoft\'s.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673165">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673165" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673165" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673165">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673165" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673165" class="dsq-comment-message">"Your own myopia here is a perfect example of Microsoft’s."<br><br>Pot, meet kettle.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673166">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673166" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673166" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673166">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673166" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673166" class="dsq-comment-message">"No one cares about Vista"<br>How do you know? you\'ve spoken to ALL? Look at this - <a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=229" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=229</a><br><br>so, Having the latest OS release labelled as a non-starter is not something new for MSFT. But hey, may be even Ed Bott is myopic and thats symbolic of the problem with MSFT?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673167">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673167" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673167" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673167">Kelly</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673167" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673167" class="dsq-comment-message">"IBM was making lots of profit, even when it was doing really poorly."<br><br>Not exactly, as IBM lost billions of dollars in the early 90\'s. Microsoft anywhere near that point.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673163">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673163" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673163" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673163">Diego</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673163" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673163" class="dsq-comment-message">"Anonymous comments is something we all want."<br><br>Yes! Why is it that Spaces requires someone to have an account on there? That is extremelly lame. As Scoble says, anonymous jerks are a big part of comments. Maybe requiring an account is just a way of trying to force people in to the Microsoft camp? Doesn\'t make sense I know. All it does is annoy people. I know that when I\'m on Digg, or some other place, and I land on a Spaces blog I just close the browser tab. I don\'t want to be part of the conversation if you\'re forcing me to signup.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673161">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673161" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673161" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673161" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673161" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673161" class="dsq-comment-message">&gt;seshadri: Particularly in this case, its not an inferior product. All the negative perception apart, Live search is atleast on par with google.<br><br>You just lost any credibility you might have had here.<br><br>I\'ve done tons of searches and Live is behind -- often way behind -- in almost any search I do (except for the aformentioned "Robert").</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673162">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673162" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673162" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673162" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673162" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673162" class="dsq-comment-message">&gt;Seshadri: Do you have any examples?<br>(My examples : Google -big, not listening; Apple - big, not listening)<br><br>Hah! Google has a news reader. We asked for that. Where\'s Microsoft\'s? Google has blog search engine. Where\'s Microsoft\'s? Apple has a podcasting client. Where\'s Microsoft\'s? Apple puts blogging on its signs in its stores. Where\'s Microsoft\'s?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673158">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673158" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673158" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673158" href="http://www.muralikrishnan.net/blog/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Murali</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673158" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673158" class="dsq-comment-message">Can someone tell me one more success that Google has under its belt besides Search .... mmmm ... mmmm .... mmmm ... mmmm ...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673159">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673159" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673159" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673159" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673159" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673159" class="dsq-comment-message">Murali: it\'s mapping service has most of the mashups on the Web using it. Google Reader is #1 according to most stats. And its big success? It isn\'t search.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673160">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673160" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673160" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673160" href="http://blog.kirupa.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Kirupa</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673160" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673160" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert, in post 97, you mention "I’ve done tons of searches and Live is behind — often way behind — in almost any search I do (except for the aformentioned “Robert”)."<br><br>Yet, not too long ago, you mentioned, "Damn, I saw some people talking about how much better Microsoft’s Live Search was and I just tried a few searches and, indeed, it’s a lot better than it used to be. They’ve significantly closed the gap with Google.<br><br>How does it do on your favorite searches? I even picked out a random Windows API call and did a search on that. MSN used to always suck on those. But <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> gets it right.<br><br>It’s also fast and the UI is nice. I think it matches Google all the way around on search."<br>Taken from: <a href="http://scobleizer.com/2006/10/12/microsofts-search-a-lot-better-than-it-used-to-be/" rel="nofollow">http://scobleizer.com/2006/10/12/microsofts-sea...</a><br>I\'m sure I and your other readers would be curious to know what exactly changed between the Live Search of then compared to the Live Search of today.<br><br>Cheers!<br>Kirupa</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673157">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673157" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673157" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673157" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673157" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673157" class="dsq-comment-message">Kirupa: go back and read my earlier articles: I said that <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> had closed the gap.<br><br>Now, go back and try the searches again. The gap hasn\'t narrowed and, in some cases, Google has pulled way ahead again (look at yesterday\'s "notary" search for an example).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673156">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673156" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673156" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673156" href="http://www.makeyougohmm.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TDavid</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673156" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673156" class="dsq-comment-message">@ John C. Welch - you wrote: "Dude, the Xbox can’t even outsell the PS2, meanwhile the Wii is kicking EVERYONE’s ass. The *Wii* is rocking, the Xbox is wobbling."<br><br>Come on, John, facts are facts. We all know the Wii is having a great launch period and outselling the Xbox 360 and PS3 at the moment. Now go look up the numbers on online gaming penetration. Go look who just passed the six million member mark.<br><br>Not Sony. Not Nintendo. Forgetting about the online gaming sector?<br><br>As someone who owns all three systems (do you, John?) I can tell you that the major weakness for Nintendo Wii and the PS3 is their online strategy and current implementation. The Wii is overcharging for games we already have with little to no enhancement.<br><br>The Wii is a gimmick (Twitter, anyone?) -- a fun one for the entire family, yes, which explains why it\'s so popular at the moment -- but still a gimmick. Enough of a gimmick and priced right so that Nintendo can pick up lost ground over the Gamecube. The whole Mii thing is intriguing but poorly executed at the moment. There\'s plenty of time for Nintendo to improve upon this and become a serious #1 threat in the coming days, but they have a long ways to go and a lot more Wiis to sell. Their system doesn\'t even double as a DVD player yet, nor does it talk to your machine for playing music. Online gaming with your friends? Rest my case.<br><br>The PS2 has sold very well, absolutely yes, but you don\'t know that much about the console gaming market John if you don\'t realize how cyclical the market is and just how many people are pissed at Sony. Not just customers, but partners and developers too.<br><br>Check what Sony\'s Phil Harrison had to say about GTA being lost as an exclusive title because the PS3 audience wasn\'t big enough. If the PS2 was doing so well, then why couldn\'t Sony secure the next GTA as exclusive for the PS2?<br><br>Answer: PS2 is yesterday.<br><br>Sony can only live on yesterday so long. Their arrogance got the best of them when they believed that they could shove another largely unnecessary proprietary format down customer\'s throats (Blu-Ray) just because they are Sony.<br><br>Don\'t get me wrong, that\'s Microsoft\'s biggest problem too. They are living on yesterday on a lot of things.<br><br>They pissed off developers when they went to .NET from VB6, they irritated customers with their whole legacy program which forces upgrades prematurely.<br><br>But a bright star in M$ stable -- different from most other departments and teams there -- is the Xbox Live platform.<br><br>They have actually innovated and done something very, very well.<br><br>Does the Wii or PS2 sell/rent TV/Movies? Xbox Live does and in fact if you look beyond the microcosm that is Scoble\'s comment area, the facts show it\'s been *THE* most successful at selling and renting TVs/Movies.<br><br>Nintendo up until the Wii pretty much scoffed at the idea of gaming online.<br><br>Xbox Live is Microsoft\'s trojan horse. Apple, Google, Sony, they\'d love to have such a juicy piece of the online gaming action. Apple is trying to get into games, in fact and doing a miserable job so far. Ever try playing any sort of game on your iPod?<br><br>I\'ll be among the first to criticize Microsoft for their many failings -- and live search has definitely been a dud so far -- but they have to be given credit for Xbox Live. It\'s better than anybody else out there. To claim otherwise is misguided and misinformed.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673155">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673155" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673155" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673155">Bess</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673155" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673155" class="dsq-comment-message">“we’re in it to win” — Really?<br><br>Message to Seattle:<br><br>This is way too cute. It echoes our theme song "We\'re All In This Together". We are going to launch a live performance at our celebration party.<br><br>I can tell Microsoft is up to something good lately with their buyings and pieces. I can see Microsoft is moving strategically to capture the Future.<br><br>Shipping alone can\'t be used as success measurement. I just hope the big ship can safely make the turn in a fast moving ocean current.<br><br>I will leave some Genie Potion #9 at <a href="http://upcoming.org" rel="nofollow">upcoming.org</a> to wax the crystal ball for a company attempting to use technology to save lives.<br><br>Echo from Silicon Valley</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673153">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673153" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673153" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673153" href="http://theoceanviewnet.spaces.live.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">The View Master!</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673153" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673153" class="dsq-comment-message">Mike! I Told\'Ya, Didn\'t I!!!<br><br>Huh? ...Didn\'t I!!!<br><br>Now, STOP Posting Here, Get Back Over To "Spaces" &amp; Get The D@MN Thing RUNNING RIGHT!!!<br><br>Soapbox TOO!!!<br><br>NOW GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673154">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673154" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673154" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673154" href="http://gear.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">gear</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673154" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673154" class="dsq-comment-message">Never put a marketing person in charge of a technology company.  MS\'s CEO (Ballimer) doesn\'t grok technology, not even a little.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673149">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673149" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673149" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673149" href="http://amazon707.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Samiha Esha</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673149" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673149" class="dsq-comment-message">Pretty Interesting Article...:)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673150">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673150" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673150" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673150">michelle</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673150" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673150" class="dsq-comment-message">You might heed your own advice Scoble.  I can recall many times you hyping Microsoft stuff before it was shipped.  Including search.  This post makes me wonder how much of your previous posts were marketing bulls**t and how much was real.  And how much I can trust your opinion going forward...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673151">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673151" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673151" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673151" href="http://sparksengr.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">sk</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673151" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673151" class="dsq-comment-message">"Hah! Google has a news reader. We asked for that. Where’s Microsoft’s? Google has blog search engine. Where’s Microsoft’s? Apple has a podcasting client. Where’s Microsoft’s? Apple puts blogging on its signs in its stores. Where’s Microsoft’s?"<br><br>You can\'t give a single example to prove that a company always listens to its customers. A single counter-example is enough to disprove your claim - it doesn\'t work the other way around. In any case, you want to know where Microsoft listened to its customers? Everyone wanted Windows to be more secure. Vista and XP are arguably more secure than their predecessors: <a href="http://www.twit.tv/sn83" rel="nofollow">http://www.twit.tv/sn83</a><br><br>So, there, I\'ve given one example of where Microsoft listened to its customers. I can give several more. What exactly was your point again?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673148">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673148" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673148" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673148" href="http://sparksengr.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">sk</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673148" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673148" class="dsq-comment-message">Does your opinion of Microsoft vary depending on which side of the bed you get up on, Scoble?<br><br>"You just lost any credibility you might have had here."<br><br>And you, with all your flip-flops, somehow still manage to hang on to it. Wow!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673144">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673144" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673144" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673144" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673144" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673144" class="dsq-comment-message">@102 Robert, you have to give specific examples of search phrases for which Live is inferior.(though random examples don\'t qualify the engine totally.)<br><br>I\'ll say again, Live\'s performance against Google is atleast equal. Anyway it\'s not possible to directly calibrate the \'quality\' of search engines. This has to be a subjective call based on usage. My assertion is based on a 6 month experience when i used Live and Google side by side. Yes - side by side, every search would be brought up in both. There is virtually no differnce between both NOW.<br><br>(if i just wanted to hype up something MSFT without conviction, live is the last thing i would have chosen. As this is one MSFT service that has been so heavily invested in and lagging far behind in terms of numbers)<br><br>reg listening - I have been in the frontline dealing with support calls for some of the developer products until recently. I can vouch for the amount of listening that was done and the amount of feedback that was propagated trhough the layers on to the next version.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673145">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673145" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673145" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673145" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673145" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673145" class="dsq-comment-message">Hey and one more thing. I don\'t see any of you telling Matt Cutts(a great guy - no offence to him) to go fix Orkut or make Blogger a better platform than wordpress. Since they listen you might get this done very easily.<br><br>How many of you are willing to bet you can get Steve Jobs to put a keyboard on iPhone and make it non-exclusive with cingular? After all he would listen...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673146">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673146" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673146" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673146">Mujibur</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673146" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673146" class="dsq-comment-message">Shravan,<br><br>Is it not fact that the Xbox finished third in February sales?  In fact, it finished fourth if you include portable sales.<br><br>The supply problems Microsoft had during the 360\'s first christmas has really ruined any hope the 360 had of being number one.<br><br>Let\'s try and stick to the facts.<br><br>And by the way, Apple absolutely listens - just not through blogs.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673147">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673147" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673147" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673147" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673147" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673147" class="dsq-comment-message">#111: I gave you a very specific example just on Thursday.<br><br>#112: Blogger is a better blogging service than <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> and has been improved lately. Agree with you about Orkut. As for iPhone: somethings are impossible.<br><br>#113: Apple reads blogs religiously. They just aren\'t able to talk back through them. They use blogs and podcasts and video blogs in their advertising and signage in their stores (and are really the only big company I\'ve seen do that).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673152">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673152" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673152" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673152" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673152" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673152" class="dsq-comment-message">@114, I gave back one example that shows otherwise. So these could be considered an exception<br>Again, i wouldn\'t decide based on even a 100 individual cases. It should be based on a subjective experience over a reasonable amount of time. In early - mid 2006 i would get good live results less than 30% of the time. Now i get correct results 100% (I don;t use side-by-side search anymore. It\'s throuh the address bar.Here\'s my methodology - search in live, if i don\'t get what i am looking for then fallback on google. But off late if i don\'t something in Live, i don\'t get that in google also)<br><br>Note that i am talking about <a href="http://live.com" rel="nofollow">live.com</a> website search only. Not local VS maps;<br><br>(If possible, i even urge people to do the same. Use live for sometime. The moment you find things are crappy go back to google.)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673139">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673139" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673139" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673139">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673139" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673139" class="dsq-comment-message">Scoble, have you ever stopped to think that you may not be Live Spaces\' (and not Live,com) intended target audience? Google Reader may be the most popular blog reader but how many people actually use blog readers? Again, regarding podcasting, a very small percentage of computer and mp3 player owners listen to podcasts. Microsoft listens to its customers but they may not always listen to you.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673142">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673142" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673142" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673142">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673142" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673142" class="dsq-comment-message">"Is it not fact that the Xbox finished third in February sales? In fact, it finished fourth if you include portable sales."<br><br>Well, if you are going to include gaming devices, why don\'t you include PCs in your equation. In that case, XBox will probably be nowhere in the top 10. I think its too early to write off the XBox.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673143">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673143" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673143" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673143" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673143" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673143" class="dsq-comment-message">Shravan: you\'re right. I\'m not. But my wife is in their target market. And I watch her suffer with it.<br><br>A lot of people use feed readers. (They don\'t just read blogs -- the front page of the BBC has RSS all over it).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673134">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673134" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673134" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673134" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673134" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673134" class="dsq-comment-message">Seshadri: search is a lot more than just the correct results. It\'s formatting. It\'s the advertising choices. It\'s whether you include maps and charts.<br><br>If <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> has passed Google (hint: it hasn\'t) its market share would be going up (hint: it\'s not).<br><br>Why? Cause people aren\'t stupid. They can see when the results are better on one service or another.<br><br>I can tell you work at Microsoft cause you\'re the only one sticking up for <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a>.<br><br>If Microsoft actually had a great service there would be more than Microsofties sticking up for it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673135">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673135" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673135" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673135">LayZ</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673135" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673135" class="dsq-comment-message">@98 "Hah! Google has a news reader. We asked for that. Where’s Microsoft’s? Google has blog search engine. Where’s Microsoft’s? Apple has a podcasting client. Where’s Microsoft’s? Apple puts blogging on its signs in its stores. Where’s Microsoft’s?"<br><br>"We"?  We who?  Please be specific. How many people amongst the broad population Microsoft sells to asked for a news reader, a blog search engine, a podcasting client?  Who outside of your own myopic sheltered SV world asked for these things? On top of that, how much revenue are these doodads adding to Google\'s bottom line?  Ever stopped to think that there\'s not enough money on the table for Microsoft to really care about those things?  Ever stopped to think there might be a WHOLE DIFFERENT AUDIENCE that Microsoft is listening to other than your small world?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673136">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673136" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673136" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673136" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673136" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673136" class="dsq-comment-message">LayZ: let\'s see, in the past two months I\'ve spoken to audiences in Germany, Switzerland, Phoenix, Utah, Austin, and in Silicon Valley and at all the audiences more than 60% say they use RSS feed readers. This is going mainstream. Or did you miss the RSS feeds on the BBC home page? Yeah, that\'s really Silicon Valley.<br><br>You sound like a Microsoft employee. I know you work for another large company that actually does a lot less for the world than Microsoft does. Now I understand why.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673137">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673137" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673137" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673137" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673137" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673137" class="dsq-comment-message">Every Apple store I\'ve been in (even overseas) uses blogging and podcasting in its signage -- I guess they are only listening to the Silicon Valley weirdos, right? Yeah...<br><br>Shows how clueless you are about how big these things really are.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673138">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673138" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673138" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673138">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673138" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673138" class="dsq-comment-message">"If <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> has passed Google (hint: it hasn’t) its market share would be going up (hint: it’s not)."<br><br>try telling this to John C Welch; if mac was better than windows then its market share would be going up. (It\'s been 12 years since Win95)<br><br>This is the major problem with all anti MSFT views. You choose different yardsticks depending on the situation. Windows\' marketshare doesnt mean squat about its success while live\'s lack of market share means its inferior. Grossly unfair.<br><br>Live suffers from some branding confusion, lacklstre initial performance and being a late entrant to the market.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673140">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673140" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673140" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673140" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673140" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673140" class="dsq-comment-message">Seshadri: Apple\'s market share HAS been going up in the past two years. It IS better according to the market. Especially for consumers.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673141">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673141" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673141" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673141">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673141" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673141" class="dsq-comment-message">Scoble, do you really believe that a company like Microsoft could have survived for so long without listening to its consumers?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673132">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673132" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673132" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673132" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673132" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673132" class="dsq-comment-message">#123: <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> suffers from a lot more than all of that. The service sucks when compared to Google. It hasn\'t demonstratably passed Google in any search I\'ve done yet.<br><br>Cloning is NOT going to be an effective business model on the Internet. Why? This is akin to the music industry more than it was to other things.<br><br>Try to clone the Beattles and see if you get anywhere close to the economic success that band had.<br><br>Yet Microsoft\'s entire strategy is "clone, clone, clone."<br><br>Oh, sorry, "win, win, win."<br><br>Yeah, right.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673133">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673133" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673133" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673133">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673133" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673133" class="dsq-comment-message">@126: "Yet Microsoft’s entire strategy is “clone, clone, clone.”"<br><br>A few days ago you said Microsoft was doing a lot of cool stuff. What exactly has changed since then?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673129">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673129" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673129" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673129">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673129" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673129" class="dsq-comment-message">@126, the internet is proving to be too fast and dynamic to even guess what is a winning strategy and what is not. So i am not going to debate if cloning will win or not.<br><br>(comparing to Beattles is totally out of place here. Music is about content and internet is distribution)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673130">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673130" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673130" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673130" href="http://www.babblemail.net/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Anthony Papillion</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673130" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673130" class="dsq-comment-message">I think one of the best things Microsoft could ever do is to get rid of Steve Ballmer and put some new, younger, more energetic blood in the executive suite. The landscape of business is shifting away from Microsoft\'s core way of doing things and moving more and more to the Internet. I don\'t think Microsoft\'s old guard is capable of executing that shift within the company and that is why they will continue their downward spiral into irrelevance. They might be winning on the desktop but they are losing mind share and the hearts of developers.<br><br>Why is Google kicking Microsoft\'s collective ass? Simple: the spirit of entrepreneur-ism is alive and well at Google. Yes, they\'re a mega-corporation but they encourage and nurture the entrepreneurial spirit in each and every one of their people. Everyone feels like Google is *their* company and that they are a vital part of its success. Microsoft, while it preaches the "win win win" attitude, still fosters a very "corporate drone" type of mindset. That doesn\'t work in the new web enabled world.<br><br>It\'s for the reasons above that I believe that Microsoft will eventually fall - not to Google - but to the thousands of smaller, more agile, start ups run by passionate people who really ARE "in it to win".</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673131">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673131" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673131" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673131" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673131" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673131" class="dsq-comment-message">#127: this is the problem. Microsoft is actually something like 100 companies lashed together. The Xbox team might be doing something cool while the Internet team is totally sucking wind.<br><br>In this context we\'re talking about the Internet team.<br><br>Oh, and cool?<br><br>How about Photosynth? <a href="http://scobleizer.com/2006/11/10/demo-of-the-year-photosynth/" rel="nofollow">http://scobleizer.com/2006/11/10/demo-of-the-ye...</a><br><br>That\'s cool. But it can\'t be turned into a product.<br><br>Why? Cause it takes nine hours to stitch together a few hundred photos. Unusable.<br><br>So, very cool, but not a business.<br><br>Most of what we\'re talking about above is about being BOTH cool and a great business ON THE INTERNET.<br><br>Microsoft is lacking on both areas.<br><br>And the comparison to the Beattles is NOT out of place here. Demonstrates that you take a Microsoft approach here.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673119">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673119" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673119" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673119" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673119" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673119" class="dsq-comment-message">Anthony: what you just said is profound. Deeply profound.<br><br>Microsofties won\'t understand why. But you nailed it in a way I couldn\'t.<br><br>Thank you.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673120">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673120" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673120" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673120">bitsandpcs</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673120" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673120" class="dsq-comment-message">I seem to have missed something...What kind of hosting service are Amazon offering?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673121">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673121" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673121" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673121" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673121" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673121" class="dsq-comment-message">#110: Does your opinion of Microsoft vary depending on which side of the bed you get up on, Scoble?<br><br>No, it depends what part of Microsoft we\'re talking about.<br><br>And, don\'t your opinions change based on new information?<br><br>Ever since I\'ve left a lot of the smartest people I knew at Microsoft have left too. And the folks who ARE left tell me of massive disarray and lack of leadership. Lack of willingness to really do the right things.<br><br>Has anything shipped lately from Microsoft that caught your attention (again, in context, in Internet space?)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673122">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673122" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673122" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673122" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673122" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673122" class="dsq-comment-message">bitsandpcs: Do a Google search for "Amazon S3."<br><br>SmugMug has terabytes of photos there. TOns of startups lately have been telling me they are using it to either augment, or replace, their datacenters.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673123">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673123" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673123" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673123">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673123" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673123" class="dsq-comment-message">@130: "The Xbox team might be doing something cool while the Internet team is totally sucking wind."<br><br>So, XBox Live doesn\'t count as something on the internet? What about Windows Live Maps? There are people who think Windows Live Hotmail is cool (<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ytln3b" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/ytln3b</a>. Live Spaces continues to be popular. If you look at usage, many of the Windows Live products are doing well. If you look at revenues (and I agree that matters more), Windows Live is in trouble. So, again, maybe it\'s not what you personally want but apparently a lot of people want these things.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673124">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673124" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673124" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673124" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673124" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673124" class="dsq-comment-message">#125: Microsoft listens to its customers on a granular level. Via MVP programs. Partner programs. Newsgroups. Etc.<br><br>But they don\'t listen on a meta level and they\'ve bought into the bullshit that you should only do things after they are proven to be "big."<br><br>Steven Sinofsky disease major time (I have the email).<br><br><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/chapter/christensen.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.businessweek.com/chapter/christensen...</a> Innovators Dilemma big time!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673125">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673125" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673125" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673125">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673125" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673125" class="dsq-comment-message">My comment somehow got lost:<br><br>@130: "The Xbox team might be doing something cool while the Internet team is totally sucking wind."<br><br>XBox live has something to do with the internet, right? Windows Live Maps is pretty cool. Some people think Windows Live Mail is good (<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ytln3b" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/ytln3b</a>). Windows Live Spaces continues to be popular and so does Messenger. Again, you may not think these are cool, but apparently there are a lot of people that do.<br><br>And, no, I can\'t think of anything cool that the internet group has shipped recently but that doesn\'t mean they never will. As you yourself mentioned, the group is in disarray. Give them some time.</div>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673126" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673126" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673126">seshadri</span>\
	 </cite>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673126" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673126" class="dsq-comment-message">@scoble, you accept that your views about microsoft changed big time with \'new information\'. What if you get more \'new information\' - this time from CTOs and IT managers from big corporations who don\'t take decisions based on coolness? incidentally they are the guys that actally play a big role in \'bottom lines\'. May be that information would lead you think Microsoft isn\'t a \'total loser\' - as your current social circle makes it out to be...<br><br>DO you really expect a organisation of 70K employees not have HR problems? Like you said \'some things are impossible\'</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673127">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673127" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673127" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673127">Shravan</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673127" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673127" class="dsq-comment-message">My comment somehow got lost:<br><br>@130: "The Xbox team might be doing something cool while the Internet team is totally sucking wind."<br><br>XBox live has something to do with the internet, right? Windows Live Maps is pretty cool. Some people think Windows Live Mail is good (it recently received the PC MAgazine Editor\'s Choice award). Windows Live Spaces continues to be popular and so does Messenger. Again, you may not think these are cool, but apparently there are a lot of people that do.As far as the Live team is concerned, they definitely have the numbers but not the revenue (which is tied to search advertising) and that\'s probably what matters the most.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673128">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673128" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673128" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673128" href="http://www.bynkii.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John C. Welch</a>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673128" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673128" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>“No one cares about Vista”<br>How do you know? you’ve spoken to ALL? Look at this - <a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=229" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=229</a><br><br>so, Having the latest OS release labelled as a non-starter is not something new for MSFT. But hey, may be even Ed Bott is myopic and thats symbolic of the problem with MSFT?</i><br><br>Yeah, just look at the corporate adoption rate. It\'s flying off the charts. Oh wait, no it\'s not. In fact, it\'s not selling worth a crap compared to XP or 2000.<br><br><i>Come on, John, facts are facts. We all know the Wii is having a great launch period and outselling the Xbox 360 and PS3 at the moment. Now go look up the numbers on online gaming penetration. Go look who just passed the six million member mark.</i><br><br>Yeah. That\'s why I can buy a 360 without trying hard, or a PS3, but no one\'s been able to buy a Wii for what, four months now? How long is the "launch period" anyway? A year? A decade?<br><br>Care to explain why the 360 STILL can\'t outsell the PS2?<br><br>Looks like the online part isn\'t all that important after all. Of course, the Wii DOES have an online component, for the game downloads, et al.<br><br>Comparing market penetration is a nice try, but how many months of a lead did the 360 have? By everything you\'re saying, it should be outselling EVERYTHING.<br><br>But it\'s not. Hmm.<br><br><i>The Wii is a gimmick (Twitter, anyone?) — a fun one for the entire family, yes, which explains why it’s so popular at the moment — but still a gimmick. Enough of a gimmick and priced right so that Nintendo can pick up lost ground over the Gamecube. The whole Mii thing is intriguing but poorly executed at the moment. There’s plenty of time for Nintendo to improve upon this and become a serious #1 threat in the coming days, but they have a long ways to go and a lot more Wiis to sell. Their system doesn’t even double as a DVD player yet, nor does it talk to your machine for playing music. Online gaming with your friends? Rest my case.</i><br><br>Yet with all that, the 360 can\'t manage to outsell the PS2. And oddly enough, the Wii is smoking, just SMOKING the 360. Can\'t use it as a DVD player? So what? How well are the HD-DVD addons for the 360 selling? Ask Sony how well the Blu-Ray marketing gimmick is working. %52 drop in sales from Jan. says "not so well". You keep bringing up all these reasons why the 360 should be kicking everyone\'s ass, but the only thing it\'s beating is the PS3. Between the DS and the Wii, Nintendo is over half the market. But right, that\'s not really happening. Every Wii is really a 360 sale somehow. It\'s not really outselling the 360 at all. That\'s just imagination.<br><br><i>The PS2 has sold very well, absolutely yes, but you don’t know that much about the console gaming market John if you don’t realize how cyclical the market is and just how many people are pissed at Sony. Not just customers, but partners and developers too.</i><br><br>PS2 sales dropped around 2% from Jan. 360 sales dropped over 20%. If that\'s being pissed off at sony, I\'d say Sony can last a long time on that. If you define that as being pissed, then the 360 still ain\'t doing so well. For your cyclical theory to be right, then the PS2 sales should be almost nil. Yet they aren\'t. Better recheck your theory.<br><br><i>Check what Sony’s Phil Harrison had to say about GTA being lost as an exclusive title because the PS3 audience wasn’t big enough. If the PS2 was doing so well, then why couldn’t Sony secure the next GTA as exclusive for the PS2?<br><br>Answer: PS2 is yesterday.</i><br><br>BWAAAHAHAHAHAHA. Wait, so you\'re saying that a next generation game not being developed for a last-generation console is a sign that the PS2 is yesterday?<br><br>Again, if the PS2 is so yesterday <i>why can\'t the 360 outsell it?</i> If the Wii is "only a gimmick", why isn\'t the 360 kicking its ass from day one?<br><br>You have yet to explain any of this.<br><br><i>Sony can only live on yesterday so long. Their arrogance got the best of them when they believed that they could shove another largely unnecessary proprietary format down customer’s throats (Blu-Ray) just because they are Sony.</i><br><br>Wait, a Microsoft fanboy complaining about shoving a proprietary format down someone\'s throat? Get a grip.<br><br><i>Don’t get me wrong, that’s Microsoft’s biggest problem too. They are living on yesterday on a lot of things.<br><br>They pissed off developers when they went to .NET from VB6, they irritated customers with their whole legacy program which forces upgrades prematurely.<br><br>But a bright star in M$ stable — different from most other departments and teams there — is the Xbox Live platform.</i><br><br>Yeah, that\'s why they\'re just smoking everyone else. Oh shit, wait, they aren\'t. Oops.<br><br><i>They have actually innovated and done something very, very well.<br><br>Does the Wii or PS2 sell/rent TV/Movies? Xbox Live does and in fact if you look beyond the microcosm that is Scoble’s comment area, the facts show it’s been *THE* most successful at selling and renting TVs/Movies.</i><br><br>BWAAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...so the Xbox is a MOVIE PLAYER? That\'s funny, I thought it was a game console. Maybe that\'s why it\'s not doing so well. Face it, if the big draw of the Xbox is online movies, it\'s in deep trouble. Contrary to popular belief, around half the US is still not on broadband. Tell me how that movie rental feels at 56K. That\'s Microsoft...no focus.<br><br><i>Nintendo up until the Wii pretty much scoffed at the idea of gaming online.</i><br><br>And they um...learned. And now one of the biggest draws for the Wii is...GAMES. Downloadable classics. Oooh...so the Wii does have an online strategy, and it seems to be working rather nicely too. Maybe it\'s that whole "focus" thing.<br><br><i>Xbox Live is Microsoft’s trojan horse. Apple, Google, Sony, they’d love to have such a juicy piece of the online gaming action. Apple is trying to get into games, in fact and doing a miserable job so far. Ever try playing any sort of game on your iPod?</i><br><br>BAAAAHAHAHAHAHAA...Strawman much? Apple doesn\'t care, and Google is kicking Microsoft\'s ass so hard and fast that they need to get a new leg. The ONLY thing Microsoft hasn\'t fucked up in the last year is the Xbox, but even in their ONE success, they still aren\'t the dominant player. That\'s hardly a rousing endorsement of that strategy.<br><br><i>I’ll be among the first to criticize Microsoft for their many failings — and live search has definitely been a dud so far — but they have to be given credit for Xbox Live. It’s better than anybody else out there. To claim otherwise is misguided and misinformed.</i><br><br>So why are the Wii and the PS2 outselling the 360?<br><br>You can cheer on Live all you want, but the fact is, the 360 can\'t even outsell the PS2.<br><br><i>try telling this to John C Welch; if mac was better than windows then its market share would be going up. (It’s been 12 years since Win95)</i><br><br>What Robert said. Ditto.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673118">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673118" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673118" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673118">Shravan</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673118" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673118" class="dsq-comment-message">Umm, John. C. Welch, just a reminder that we are talking about internet stuff. Thank you!</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673116">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673116" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673116" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673116">seshadri</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673116" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673116" class="dsq-comment-message">"What Robert said. Ditto."<br>Robert said \'mac is growing for the past 2 years\'.What happened before that? till 2 years agao Windows was better than Mac and then it became bad?<br><br>Rather, why did it even lose the major share to windows?<br><br>"Yeah, just look at the corporate adoption rate."<br>See that link again. It says this adoption rate has been the norm for all windows releases. So this doesn\'t mean VISTA is doomed.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673117">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673117" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673117" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673117">Shravan</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673117" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673117" class="dsq-comment-message">Frankly, Scoble, it would have helped if you had indicated that you were talking only about the internet group at Microsoft (as opposed to the whole company) - you could have used "Windows Live" instead of "Microsoft", unless your idea was to give impetus to the Microsoft bashers. Constructive criticism is one thing. Mindless bashing is another. And, for the record, I don\'t work for Microsoft. I use some MS products and think they\'re really "cool".<br><br>Regarding Windows Live Spaces, you\'re probably right. IF your wife is indeed a target audience, I think they\'re doing a bad job.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673114">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673114" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673114" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673114" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673114" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673114" class="dsq-comment-message">Shravan: I specifically said "Internet execution" and linked to another post where I was talking about search engines.<br><br>The execs were bragging how they were gonna come back against Google.<br><br>Are you really that lame that I need to spell it out?<br><br>I want to go back to the days when I had smart readers. Sigh.<br><br>We weren\'t talking about SQL Server.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673115">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673115" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673115" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673115">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673115" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673115" class="dsq-comment-message">"Are you really that lame that I need to spell it out?"<br>Look at the comments. It appeared to me that you took the example of the internet team at Microsoft to generalize your perception about the company and apparently I\'m not the only one. How do Wii and PS2 figure in this discussion? What about Vista? By the way, Google Apps competes directly with Microsoft Office, which really isn\'t part of the internet team at Microsoft.<br><br>"I want to go back to the days when I had smart readers. Sigh."<br>Deal with it. This is one of the side-effects of "fame".</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673112">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673112" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673112" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673112" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673112" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673112" class="dsq-comment-message">@Shravan: I use Google Apps BESIDE Office. So, maybe they don\'t compete as much as lots of people think.<br><br>&gt;Rather, why did it even lose the major share to windows?<br><br>I was a Mac fan from 1988 through 93. What happened in 93? Windows NT came out, which was so far superior to Mac it wasn\'t funny (it didn\'t crash every hour, for one).<br><br>What happened in 1999? Steve Jobs came back. Apple has been going up ever since.<br><br>Moving to OSX was brilliant. Macs are ahead of Windows because of that move -- at least for regular people. Windows is ahead for businesses.<br><br>Apple made a number of missteps in the 1980s which made them a great brand (which is why iPod is such a successful business) but which kept their marketshare down (businesses went totally Windows in the 1990s, which is where Microsoft\'s massive profits came from).<br><br>At this point Microsoft could fire everyone and ride off of the profits of Windows for years.<br><br>Heck, Microsoft closed down the Internet Explorer team for about five years and most people didn\'t even notice.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673113">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673113" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673113" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673113">InTheNo</span>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673113" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673113" class="dsq-comment-message">Microsoft is in a new business that has nothing to do with software, and until everyone realizes that, nothing is going to change. Internally, Microsoft is in the business of coming up wth elaborate schemes to measure things, including large, strange, convoluted  ways to measure employee performance (read up on Career Compass). The focus on the customer and the concept of beginning with the end in mind is nearly nonexistent. While the intention may be good, the result is absolute paralysis. As other well-read software pundits have noted on the web, the majority of the energy inside the company is focused on creating processes. Did you hear that? Creating PROCESSES? But Microsoft sells software, so why isn\'t all their time devoted to creating SOFTWARE? Last time I looked, you couldn\'t put a process in a box, slap a heck of a lot of labels and system requirements on it and sell it on Amazon.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673334">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673334" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673334" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673334" href="http://www.makeyougohmm.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TDavid</a>\
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	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673334" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673334" class="dsq-comment-message">@141 John C. Welch - you calling me a "Microsoft fanboy" is laughable considering I\'m not the one with a gigantic picture of an Apple computer as my primary blog\'s logo ;) Good luck on adding up those PayPal donations to get someone to be your life\'s partner, though!<br><br>You completely sidestepped my question about whether you own all three systems so I\'ll take that as a no.<br><br>Lastly, if you knew anything about the Xbox 360 LAUNCH you\'d know it was not well into late March, early April following the launch the preceding Novemeber before Xbox 360 were readily available in stores, just as is happening now with the Wii. The Wii and PS3 both should be outselling the Xbox 360 right now. Also the Wii is at a much, much more favorable price point than both the PS3 and Xbox 360.<br><br>And in case your ability to follow history is really impaired, the same thing happened with the PS2! People were complaining about Microsoft not being able to keep up with the demand, don\'t you remember?<br><br>Some people have very short term memories and like to twist the facts to fit their obsessions, er arguments. I\'m more than happy to give credit where it\'s due as well as criticize when appropriate. For example, Nintendo clearly owns the portable market. This is why I wrote some time ago on my blog that Apple should look to a partnership or acquisition with them if they seriously want to get into the game business.<br><br>@Scoble "I want to go back to the days when I had smart readers. Sigh."<br><br>When you primarily or only respond to the idiots and allow anybody with any fake name to respond, what do you expect, Robert? You seem to love to stroke the trolls!<br><br>The truth seems to be that you\'d rather have 100+ comments on a post with anonymous cowards propping your numbers than create any kind of civil commenting environment that would encourage more intelligent dialog and discussion.<br><br>Sad, but true.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673348">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673348" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673348" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673348">LayZ</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673348" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673348" class="dsq-comment-message">@121.  That another self fulfilling prophecy. You speak to audiences of your peers. What was the make up of these audiences?  Small business owners. SAHM?, SOHO\'s,  average Joe\'s that don\'t eat, sleep and drink the internet, or were they geeks?  So, again I ask: when you say "we", We WHO?  Geeks?<br><br>Just because an online newspaper has an RSS feed doesn\'t mean newsreaders are going mainstream.  I know you\'d like to believe that, but it\'s just not the case.   Stand on the corner in, oh, I dunno, Des Moines, IA and ask 20 random people if they use a newsreader. If you get a 60% "yes" response, I\'ll conceded your point.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673111">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673111" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673111" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673111" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673111" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673111" class="dsq-comment-message">#151: some audiences (like in Phoenix) were small business owners. Others were bloggers or geeks.<br><br>But, what you miss is that normal society follows the geeks by just a few years.<br><br>In 1992 no one used email other than the geeks.<br><br>In 1994 no one used the Web other than the geeks.<br><br>In 1996 no one used IM other than the geeks.<br><br>I look at doubling effects rather than audience size.<br><br>Audience size is irrelevant. In 1977 no one used personal computers other than the geeks.<br><br>What matters is how fast does a usage pattern double.<br><br>RSS is doubling very quickly and quite consistently.<br><br>I remember audiences where only 1% said they used RSS. I don\'t see those anymore.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673349">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673349" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673349" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673349">LayZ</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673349" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673349" class="dsq-comment-message">And Scoble, don\'t get me wrong, I actually agree with some of the points you are making. But you tend to generalize too much. It wasn\'t until later on in the comments that you clarified that you were referring to Microsoft\'s internet business, which is an important distinction.  But, you can\'t pretend to represent the broad population in many of your statements, because you don\'t.  If I took your "BBC has RSS" example, I could use your same logic to conclude that because newspapers publish sports betting lines and that I talked to a lot of people at Las Vegas sports betting casinos, and listen to a lot of sports talk radio, that 60% of the population bets on sports.<br><br>So to that point, it would be interesting to see how many people that are "on the internet" use Google for anything more than their search functionality.<br><br>I agree with you and @129 on those points. Microsoft\'s overall cultural DNA makes it almost incapable of shifting their thinking beyond the desktop. Now, if you are saying Microsoft will have the difficulty getting the same amount of adoption with their internet strategy that they did with their desktop OS and application strategy by using their current methods, I would agree. But using Google doodads as an example is sort of a stretch.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673356">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673356" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673356" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673356">Some Guy</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673356" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673356" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert,<br><br>Looks like your MSFT detox is coming along swimmingly.  You never would have written anything like this, even a month after leaving the evil empire.<br><br>Congrats!</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673357">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673357" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673357" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673357">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673357" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673357" class="dsq-comment-message">"It wasn’t until later on in the comments that you clarified that you were referring to Microsoft’s internet business, which is an important distinction."<br><br>Exactly! That\'s what I\'ve been trying to say. If you\'re talking only about the internet division, you are right, but if you\'re trying to use this example to make a generalization about the company, I don\'t think you are. Hope this clarifies my position. And TDavid, I am using my real name.</div>\
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	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673353">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673353" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673353" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673353" href="http://www.bynkii.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John C. Welch</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673353" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673353" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>“What Robert said. Ditto.”<br>Robert said ‘mac is growing for the past 2 years’.What happened before that? till 2 years agao Windows was better than Mac and then it became bad?<br><br>Rather, why did it even lose the major share to windows?</i><br><br>Ah, of course, the myth that the Mac had monster market share or even majority market share. Just for fun, what do you think was the biggest market share the Mac ever had.<br><br><i>“Yeah, just look at the corporate adoption rate.”<br>See that link again. It says this adoption rate has been the norm for all windows releases. So this doesn’t mean VISTA is doomed.</i><br><br>Ah, but no one\'s said it\'s doomed. What it\'s an example of is how Microsoft, after taking five years to come out with the followup to XP was unable to hit one out of the park. For all the hype Microsoft is trying to generate, Vista, along with everything else it\'s doing, is just...okay. Not outstanding. Just okay.<br><br>Microsoft can\'t live on okay, because while it is trying to beat the competition, the competition is trying to create great products and new ways of doing things. Microsoft is willingly accepting the position of *re*acting to everyone else. While you can stay in business a long time with "me too", you never quite do anything outstanding with it.<br><br><i>Lastly, if you knew anything about the Xbox 360 LAUNCH you’d know it was not well into late March, early April following the launch the preceding Novemeber before Xbox 360 were readily available in stores, just as is happening now with the Wii. The Wii and PS3 both should be outselling the Xbox 360 right now. Also the Wii is at a much, much more favorable price point than both the PS3 and Xbox 360.</i><br><br>Again, the Xbox 360 has a huge lead, and according to *everyone*, an unstoppable online presence, better graphics, DVD player, HD-DVD options and all the rest. But with all that, the Wii is outselling the hell out of the Xbox 360, and the best reason you come up with is...the price point. Clue-LESS. I know hardcore Sony fans who are all a-twitter about the Wii, and could care less about the PS3. Price does not explain that.<br><br><i>And in case your ability to follow history is really impaired, the same thing happened with the PS2! People were complaining about Microsoft not being able to keep up with the demand, don’t you remember?</i><br><br>Again with the strawman. That still doesn\'t explain why the 360 cannot outsell an old system like the PS2<br><br><i>RSS is doubling very quickly and quite consistently.<br><br>I remember audiences where only 1% said they used RSS. I don’t see those anymore.</i><br><br>The day I no longer needed a special RSS application, RSS became my prime way to read web sites. It\'s a way to reduce a web site to the convenience of a mailing list. That has real value to everyone. Once a technology is commonly and invisibly available, then the common people use it. RSS is finally at that stage.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673346">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673346" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673346" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673346">Brian</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673346" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673346" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert,<br><br><br>I\'ve been reading you since you made your name working for the hand you are now biting off (well, gnawing...). This post and the comments were really discouraging. Constructive criticism? You bash Microsoft for not *leading* in every area that their competitors excel in -- completely ignoring that, as manufacturer of the dominant OS and business app platform, they have many priorities that have to be met before they can dabble in kitschy consumer web apps. How long do you think you would\'ve had to wait for that Google Reader if they had to generate the OS that powers 95% of the world\'s desktops instead of simply riding on top of it?<br><br>Surely, having worked there, you know this. Which makes this rant so incomprehensible.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673351">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673351" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673351" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673351" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673351" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673351" class="dsq-comment-message">146 @ john,<br>"Ah, of course, the myth that the Mac had monster<br>market share or even majority market share. Just for fun, what do you think was the biggest market share the Mac ever had."<br><br>I think we are having a disconnect here. I\'ll recap<br><br>Robert said, a superior product will automatically result in increasing market share. I asked, if so, then assuming Mac has been superior to windows all along( i believe you strongly feel this is the case),why the current market share numbers the way they are?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673358">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673358" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673358" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673358" href="http://msmvps.com/spywaresucks" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sandi Hardmeier</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673358" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673358" class="dsq-comment-message">Rob,<br><br>Your comment "The MVPs might be easy to talk into doing some cheerleading but the rest of us are over that now. We’re looking for signs of leadership and so far we don’t see it" is offensive to me.<br><br>You and I have "known" each other, as much as people can know each other via the MVP Programme and the online world, for a good 8 years now.<br><br>I find it amazing that you, an ex-MVP who left the programme to be employed by MS as an Evangelist, can ascribe "cheerleading" behaviour to MVPs **as a whole** without blushing. You became a cheerleader, other MVPs have been cheerleaders (unfortunately) but as a whole MVPs don\'t evangelise or cheerlead.. they kick MS up the ass to try and get things fixed.  The Mondo Patch comes to mind, my work with MS to get rid of the Windows Live Messenger malware banner infiltration comes to mind, my work with MS during the Summit to get IE7 related errors in the Release Notes for Windows Server 2003 SP2 comes to mind. My kicking ass to try and get the shrink to fit fix out to the public as soon as possible (just released to QFE these past 24 hours or so) also comes to mind.<br><br>So, please do NOT lump all MVPs into a cheerleading group. It is untrue, unfair, and those of us you have known for years deserve better.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673345">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673345" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673345" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673345" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673345" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673345" class="dsq-comment-message">Sandi: I was just saying what I was seeing come through my feed reader. Maybe the MVP program should focus more on blogs than newsgroups that only a small percentage of the community reads.<br><br>The MVP program sure seemed a lot more cheerleaderish this time around with no specifics.<br><br>Seshadri: &gt; I asked, if so, then assuming Mac has been superior to windows all along( i believe you strongly feel this is the case),why the current market share numbers the way they are?<br><br>Microsoft had the best mainstream OS and ecosystem from 1993 through 2002.<br><br>That ecosystem is under attack now.<br><br>Brian: I\'m discouraged by people who assume that I made my name at Microsoft. I had more than 1,000 readers a day when I joined Microsoft. I planned conferences for programmers in the 1990s. I did a LOT BEFORE I was a Microsoft employee (and, was quoted in Time Magazine saying that Microsoft should split itself up BEFORE I was an employee).<br><br>I\'ve been a pretty consistent critic of Microsoft\'s that I tried to keep up even when I worked there (which is why I stood out).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673344">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673344" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673344" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673344" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673344" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673344" class="dsq-comment-message">&gt;You bash Microsoft for not *leading* in every area that their competitors excel in.<br><br>No. I am bashing Microsoft\'s execs for saying they are going to win without demonstrating much leadership in Internet space.<br><br>Here\'s another clue: what language does a winning company use? "We\'re going to build a better service."<br><br>Have you heard anything like that out of Microsoft\'s mouths lately? Microsoft USED to say stuff like that, which is how they got such a dominant market position.<br><br>Now? It\'s more "we\'re gonna clone." Er, sorry "we\'re going to win."</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673343">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673343" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673343" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673343" href="http://msmvps.com/spywaresucks" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sandi Hardmeier</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673343" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673343" class="dsq-comment-message">Rob: You say "Sandi: I was just saying what I was seeing come through my feed reader. Maybe the MVP program should focus more on blogs than newsgroups that only a small percentage of the community reads.<br><br>The MVP program sure seemed a lot more cheerleaderish this time around with no specifics."<br><br>You\'re basing your assumption on what you are seeing through your feed reader?  Without talking to MVPs?  Jeez Rob, you of all people should know how skewed an impression can be created by online snippets, depending on who/what you read.<br><br>Sandi &amp;c.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673342">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673342" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673342" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673342" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673342" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673342" class="dsq-comment-message">Sandi:<br><br>What gets online is reality to most people. It\'s what bloggers have to work with. I have lots of MVPs who read me. If my facts are wrong, I\'m sure they\'ll point it out (and, you seem to be the first, which is totally shocking to tell the truth -- it\'s almost like the group agrees that they were cheerleading).<br><br>Just look at the comments above that people think Microsoft is doing well. Talk to people on the ground who work there and very few are happy with how things are going.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673341">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673341" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673341" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673341" href="http://www.bynkii.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John C. Welch</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673341" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673341" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>Robert said, a superior product will automatically result in increasing market share. I asked, if so, then assuming Mac has been superior to windows all along( i believe you strongly feel this is the case),why the current market share numbers the way they are?</i><br><br>Define "superior" in an objective way then. Market share is not just about technical superiority. If it were, then Sun, IBM, and Digital would rule the roost.<br><br><i>Microsoft had the best mainstream OS and ecosystem from 1993 through 2002.</i><br><br>Not at all. What they had was the best team of dealmakers, and could bullshit you blind about NT. Remember that the people in charge now were in the trenches in that timeframe, and remember very keenly the empty promises Microsoft kept making about Windows. That memory is not being replaced well.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673337">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673337" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673337" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673337" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673337" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673337" class="dsq-comment-message">"Not at all."<br><br>This was what i was looking for. So both you (John) and I dont think market share is the indicator of a product\'s quality. But Robert thinks it is so in case of Google Vs Live.<br><br>"I’m sure they’ll point it out (and, you seem to be the first, which is totally shocking to tell the truth "<br><br>You are resorting to this reasoning a lot. Extend this a bit more. When somebody calls you an hypocrite in these comments section - nobody except you defend it. Does that mean its true?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673338">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673338" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673338" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673338" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673338" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673338" class="dsq-comment-message">John: interesting how we have different memories of the 1990s. I remember using Macs and crashing every hour with QuarkXpress (and I can back that up -- I kept pointing it out to Steve Sloan and Steve Broback) and NT 4.0 wouldn\'t go down for weeks.<br><br>OS/2? No apps. NeXT? No apps and way too expensive (and too futuristic for most people -- Steve didn\'t have a floppy drive, back when everyone still used floppies).<br><br>What else was there for PCs in the mid-90s that was an OS that had a shot? I don\'t remember anything to consider seriously.<br><br>Windows 95 came out and it was a lot more stable than Mac (I was beta testing Adobe Acrobat on both) and had a lot more apps. Game over.<br><br>Until Steve Jobs came back.<br><br>But, that\'s what\'s fun about talking with you, we both see the world so differently.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673339">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673339" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673339" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673339" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673339" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673339" class="dsq-comment-message">&gt;So both you (John) and I dont think market share is the indicator of a product’s quality. But Robert thinks it is so in case of Google Vs Live.<br><br>Windows is a better business OS than Macs cause it runs more business apps. The problem is you can\'t judge an OS alone. You\'ve got to judge ecosystems against each other. THAT is what\'s reflected in market share.<br><br>And, yes, market share does go up and down as a product (and associated ecosystem) gets better. Macs are going up significantly lately.<br><br>&gt;Extend this a bit more. When somebody calls you an hypocrite in these comments section - nobody except you defend it.<br><br>That\'s not true. Except where I deserve it.<br><br>Most people I talk with who like my blog (I met a lot at recent conferences) hate my comment area and just stay out. I\'ve gotten repeated requests to moderate my comment areas and block guys like you and John out. But, I believe in free speech.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673340">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673340" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673340" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673340" href="http://msmvps.com/spywaresucks" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sandi Hardmeier</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673340" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673340" class="dsq-comment-message">[Rob]: "What gets online is reality to most people. It’s what bloggers have to work with. [/Rob]<br><br>I don\'t know if you\'re using that sentence as an excuse for what you wrote, but it\'s a bullshit standard when applied to you - I thought you were not so naive as to base your judgments on a few online articles. I hold *you* to a much higher standard than "most people".<br><br>[Rob] I have lots of MVPs who read me. If my facts are wrong, I’m sure they’ll point it out (and, you seem to be the first, which is totally shocking to tell the truth — it’s almost like the group agrees that they were cheerleading)."[/Rob]<br><br>Silence does not equate agreement, so please do not try to hint that it is so.<br><br>First you are wrong if you assume your blog is of such high importance that MVPs will read it in the midst of all the time sapping activities of a Summit, and travel from same to home (especially with so many MVPs travelling internationally or stranded in Seattle unable to get to the east coast because of the bad weather) and catching up on everything else that gets put aside during the summit, and second by assuming that the MVPs who *have* managed to read your blog by now will believe that they will be able to make a difference by responding to you and will therefore post to disagree.<br><br>Why did I respond?  I\'m responding because I know you personally and I thought I could get you to see how what you wrote about MVPs is wrong.  If you\'re justifying your statement about MVPs by saying that "what gets online is reality to most people" when you have a connection and contact with MVPs far deeper than just what is online and you therefore should simply know better, than I don\'t think I can get you to see what harm you do by spreading such misinformation, not to mention get you to understand the personal hurt you can inflicted on those MVPs that you know personally (as distinct to a tenuous "I read his blog" connection).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673347">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673347" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673347" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673347" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673347" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673347" class="dsq-comment-message">&gt;Silence does not equate agreement, so please do not try to hint that it is so.<br><br>Actually, that is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE and anyone who deals with the Internet better realize that silence DOES equate agreement.<br><br>Any PR professor will tell you the same.<br><br>&gt;First you are wrong if you assume your blog is of such high importance that MVPs will read it in the midst of all the time sapping activities of a Summit<br><br>I got several other notes from MVPs who DID agree with me. So, I know it got around (and it got on several MVP blogs and it\'s pointed to on Mini-Microsoft, so I\'m getting a lot of traffic from Microsofties).<br><br>So far you\'re the only MVP to show up here and disagree with the thesis here. And, even you haven\'t really argued with the thesis, just the broad brush.<br><br>OK, broad brush is bad.<br><br>Oh, and I didn\'t say I didn\'t talk with any MVPs. I talk with MVPs all the time. Many of my perceptions are influenced by what I hear in those conversations.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673335">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673335" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673335" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673335" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673335" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673335" class="dsq-comment-message">&gt;understand the personal hurt you can inflicted on those MVPs that you know personally (as distinct to a tenuous “I read his blog” connection).<br><br>I\'m sorry about that, but it would have been more effective to post a list of URLs where MVPs reported from the MVP Summit that demonstrated your point of view.<br><br>Do you have any?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673336">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673336" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673336" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673336" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673336" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673336" class="dsq-comment-message">"I’ve gotten repeated requests to moderate my comment areas and block guys like you "<br><br>YOu don\'t have to \'moderate\'. Just an one liner on these sections and i will stop. (For the record, i have never said said anything personal or offensive. I have only countered whatever i felt was incorrect/incomplete. Even in the previous comment - i didnt call you an hypocrite - i was using it to illustrate my point)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673312">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673312" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673312" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673312" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673312" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673312" class="dsq-comment-message">Seshadri: I\'m just passing along what people tell me when they meet me one-to-one. TDavid even said the same thing today in my comments.<br><br>It\'s not about you, though. MOstly about LayZ and Coulter and John Welch. They see those commenters as insufferable and inable to demonstrate a world view other than "anti-Scoble." Which, I guess, if you are here, gets old after a while. :-)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673313">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673313" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673313" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673313" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673313" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673313" class="dsq-comment-message">@172, But that\'s where the core fun is. How else would a post about \'Palo Alto notaries\' end up with 172 comments?<br><br>(Is this the post with highest comments ever?)</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673314">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673314" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673314" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673314" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673314" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673314" class="dsq-comment-message">Seshadri: nope, I\'ve had posts with about 1,000 comments. (The one on four sounds of Vista).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673317">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673317" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673317" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673317" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673317" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673317" class="dsq-comment-message">Actually, Google Blog Search has tons of MVP Summit posts. <a href="http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&amp;q=%2522MVP+Summit%2522&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;scoring=d" rel="nofollow">http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&a...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673318">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673318" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673318" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673318" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673318" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673318" class="dsq-comment-message">"Sandi:<br><br>What gets online is reality to most people. It’s what bloggers have to work with. I have lots of MVPs who read me. If my facts are wrong, I’m sure they’ll point it out (and, you seem to be the first, which is totally shocking to tell the truth — it’s almost like the group agrees that they were cheerleading)."<br><br>Who\'s most people?  How many people are "most people" when there\'s a lot of folks that don\'t read blogs.  And when you say "it\'s almost like the group agrees"...what group?  Not all MVPs blog, nor read blogs, nor read your blog.  Who are they?<br><br>In reality the "blog world" out here is one or two folks making real comments and everyone just piggybacks.<br><br>Furthermore, The MVP summit isn\'t a venue for disclosure as an NDA event.  What you saw through your blogroll is a filtered view period.  You remember non disclosure and how the MVP summit was covered by that?  So expecting some sort of revelation is downright silly from that event.<br><br>What I see around the blogosphere is tulip bulbs and koolaid.  My reality is that I bought a Microsoft operating system on a Dell laptop and Office 2007.  I\'ve get to pay a dime for applications from Google.  Well I guess I did as they were loaded up on the laptop and I uninstalled them already.<br><br>Want to hear reality?  The reality of Vista is that it proves that old dogs have to learn new tricks and we\'re fighting it tooth and nail ... Office 2007 makes people want it once they get over the learning curve and I\'m ripping out Google Desktop because I don\'t appreciate the revenue sharing deals that Intuit and Dell are making without my approval.<br><br>What\'s reality isn\'t just the view from the Blogosphere.<br><br>Reality is that real people just want things to work.  And blogging and bloggers are not the real world.<br><br>I blog.  But there\'s a lot of people out in the real world that don\'t care that I do, nor need to care.<br><br>In the grand scheme of life, bloggers aren\'t as important as we think we are.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673315">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673315" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673315" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673315" href="http://msmvps.com/spywaresucks" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sandi Hardmeier</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673315" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673315" class="dsq-comment-message">[Rob]I’m sorry about that, but it would have been more effective to post a list of URLs where MVPs reported from the MVP Summit that demonstrated your point of view.<br><br>Do you have any?[/Rob]<br><br>Why? You\'ve already said your broad brush approach was bad, so just what is it that we you want demonstrated?<br><br>As far as I know (I\'m not going to read through the entire history of comments) you posted *one* blog link that you use to justify your stance of MVPs as cheerleaders and referred to "several" MVPs who have apparently agreed with you via email (I assume they are agreeing about MVPs being cheerleaders which is not that surprising - after all I said the same thing, but *I* said it without slamming the label on *all* MVPs).<br><br>Just how many blog entries etc do you think would be sufficient to support the contention that my point holds sway, considering we have no idea what "several" equates to? Heck, we\'re on even terms with just my one response to this blog.  In fact, if I blog in addition to Susan\'s blog entry "Real World" then I\'m actually one up on you :)<br><br>I\'ve also got "several" emails that were less than flattering about your statement, so we\'ll call ourselves even on that score too.<br><br>Be that as it may, you\'ve acknowledged that your broad brush statement was bad.  That\'s enough for me, for now.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673328">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673328" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673328" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673328">Shravan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673328" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673328" class="dsq-comment-message">@171: "For the record, i have never said said anything personal or offensive."<br><br>In fact, one can argue that some of Scoble\'s comments are personal and offensive.<br><br>I like to read your blog and usually stay out of the discussion part but it\'s fun to see what the comments section turns into when you mention, "Apple", "Google", and "Microsoft" in the same article.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673329">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673329" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673329" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673329" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673329" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673329" class="dsq-comment-message">Sandi: cool, glad we cleared that up.<br><br>Susan: bloggers are just "spitters" that send info around word-of-mouth networks. They get quoted a lot cause of their audiences. They are influential in that they tell other people what they think and often have large audiences that make them influentials.<br><br>Most people around me don\'t care about my blog. But they do see stuff in the newspaper or on TV or that got told to them by THEIR friends that WERE influenced by blogs.<br><br>You made me laugh about this one: &gt;&gt;I’m ripping out Google Desktop because I don’t appreciate the revenue sharing deals that Intuit and Dell are making without my approval.<br><br>That sounds like an "anything but Microsoft" person back around 2000 (Microsoft used to make lots of wacky deals with Dell back then before the DOJ lawsuit and it used to piss off lots of influentials to the point that they pushed the DOJ to go for an anti-trust lawsuit).<br><br>As for Vista: talk to Buzz Bruggeman about that one. He\'s found a bug that has been acknowledged by Microsoft but hasn\'t hit the blogs (er, newspapers) yet. It will, though, cause it causes nasty stuff to happen after hybernating.<br><br>I\'m glad I said most people should wait six months for Vista to be really tested out by the marketplace before upgrading.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673330">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673330" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673330" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673330" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673330" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673330" class="dsq-comment-message">&gt;In fact, one can argue that some of Scoble’s comments are personal and offensive.<br><br>I like getting into the mudpit as much as anyone. But, generally I try not to use ad hominem attacks against anyone.<br><br>Some of my comments aren\'t really thought out well. How can you tell those ones? Cause they don\'t work and get derided quickly.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673331">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673331" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673331" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673331">Brian</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673331" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673331" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert, thanks for responding and giving me "a clue\' ;-) I didn\'t mean to diminish your contribution prior to MS, but your audience increased greatly because of them. The tone was a bit harsh -- doesn\'t look good to slam former employers like that, even with the best of intentions.<br><br>I agree that MS execs have to walk the walk or shut up until something ships (and someone needs to throw a muzzle on Ballmer -- he does more damage to their rep every time he opens his mouth than Google R&amp;D could do in a year...). That\'s why I look to Ozzie going forward. He doesn\'t talk trash.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673310">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673310" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673310" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673310" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673310" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673310" class="dsq-comment-message">Brian: I slammed Microsoft often when I was there.<br><br>My traffic has more than doubled since I left Microsoft, by the way.<br><br>Ozzie is trying to take Microsoft in a new direction: bring out stuff AFTER it\'s done. I wonder if he can last at Microsoft, though. The culture is against him.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673332">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673332" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673332" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673332" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673332" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673332" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert, send Buzz to the newsgroups for help.. and not blogs.  Where hard core MVPs who don\'t read blogs nor blog while they are at the summit are.<br><br>The "blogging" MVPs are just one part of the MVP community and to merely gauge the "feel" of the "group" does a disservice to the over 2,800 folks that have different voices.  (I say that loosely as well as there are differing views and opinions).<br><br>We\'re not all good MVPs.  We\'re not all bad MVPs.  There are some that shouldn\'t be MVPs.  There are folks that should be MVPs and are.  And it sure not fun sometimes being one when former MVPs gauge the entire group from the "blogging" ones when not all of us blog.<br><br>But the good ones will continue on helping folks regardless of the title, the grouping, the whatever.  I certainly don\'t do what I do just for the title.  I do it because it makes me learn and grow.<br><br>BTW I don\'t know Buzz as he\'s never been in my newsgroups/communities but it sounds like it may be this:<br>The Windows desktop may stop updating correctly after a Windows Vista-based computer has been running for a long time:<br><a href="http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=932406" rel="nofollow">http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=932406</a><br><br>Call for a hotfix (it\'s a free call)... in the USA 1-800-936-4900.  If he has issues, give him my email address and I can help him out.<br><br>For the record, I don\'t appreciate it when Microsoft shoves down Service packs unannounced on patch Tuesday, I don\'t appreciate it when Java, Yahoo, Intuit or any other number of vendors including Micrsoft shove down software that I didn\'t ask for inside their software.  This isn\'t "anything but Microsoft", this is "tell me what you are shoving on my desktop that I now have to patch for".<br><br>Normal people don\'t upgrade.<br>Normal people buy their OS on computers that come with Google desktop.<br>Normal people don\'t read blogs.<br>And businesss sure don\'t install anything ...whether Google, or whatever overnight.  We test and make sure it solves a business need.  I would hope that major businesses of the world wouldn\'t make a key investment decision because of something they read on a wordpress page but that they actually did a bit of their homework and research.<br><br>One can hope anyway.  Blogging gets eyeballs.<br><br>It shouldn\'t be the determination of the final decision.  And if it is.. our entire world needs to step back and do proper due diligence.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673325">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673325" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673325" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673325">LayZ</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673325" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673325" class="dsq-comment-message">@@172- Or to put it another way:  "I much prefer a community of sycophants if I had my way"</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673324">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673324" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673324" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673324" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673324" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673324" class="dsq-comment-message">What Robert points out here is the same issue I have with all software vendors.  Do they listen too much to the geeks?<br><br>Are they getting feedback from the RIGHT people?<br><br>Sometimes I don\'t think they are.  "Influencers" (and I use that loosely) are not normal folks.  And are we/they really influencing the normal people?<br><br>I\'m not convinced that bloggers should be so religiously seen as the "in crowd" to watch.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673320">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673320" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673320" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673320" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673320" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673320" class="dsq-comment-message">Susan: you misunderstood me. Buzz already has better contacts inside Microsoft than most MVPs. So do I. He\'s being helped by Microsoft folks on the IE team who are aware of this particular bug and are working on it -- why would he need to deal with an intermediary when he already has contacts inside of Microsoft?<br><br>I use the word "influencer" to mean anyone who tells other people about something. Bloggers are just easy-to-study influencers. And, thanks to Google (er, <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a>) bloggers have bigger audiences than other kinds of influencers, which makes them more likely to get ideas around the word of mouth networks faster.<br><br>Normal people, as you call them, DO use Google. What do they find for most problems? Bloggers helping out. They might not even realize they are reading a blogger, but it\'s Google that\'s bringing the traffic.<br><br>This is what the MVP program doesn\'t understand (and most MVPs don\'t grok). Most Google searches won\'t bring you to newsgroups, but rather will bring you to Web forums and blogs.<br><br>The "in crowd?" That\'s all over on Second Life or Twitter anyway now.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673319">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673319" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673319" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673319">Bess</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673319" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673319" class="dsq-comment-message">"Heck, Microsoft closed down the Internet Explorer team for about five years and most people didn’t even notice."<br><br>This should go down to internet history. AJAX is born thank to this 5 peaceful years. And this also explains why Microsoft is falling off the Internet trail. They pay no attention to the web.<br><br>This is a good waking call for Microsoft. And you Robert is very good at shouting out loud.<br><br>Good point on warning Ozzie. He may end up going home to Kansas before he gets to see the Oz. Can he become the Wizard? We do want Microsoft around so Bill Gates can save the world.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673333">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673333" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673333" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673333" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673333" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673333" class="dsq-comment-message">Google groups Robert.<br><br>I search on google and I find myself heading over to google groups where answers are.<br><br>Because quite frankly web searching without being targeted ends up with a whole bunch of unfinished threads with no resolutions.  I generally don\'t find that single voice blogs giving me consistent solid tech advice for current products.  They give me buzz for future stuff that may or may not occur. Or perhaps a blend of tech support and current stuff, but it\'s only one person\'s view and voice.  A blog is not the proper venue for a tech support incident. I\'m sorry but I don\'t find my core tech support on blogs... and believe me I blog.  I bubble up my tech content from other sources and filter it out so that the blog can be a tech source.<br><br>I make my blog to have tech content and be a filing cabinet from all the other resources I see.  But it\'s not in watching one blogger or getting answers from a blog, it\'s from those larger community resources.<br><br>And Robert, there you go again with that "MVP program" again lumping the entire thing/all participants into one basket.  Given that you aren\'t in the program anymore, nor at Microsoft, I don\'t think you are in a position to know what the program understands, nor what MVPs grok.  Have you talked to all of them?  I haven\'t talked to you in a long while.<br><br>On the one hand you are saying bloggers are the only "it" crowd, but then saying the bloggers at the summit didn\'t post anything you wanted to link to so they are not.  So what is it?<br><br>For the record I help admin and host a bunch of mvp bloggers on a joint site.  That doesn\'t mean that I believe that the joint blog site I help run is the best venue for seeing the bigger picture of the real world.  It\'s not.<br><br>There\'s connections and then there is support. I don\'t know what connections Buzz has but you know what I\'ll take support ones over Dev any ol\' day.  Support work in the now.  Dev are already onto the next thing.<br><br>Why do I offer to help Buzz?  Just because.  Because that\'s what I do for all the people that aren\'t the Buzz\'s in the world.  Because the vast majority of computer users aren\'t Buzz.  Don\'t have the connections and go to a web forum or newsgroup for help.  I\'m not here to cheerlead but to help.<br><br>For the record when I help, find that Google Group searches give me much better answers than a Google search.  It\'s too "buckshot" approach on plain web search and even the gang in our SBS community complain about it.   Google isn\'t good enough anymore.  We need more targeted searching.  Blog searching comes back with bogus results.  All of us in the real world are beginning to complain that the lack of information we use to have is turning into information overload and we can\'t find the good information anymore.  We need it filtered and targeted.<br><br>Besides, what webforums ARE newsgroups.. it\'s the same content just a different way to navigate.<br><br>I blog, I newsgroup, I web forum.  But a blog is a single person\'s voice.  It does not replicate the same experience as looking over a web forum and seeing trends.  And the sooner you and the rest of the industry "grok" that a blogger is a single voice and not a trend, not a group, the more I\'ll stop worrying about this industry.  Because right now we\'re listening too much to the single voices out here.<br><br>There\'s still folks that see the value in looking at more than one forum... <a href="http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1628" rel="nofollow">http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1628</a>  and I\'m one of those people that think that if you just get your input from one place, you may not see that bigger picture.<br><br>And Second Life and Twitter, that\'s the incrowd for you... that\'s not necessarily the incrowd for all.<br><br>But getting back to the original point of this... it\'s about looking at the larger view and right now you are still apparently have this view that nothing but the blogosphere needs to be watched for trends and that all MVPs that you care to pay attention to do nothing but cheerlead.<br><br>That\'s your view, Robert. I find that looking at more than just the blogosphere gives me a much bigger picture.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673323">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673323" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673323" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673323" href="http://mediavidea.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Pramit</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673323" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673323" class="dsq-comment-message">I have read Robert\'s post on a list of Microsoft\'s innovations and I think this must be  must read for all Microsoft people and think up new groundbreaking stuff.<br><br>Read :<br><a href="http://mediavidea.blogspot.com/2007/03/microsoft-vill-plateau-for-while-and.html" rel="nofollow">http://mediavidea.blogspot.com/2007/03/microsof...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673322">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673322" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673322" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673322" href="http://www.bynkii.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">John C. Welch</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673322" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673322" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>John: interesting how we have different memories of the 1990s. I remember using Macs and crashing every hour with QuarkXpress (and I can back that up — I kept pointing it out to Steve Sloan and Steve Broback) and NT 4.0 wouldn’t go down for weeks.</i><br><br>But we already established that you\'re not anything close to a network person. I\'d have LOVED to have seen the configs on these machines. Somehow, I think your extension march was a wonder to behold.<br><br><i>Actually, that is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE and anyone who deals with the Internet better realize that silence DOES equate agreement.</i><br><br>No, silence only equates apathy. Either assumption is incorrect, and an attempt to manufacture a conclusion. The plural of speculation is not data.<br><br><i>Any PR professor will tell you the same.</i><br><br>Their job is teaching you how to spin results from insufficient data. Not exactly what I\'d call a reliable source.<br><br><i>It’s not about you, though. MOstly about LayZ and Coulter and John Welch. They see those commenters as insufferable and inable to demonstrate a world view other than “anti-Scoble.” Which, I guess, if you are here, gets old after a while.</i><br><br>Wah. The world is not here to agree with anyone. People who only want yes-men in their world are clueless in the extreme.<br><br><i>Office 2007 makes people want it once they get over the learning curve and I’m ripping out Google Desktop because I don’t appreciate the revenue sharing deals that Intuit and Dell are making without my approval.</i><br><br>To the corporate world, Office 2007 is nothing more than a new file format and a training pain in the ass. There\'s no compelling reason to mass upgrade, or even allow it in the building. Hell, Microsoft can\'t even keep the UI consistent in the suite. Outlook 2007 is a nice example of this.<br><br><i>“Heck, Microsoft closed down the Internet Explorer team for about five years and most people didn’t even notice.”<br><br>This should go down to internet history. AJAX is born thank to this 5 peaceful years. And this also explains why Microsoft is falling off the Internet trail. They pay no attention to the web.</i><br><br>The MORE important part of that was the fact that the IE team was shut down in a fit of "FINE, YOU ALL HATE US, WE\'LL JUST TAKE OUR BALLS AND GO HOME". It was shut down in the same manner of an emo teen throwing a hissy and slamming the door to his room. Lame.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673309">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673309" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673309" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673309">TanNg</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673309" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673309" class="dsq-comment-message">BUT:<br>Microsoft did not say "we\'re in it to win"<br><a href="http://liveside.net/blogs/opinion/archive/2007/03/18/on-winning-windows-live-and-a-new-world-order.aspx" rel="nofollow">http://liveside.net/blogs/opinion/archive/2007/...</a><br><br>One of our writers, Matthew Weyer, posted about that enthusiasm, and what appeared to be a quoted statement from the Summit.  Well that didn\'t go over too well.  Matthew issued a clarification in a comment:<br><br>    A correction note to everyone, Microsoft did not say "we\'re in it to win", and even if they did, I would not be able to disclose discussions since they\'re under NDA.  However, I can say that the "feeling" I got from Microsoft is "we\'re in it to win" as in a sense of commitment, nothing more.  As I said in the beginning of the post, I cannot say anything about what we did or didn\'t see.  I did go, but that\'s all I\'ll admit too.<br><br>    The point of this post was to convey a positive feeling I took back from Microsoft.  I think a little bit of positiveness about Microsoft would be nice for a change.<br><br>    @Matthew</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673305">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673305" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673305" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673305" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673305" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673305" class="dsq-comment-message">#191, TanNg: well, that attitude certainly matches what I heard executives saying internally at Microsoft. Steve Ballmer never says he\'s in it to build a great user experience or build the best Internet services in the industry. That attitude has rubbed off on the culture inside Microsoft. That\'s why what Matthew originally wrote resonated.<br><br>And, maybe it\'s time for Microsoft to stop holding secret meetings with customers where they get them all hyped up about futuristic things that probably won\'t ship for years.<br><br>It was an MVP Summit meeting where I got hyped up about Longhorn (with prototypes that never shipped). That was a major mistake. That meeting was what caused the hype.<br><br>Oh, and by paying MVPs way, and giving out lots of goodies (I saw some MVPs admit that they got free Tablet PCs by going), everyone is unwilling to say anything anti-Microsoft because you want to get invited next year.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673304">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673304" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673304" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673304" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673304" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673304" class="dsq-comment-message">Susan: I\'ve done thousands of Google searches (at <a href="http://Google.com" rel="nofollow">Google.com</a>) and I\'ve rarely come across an answer on Google Groups integrated there.<br><br>What you don\'t realize is most people have no idea about Google Groups. Only geeks and nerds know that.<br><br>I disagree with you about finding answers on Google, by the way. Throw an error message into Google and the answer usually comes right back.<br><br>Ask it for a driver. Answer comes right back.<br><br>Ask it how to do something in code? Answer usually comes right back (and if it doesn\'t, most coders know how to get the answer from Krugle, or Google Groups, like you said).<br><br>The problem for Google is most people have no idea about the other services Google provides. To them the world IS <a href="http://google.com" rel="nofollow">google.com</a>.<br><br>Which is why blogs are so influential.</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673303">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673303" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673303" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673303">VR</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673303" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673303" class="dsq-comment-message">This is complete crap.. go through your previous posts here and channel9 and see what you have been saying so far..</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673296">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673296" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673296" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673296" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673296" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673296" class="dsq-comment-message">Straight googling gives you information overflow now.. to the point where I just had someone join a yahoolistserve to ask the questions and get the answers directly because google isn\'t working anymore.  It\'s too much feedback from google.<br><br>The Microsoft.public. newsgroups are now exposed as webforums too.  You hit the same thing as newsgroups by the way.<br><br>When you google, you don\'t just hit blog real estate.  You hit web sites, web forums, you name it.  Blogs are one voice.  Man I HOPE people aren\'t listening to one voice if that voice is not fully informed.<br><br>You said earlier the MVP program doesn\'t get it?  Well SeanO is blogging and twittering <a href="http://communitygrouptherapy.com/2007/03/12/are-you-curious-enough-to-be-a-web-20-leader/" rel="nofollow">http://communitygrouptherapy.com/2007/03/12/are...</a> so maybe there\'s hope \'eh?<br><br>And Robert... this part of your post was so wrong it wasn\'t funny:<br><br>"Oh, and by paying MVPs way, and giving out lots of goodies (I saw some MVPs admit that they got free Tablet PCs by going), everyone is unwilling to say anything anti-Microsoft because you want to get invited next year."<br><br>Oh Robert...oh please.<br><br>Let\'s do the full disclosure shall we as to what in the MVP world gets paid?<br><br>What was paid for the summit?  The hotel room.  Oh yeah the $9.99 a day internet connection.  Everyone flew up there on their own dime.  The teams do not pay for airfare these days.  As far as handing out Tablet pcs to MVPs they only went, I heard to Tablet MVPs and are HOW many Tablet MVPs out of the 2,800 MVPs? They sound like the only group that got "ooh ahh" stuff.. Talk about brush stroke Robert.  Do I remember that you got a tablet by being a MVP or am I too way overgeneralizing and forgetting?<br><br>I flew up the weekend before on my own dime, stayed in a hotel on my own time and flew back before the summit so I could meet up with the community folk from around the world.  And then on patch Tuesday I yelled at Microsoft for not telling us that SP2 was coming down.  I blogged about it dude.  Go google on that?<br><br>There is no "everyone".  And you need to realize that blogs are not effective feedback channels and SOMETIMES that feedback is better served in a more productive manner by sending emails to people that we have contact with then sticking a rant on a web billboard.<br><br>Dude, you have no idea how much feedback I do that never even goes near my blog.  My blog is a filtered outword facing feedback.  The real and true feedback is typically in more private conversations.<br><br>Do not insult me and the others that spent hard earned money going to the summit by taking that brush stroke and painting it as you are doing.  And for most of them going to Redmond is not why they do it.  It\'s a reason to get together with the folks with a commonality of helping computer users.<br><br>My blog?  Has no advertising, no link to a book.  And I foot the bill for the web space.  Microsoft has never offered to pay for it nor would I accept repayment to ensure that it is MY voice.<br><br>In my accounting world, Robert, blogs aren\'t yet there as a key influencer.  Of the 100 most influential Accounting practitioners (oh and lets name drop while I\'m at it ... I\'m one of those 100) there are VERY few bloggers in that list.  Again, the tech world is not everything.<br><br>And that\'s still my concern.  Blogs should not be the only input and data point that a firm should look at.  They are single voices.<br><br>Right now I\'m concerned that way too many companies are listening too much to these single voices.<br><br>That concerns me.<br><br>Dude, you really disappointed me here.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673290">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673290" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673290" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673290" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673290" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673290" class="dsq-comment-message">VR: what\'s your point?<br><br>I say lots of things about Microsoft. Some right. Some wrong. Some nice. Some nasty.<br><br>But I reserve my right to say something different tomorrow than I said today.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673292">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673292" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673292" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673292" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673292" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673292" class="dsq-comment-message">&gt;Do I remember that you got a tablet by being a MVP or am I too way overgeneralizing and forgetting?<br><br>Nope. Never got free hardware when I was an MVP.<br><br>I didn\'t know that MVPs didn\'t get airfare covered this year.<br><br>I didn\'t say blogs were the ONLY thing that showed up in Google. But they certainly show up often and high.<br><br>Blogging is coming to other fields big time. Why? SEO\'s are bringing it to other industries. I\'m seeing  a ton of Accounting blogs. Watch for more.<br><br><a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=Accounting+blog&amp;ie=utf-8&amp;oe=utf-8&amp;aq=t&amp;rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&amp;client=firefox-a" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/search?q=Accounting+blog&...</a><br><br>Businesses have always listened to single voices. Just ask consultants whether they mind that.<br><br>I know Microsoft listens to consultants a lot more than they listen to anyone on the street too (and even MVPs).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673293">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673293" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673293" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673293" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673293" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673293" class="dsq-comment-message">As a USA based MVP I\'ve NEVER gotten my airfare covered.  Ever.  It\'s always been on my dime.  And this year overseas folks didn\'t get any sort of help or stipend and yet they still came.<br><br>But the accountants are listenting to them.... They are blogging for other bloggers.  The vast number of CPAs in the trenches don\'t look at blogs.  Right now they are just talking to each other and not talking to the trenches.<br><br>And consultants consult...they don\'t do.<br><br>Don\'t get me started on that either.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673294">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673294" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673294" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673294" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673294" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673294" class="dsq-comment-message">But the accountants are listenting to them<br><br>(messed that up)<br><br>Should be "But the accountants aren\'t listenting to them"</div>\
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	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673295">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673295" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673295" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673295">Jordan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673295" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673295" class="dsq-comment-message">When I look at Apple\'s forced migratons (6080x0 --&gt; PowerPC; OS 9 --&gt; UNIX; Moto/IBM to Intel; Jukebox --&gt; music store --&gt; video store --&gt; living room entertainment hub) what I see is <i>discipline.</i><br><br>In other words, setting aside the formidable technological hurdles, I see clear evidence of a company that (regardless of its comparative size, corporate complexity etc.) is able to coherently focus its attention on a goal and carry it out with a unified, simplified effort.<br><br>When the iPod was introduced, Apple "bundled it" with the EXISTING iTunes application, rather than doing what every other maker of a peripheral does (namely, write a new application for that purpose). Any other company tech I can think of would probably have made shiny new "iTunes software" and it would be your problem to deal with migrating your music library or doing whatever you wanted to do.<br><br>That these are abstract software systems that communicate with each other but they map out to concrete-and-steel buildings and groups of people who correspond directly to those abstract components and communicate effectively.<br><br>Everybody\'s got their own brilliant theories about why Apple does well. (My own favorite nonsensical ones are "brilliant marketing" and "religious fans," as if every damn street and mall and bus and train in the world was filled with  white headphones because of "marketing." Nobody can market that well! It\'s impossible. The iPod <i>actually is</i> the proverbial better mousetrap.)<br><br>But I digress. I only claim to have one salient point here: that Apple (and probably Google, but I\'m not familiar enough with their systems to feel comfortable weighing in) seems to have a consistent and coherent overall planning architecture that forces a <i>disciplined approach</i> to problem solving. Their "dogfooding" (iTunes store runs on WebObjects etc.) is just one part of this approach.<br><br>With Apple, the customer gets the sense of a bunch of people <i>working together</i> to proceed in a sensible, logical manner, avoiding the clusterfucks that come from bad inter-corporate communication and undisciplined project management.<br><br>I\'ve worked several places where two groups at opposite ends of the company were doing very, very similar things and yet were not in contact with each other or were not communicating effectively, so the "equasion never reduces" and the redundancies and complexities silt up the products.<br><br>It\'s quite clear (from using Office or Windows) that Microsoft cannot coordinate itself the way I\'m describing. Over and over again, the Microsoft<br>approach seems to be to have dozens and dozens of slightly different versions of the same thing, all going at once, all superceding and overcorrecting each other, with the patches and last-minute-fixes painfully visible, all smoothed over beneath an intrusive and decorative corporate shellac that\'s supposed to fool me into thinking that I\'m using integrated solutions.<br><br>I don\'t think Steve Jobs is the Messiah or anything; I\'m just pointing out what I see, which in my opinion is fairly obvious: Apple\'s engineers are all on the same page, which translates directly into a smooth and simplified user experience. I\'m not making a tech point; I\'m making a "corporate discipline" point.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673297">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673297" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673297" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673297" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673297" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673297" class="dsq-comment-message">"Apple’s engineers are all on the same page, which translates directly into a smooth and simplified user experience. I’m not making a tech point; I’m making a “corporate discipline” point."<br><br>Bet they don\'t ship with Google desktop either....<br><br>..and Jordon ..yup the OEM experience will be the death of Microsoft.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673298">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673298" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673298" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673298">Jordan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673298" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673298" class="dsq-comment-message">It\'s Jordan with an a. Basketball player, river, country, almond, Back Street Boy, department store, <i>Great Gatsby</i> character...all with an a.<br><br>Sorry; pet peeve. :)<br><br>But thanks. To be fair, Apple did cut a deal with Google, which is why the Google search is built right into Apple\'s Safari browser.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673287">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673287" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673287" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673287" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673287" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673287" class="dsq-comment-message">Sorry Jordan.<br><br><a href="http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/01/144222" rel="nofollow">http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/...</a><br><br>Figures.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673288">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673288" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673288" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673288" href="http://sparksengr.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">sk</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673288" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673288" class="dsq-comment-message">"..and Jordon ..yup the OEM experience will be the death of Microsoft."<br><br>Interesting.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673289">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673289" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673289" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673289" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673289" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673289" class="dsq-comment-message">Susan: you\'re trying to tell me that Accountants don\'t use Google.com? Amazing that you believe that.<br><br>It\'s not that they are looking for blogs. They are looking for information on accounting. And blogs show up VERY high in Google because Google\'s main algorithms are about LINKING!!!<br><br>Google Groups messages don\'t get linked to very often, which is why they rarely show up. But blogs get linked to all the time. Particularly ones that show how to do something. Or, give reviews of software.<br><br>Which is why blogs are influential.<br><br>Ever wonder why the MVP leadership is doing a blog? I don\'t. They just took three years to see the data.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673283">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673283" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673283" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673283" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673283" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673283" class="dsq-comment-message">Oh, and to those who think I\'m only nasty to Microsoft do a Google search for "Demo of the year" and see what comes up. Here, I\'ll do it for you:<br><br><a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=Demo+of+the+Year&amp;ie=utf-8&amp;oe=utf-8&amp;aq=t&amp;rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&amp;client=firefox-a" rel="nofollow">http://www.google.com/search?q=Demo+of+the+Year...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673284">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673284" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673284" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673284" href="http://www.msmvps.com/bradley" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Susan</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673284" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673284" class="dsq-comment-message">They don\'t for hard core tax research.<br><br>Where\'s the googles on how to input tax info in Lacerte or CCH?  Not there.<br><br>Are there community places like Intuit\'s Quicbooks community .. but that\'s generic accounting and not the CPA industry.<br><br>I said Robert that Accountants don\'t follow blogs.  And when we do research it\'s on CCH tax research or asking folks on listserves.<br><br>Google does not give good enough answers for my industry.  It\'s not targeted enough.<br><br>The good stuff in my accounting world is behind a "gated community" and Google doesn\'t touch that stuff.<br><br>And the MVP leadership understands that blogs are just ONE influencer channel.  Sean\'s been web posting and interacting for many years.<br><br>In my own SBS community we\'re starting to become a gated commmunity.. and google again, doesn\'t touch that.<br><br>Google doesn\'t search everything.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673286">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673286" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673286" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673286">Ezekiel</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673286" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673286" class="dsq-comment-message">Don\'t you get it, Mr. Scoble? MSFT is not a technology company. There is nothing to sigh about. It\'s demise would be of almost no consequence besides dynamizing the PC software market.<br><br>MSFT is a ruthless twisted law firm that got its hands on an operating system at an opportune moment in history and figured out how to murder the competition through customer intimidation and restrictive contracts and, finally and most importantly, how to tie up the boot loader and exclude all other OS developers. SEE:<br><br><a href="http://www.birdhouse.org/beos/byte/30-bootloader/" rel="nofollow">http://www.birdhouse.org/beos/byte/30-bootloader/</a><br><br>You sound as if you actually expect MS to suddenly find religion about software engineering, product development and customer service late in midlife - or early in its maturity. Get real. You might as well expect a 60 year old drug addict to quit the junk and take up training for Olympic speed skating.<br><br>It ain\'t going to happen. The junkie will keep lying to himself and end up face down in a gutter in some remote industrial park, trying to make a connection that won\'t show, finally drowning in his own vomit. MSFT in its Internet plays will keep trying to play market-manipulating angles, (restrictive tie-in deals that chain people closer to Windows) and making thinly veiled threats about intellectual property, chuckling to themselves all the while that they\'ll \'get\' everyone locked in again like they did the OS and then the Internet will be theirs to abuse for whatever amount of money they can imagine harvesting from it and the sorry suckers who depend on it.<br><br>From the company\'s perspective, the world is just a collection of fools and pushovers waiting to lied to or slapped into a corner and made to do what MSFT wants them to do. You worked there. You should know this as well as anyone. On the Internet, however, there\'s no \'boot loader\' equivalent to lock in customers and no way for them to create a critical dependency MSFT can use to abuse their customers into submission.<br><br>Without any mechanism to enforce its will and placed at the mercy of the marketplace, MSFT is completely at sea, a ship of pariahs with no port to take them, sharks in the water, polar bears floating by on icebergs, gazing hungrily at easy prey aboard who can do nothing to protect themselves but throw bags of money overboard and set them alight, pretending to hold off attackers that will ultimately consume them.<br><br>Couldn\'t happen to a nicer bunch of guys.<br><br>Zeke<br><br>PS Tell MSFT to hire a veterinarian to give Ballmer a distemper shot. Kid\'s a total psycho and embarrassment to MSFT.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673263">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673263" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673263" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673263">Jordan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673263" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673263" class="dsq-comment-message">Zeke,<br><br>*sniff* (weeps) Brilliant!<br><br>A bit vitriolic but so were Thomas Jefferson and Howard Beale.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673265">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673265" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673265" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673265">DaveD</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673265" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673265" class="dsq-comment-message">I really wasn\'t going to comment. Honestly? I wasn\'t going to read through 200+ comments either. But this thread was like watching a car crash in slow motion. So when I made it to comment #193...<br><br><i>It was an MVP Summit meeting where I got hyped up about Longhorn (with prototypes that never shipped). That was a major mistake. That meeting was what caused the hype.</i><br><br>Robert! Remember me? I was repeatedly critical of you back in 2004, even some of 2005. You told me that I needed to attend PDC \'03 because I would otherwise lose my job to somebody in India!<br><br>That period of time (early 2004) was when I let my Microsoft certification lapse because I - while thankful for what it did to my career - simply wasn\'t using it anymore. I had moved on to SAP. And on a personal note I bought my last Windows PC about a year before... and moved on to OS X.<br><br>Back to the above quote. I could be an ass and laugh at how you\'ve changed since you left MS. But no... I commend you for finally undertanding what I had been complaining about.<br><br>The constant upgrades. The empty promises. The INEXCUSABLE 5 year semi-retirement of MSIE. The decision to stop supporting VB6.<br><br>Hey, at least they finally put out a more secure OS. It throws a popup at you every 2 minutes, but it\'s more secure.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673282">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673282" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673282" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673282">Ezekiel</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673282" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673282" class="dsq-comment-message">Jordan,<br><br>Hey, man, thanks.  Sometimes, ya know, da truth hits home and the words just appear. I\'d never thunk I\'d be compared to Jefferson and Beale, though. Thanks.<br><br>Mr Scoble, can I put a title on my essay? I don\'t know how in WordPress blog software. I want to call it:<br><br>"Don\'t Cry for Them, Mr Scoble" which you can sing to the melody of the chorus of Evita because I have a terrible singing voice.<br><br><br>Zeke</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673276">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673276" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673276" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673276" href="http://www.bloglines.com/blog/seshadripv" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">seshadri</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673276" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673276" class="dsq-comment-message">@216 - I have a terrible singing voice<br><br>and a terrible rational thinking ability too...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673254">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673254" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673254" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673254">Bess</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673254" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673254" class="dsq-comment-message">#213: The constant upgrades. The empty promises. The INEXCUSABLE 5 year semi-retirement of MSIE. The decision to stop supporting VB6.<br><br>This is the trouble of a big company with too many products. They can decide to drop the support of an OS, or even a browser. Going forward, let\'s not pump any bugs into the browser even if you decide not to support it. We reserve our right to send the Singing telegram on our theme song "We\'re All In This Together"!<br><br>#216: “Don’t Cry for Them, Mr Scoble” which you can sing to the melody of the chorus of Evita because I have a terrible singing voice.<br><br>This will make an interesting show. PodTech is coming up with their Entertainment Division on <a href="http://www.nationalbanana.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.nationalbanana.com</a>. Robert can lead the singing part. It will draw a lot of advertisement and sponsorship. Possiblely it may lead to a nomination for a singing award, possible singing career.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673326">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673326" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673326" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673326" href="http://www.vsolv.com/blog/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">vijay</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673326" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673326" class="dsq-comment-message">It has been more than a decade since the Internet exploded and Microsoft can\'t seem to do anything right in this space. Obviously, it\'s not just google; lots of other companies are constantly innovating. Microsoft has been much more successful in almost all the other key areas they have invested in. What gives at when it comes to the net?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673327">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673327" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673327" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673327">Ing-Long Eric Kuo</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673327" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673327" class="dsq-comment-message">How MSFT can \'win\' in a few easy steps.<br>1) Stop renaming products randomly (Hotmail -&gt; MSN Mail -&gt; MSN Hotmail -&gt; Windows Live Mail)<br>2) Make embeded version of SQL Server 2005 and use it for products where the bits are kept with data for</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673321">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673321" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673321" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673321">james</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673321" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673321" class="dsq-comment-message">Also get a mail service that actually receives mail without bouncing good mail silently. Hotmail is a piece of shit, half of the time it will silently drop e-mail from custom domains. Google never does that, that\'s why GMail is far better, it simply works; it also has more space but I think a bare minimum for a mail service is that it doesn\'t drop e-mail especially silently. Hotmail is a piece of shit, to improve it, make it actually use one of the spam lists, and not some POS internal system that can\'t be checked, updated, and maintained by the public.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673311">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673311" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673311" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673311" href="http://msmvps.com/spywaresucks" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sandi Hardmeier</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673311" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673311" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert: re "Oh, and by paying MVPs way, and giving out lots of goodies (I saw some MVPs admit that they got free Tablet PCs by going), everyone is unwilling to say anything anti-Microsoft because you want to get invited next year."<br><br>Damn it Robert, you\'re doing the "everyone" thing again (what happened to realising that a broad brush is wrong?) and once again you go too far.  I paid $3,500 out of my own pocket just in air fares to attend the summit, hundreds of dollars in taxi fares and for my own internet access in the hotel - another $50.  MS paid for my hotel room - yay them.<br><br>Not only that, MS has *never* paid my multi thousand dollar airfare to attend a Summit in the USA - not once - never.<br><br>My goodies?  half a dozen t.shirts, a copy of Expression Web designer, and a handful of $5 trinkets.  That\'s it.  Oh yeah, that *really* stacks up well at over $4,000 personal expenditure on my part.<br><br>How *dare* you suggest that I, as part of the global "anyone" am "unwilling to say anything anti-Microsoft because [I] want to get invited next year".<br><br>You really do not get it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673316">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673316" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673316" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673316" href="http://notcatweazle.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Wesley Parish</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673316" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673316" class="dsq-comment-message">Funny, when I go search for "Robert" on google, it\'s either Robert the Bruce, Robert the Second of Scotland that is, or Robert aka Wobert, the poodle in "Meet the Feebles".  Comes of having different priorities, I suppose.<br><br>And as far as Microsoft goes, it\'s not bleeding red ink - yet.  But SteveB seems to be focused on defining his mouth as a shoe, and inserting his foot whenever he\'s offered the chance.  The closest analogy with Microsoft is of course, Pan Am.  They were for all intents and purposes, fit and obnoxiously healthy in the early nineties, and then all of a sudden, they just weren\'t there any more.<br><br>Is Pan Am the _new_ Microsoft?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673302">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673302" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673302" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673302" href="http://www.dealarchitect.typepad.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">vinnie mirchandani</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673302" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673302" class="dsq-comment-message">229 - you obviously did not suffer through Pan Am in the 80s...I did just about every month on some international flight ...or Microsoft in the last decade ...financial statements are trailing indicators. Consumers are far ahead of investors in sensing problems...as I say repeatedly say -<br><br>True North is on Main street not Wall Street</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673299">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673299" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673299" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673299" href="http://www.bassictech.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">MagnusJ</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673299" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673299" class="dsq-comment-message">Well, for many companies and orgaisations, it is not a matter how Microsoft scores on "the internet" and wether or not their search engines "sucks".<br>In many cases, the true value for these companies are how Microsoft and their partners come up with solutions that have true, meaningful value to their business activities.<br>And deliver solutions, that is what Microsoft does indeed. I don\'t think that Microsoft vs. Google this and that is so important.<br>/M</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673300">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673300" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673300" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673300" href="http://www.webcommons.biz/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Steve Magruder</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673300" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673300" class="dsq-comment-message">Still waiting on sitemap support in <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> after many inexplicable months...<br><br>If <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> is so great, then why did they let Google and Yahoo beat them so badly on this?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673301">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673301" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673301" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673301" href="http://interreality.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Reed</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673301" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673301" class="dsq-comment-message">My guess is that MS wants to develop it\'s own web-application stack-- XAML etc. on Vista clients; MS-designed SOAP protocols; .NET apps running on Windows servers.<br><br>Google and friends are getting there first because they\'re using already-deployed technology: HTML, Flash, Javascript in any browser on the client; HTTP requests to get data; whatever kind of apps you want (Java, C, C++, Perl, Python, Ruby) running on Linux servers.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673291">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673291" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673291" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673291" href="http://interreality.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Reed</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673291" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673291" class="dsq-comment-message">Bascially, MS is "innovating" a whole lot, but it wants to innovate the whole solution, and all the innovation is staying within its R&amp;D walls.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673285">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673285" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673285" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673285">Ezekiel</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673285" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673285" class="dsq-comment-message">Reed,<br><br>Exactly. If it doesn\'t help manipulate the customer, tie him to Windows and support the MSFT hold-the-customers\'- arms and nail-his-feet-to-the-floor marketing model, it is rejected. Which means MSFT has to invest years in trying to come up with its own crap to upset the development of usable technology already in the field and in organizing its own patented MSFT Hostageware.<br><br>The marketing phrase \'Where Do You Want to Go Today\' always made me break out laughing. It\'s so obvious that what MSFT really means is, "Where the F*** Do You Think You Are Going?"<br><br>It\'s like Hannibal Lecter asking, \'May I Serve You?\'<br><br>Zeke<br><br><br><br>My guess is that MS wants to develop it’s own web-application stack– XAML etc. on Vista clients; MS-designed SOAP protocols; .NET apps running on Windows servers.<br><br>Google and friends are getting there first because they’re using already-deployed technology: HTML, Flash, Javascript in any browser on the client; HTTP requests to get data; whatever kind of apps you want (Java, C, C++, Perl, Python, Ruby) running on Linux servers.<br><br>Comment by Reed — March 19, 2007 @ 7:27 am</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673275">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673275" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673275" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673275">nix</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673275" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673275" class="dsq-comment-message">"Ever wonder why <a href="http://Live.com" rel="nofollow">Live.com</a> is slower than Google? Hint: it’s cause Google is out executing Microsoft in the datacenter."<br><br>Why is Google faster.<br>1) Multiple data centers shipping data to users locally.<br>2) All layer 2 back to the main data center (Gig-E feeds) via dark fiber.<br><br>Average deployment between data centers is about 20k worth of servers.<br><br>That is why thy are fast.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673277">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673277" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673277" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673277">LayZ</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673277" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673277" class="dsq-comment-message">@223. "What gives at when it comes to the net?"<br><br>It\'s pretty simple, I think. It\'s not shrink-wrapped software so they can\'t figure out how to monetize it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673273">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673273" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673273" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673273">ProMsft</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673273" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673273" class="dsq-comment-message">Wow Bob,<br><br>I thought you liked Microsoft?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673272">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673272" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673272" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673272">Rich</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673272" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673272" class="dsq-comment-message">"Ship a better search, a better advertising system than Google, a better hosting service than Amazon, a better cross-platform Web development ecosystem than Adobe..."<br><br>Uh...<br><br>Remember Bill Gates in "Pirates of Silicon Valley"?<br><br>Better. Doesn\'t. Matter.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673271">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673271" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673271" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673271">Hate Naysayers</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673271" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673271" class="dsq-comment-message">Hmmm...you were at Microsoft...saw these "sucky" issues...leave Microsoft....and now tell the world what\'s wrong. Why did you try to fix them or at lease influence them? What a big tough guy! You\'re lame.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673269">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673269" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673269" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673269">royalschrubber</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673269" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673269" class="dsq-comment-message">scoble, you are an a-hole. you remembered me of those anti-vista spam from apple. R</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673270">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673270" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673270" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673270" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673270" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673270" class="dsq-comment-message">Hate#246: I did try to fix them. Over and over and over again. But the problems inside Microsoft are bigger than me. Billionaires need to solve them.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673278">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673278" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673278" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673278">Colby</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673278" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673278" class="dsq-comment-message">“maybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes.”<br><br>-------------------<br><br>OMG.<br>This blog just "jumped the shark" for me.<br>Unsubscribed.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673279">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673279" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673279" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673279">Candro</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673279" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673279" class="dsq-comment-message">What\'s this talk of Live being slower than Google?  I\'ve not noticed that.  And I\'m much more satisfied with Live search\'s results than Google\'s (but Yahoo has better results than both).</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673280">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673280" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673280" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673280" href="http://letskilldave.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">David Weller</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673280" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673280" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert knows me, the rest of you probably don\'t: I\'m an evangelist at Microsoft (Robert and I used to be office neighbors...hi, Robert!)<br><br>ok, on with the commentary: Yup.  Google is kicking our ass in search.  Google is kicking our ass in damn near every space that we compete in.  But their game consoles suck (so far :-).  All joking aside, Ballmer\'s quoted comments bother me too.  So I decided to articulate some thoughts here.  It\'s all extemporaneous, so take it with a grain of salt.<br><br>I think Microsoft\'s inability to out-innovate Google is defined by three things:<br>1) Engineering mindset.  As you point out, Robert, Google uses cheap hardware and leverages the rest of the stack with internal work that is focused on their objectives.  Google developers are empowered to create in a charming "primordial ooze" of creativity.  We get to deal with 4-7 layers of "Program Management"<br>2) Lack of "legacy".  Whether this be a customer-mandated compatability in Windows Vista so that their Windows 3.1 application works, or some type of (ethical) business practice blocked because of consent decree or government regulations (or business organizations -- the Zune doesn\'t suck because we thought it would be a good idea to make a sucky personal music player, it sucks [IMHO] because we wanted to have a good "business partnership" with the music industry): Microsoft has about a billion albatrosses (albatroi? abla...aw, hell, you get it) around their collective necks.  You\'re welcome to discount this, but I\'ve seen it in EVERY org I\'ve been in.  Our future will continue to be haunted by the sins of our past.<br>3) Confusing and/or competing "visions".  Microsoft culture grew up on the concept of competing products and objectives, the philosophy being that the market would choose the successor.  This culture has resulted in several incidents where competing teams created solutions that confused customers, developers, and the press.  Sometimes simultaneously.  This problem continues today, and can often be found in products that appear complementary, but absolutely won\'t work together (or the solution feel like a hack).  Look at Windows Vista DWM/Windows Presentation Foundation/and DirectX as an example.  I don\'t see this culture changing.  Ever.  But I damn sure wish it would. Add on top of that the fact that our senior executives have to somehow tie together this loose array of 7-100 different product areas (depending on who you talk to), and they have their OWN agendas as well.  Fun.<br><br>So why do I still work at Microsoft, instead of just quitting and working for Google (or somewhere else)?<br>1) I continue to feel that my job does good things for good people.  I\'m passionate about what I do and the product I promote to people (Hint: That would be neither Office nor Windows :-).  I guess if I stop feeling that way, I\'ll give Vic Gundotra or Carter Maslan a phone call now that they\'ve gone to Google.<br>2) I somehow believe the Microsoft culture will change in a significant way in the near future.  Then again, I\'ve thought that for too long now.  Feel free to accuse me of rampant optimism.<br>3) We have an ENORMOUS supply of passionate developers that are engaged in different technologies, doing really cool things (check out some of the videos on <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com" rel="nofollow">channel9.msdn.com</a>, Robert\'s old job).  We\'re just as capable of making the "next cool thing" as Google is, and we provide tools to help our 3rd parties do the same.<br><br>David "LetsKillDave" Weller</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673266">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673266" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673266" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673266">Nobody</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673266" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673266" class="dsq-comment-message">@192<br>Wait, so Microsoft never even said, "We\'re in it to win"?  Then what\'s the point of this blog entry in the first place (other than Scoble scoring brownie points with the "I hate Microsoft" crowd and engaging in the most shameful (and yet shameless) public narcisism I\'ve seen in a long time with this "Forbes loves me" garbage)?<br><br>Oh, and Scoble, why don\'t you respond to post 192?  You seem to let it go, not even bothering to alter your blog entry to reflect that Microsoft did not say what you claim they did?</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673267">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673267" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673267" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673267">LayZ</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673267" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673267" class="dsq-comment-message">@248, So... you weren\'t as influencial as an MS blogger as people made you out to be?  I thought blogging solved everything.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673110">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673110" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673110" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673110">Nobody</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673110" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673110" class="dsq-comment-message">@251 by David Weller<br><br>Sounds like Microsoft is a bunch of independent competing companies.  We were told that this is what the public *wanted*.  They wanted Microsoft split up in to competing entities and this would allow the best tech to emerge.  But I guess they really do want monolithic companies to run everything.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673350">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673350" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673350" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673350">Guiness</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673350" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673350" class="dsq-comment-message">"Brian: I’m discouraged by people who assume that I made my name at Microsoft. I had more than 1,000 readers a day when I joined Microsoft. I planned conferences for programmers in the 1990s. I did a LOT BEFORE I was a Microsoft employee (and, was quoted in Time Magazine saying that Microsoft should split itself up BEFORE I was an employee).<br><br>"<br><br>---<br><br>LOL<br>Robert, when you were at MS, your blog carried some weight *because* you were at MS.  Now, you are just another self-appointed know-it-all blogger (that in reality knows very little), and the only reason, the ONLY reason you get much of a following at all is because you were at MS.  Believe me, your blog, objectively speaking, sucks badly.  The writing is horrible, the topics are repetitive in the extreme, the layout is barebones.  If not for your MS history, you\'d have veryl little following at all.<br><br>Sorry, but you are NOT Plato, Aristotle, or Socrotese.  You\'re nothing more than a blogger using your MS-history to give your word psuedo-gravitas.  That\'s it!  Get over yourself, please.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673355">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673355" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673355" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673355">Jordan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673355" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673355" class="dsq-comment-message">@ Dave 251,<br><br>Makes a great deal of sense. I respectfully refer you back to my earlier comment 202, where I\'m struggling to make a similar point in a more convoluted fashion.<br><br>The venn diagram of the company and the venn diagram of Windows are fundamentally interrelated; formal systemic errors in one cause errors in the other.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673354">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673354" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673354" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673354">Guiness</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673354" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673354" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert: “maybe they ARE looking for me when they type Robert. PC World named me one of the most important people on the Internet. So did Forbes.”<br><br>Mike: Every once in a while, the ego shines on through the rants :)<br><br>////////<br><br>"Every once in a while"?  Scoble aggrandizes himself in nearly every one of his blogs.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673306">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673306" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673306" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673306" href="http://scobleizer.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Robert Scoble</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673306" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673306" class="dsq-comment-message">#252: Microsoft talks about "winning" all the time. Here\'s Steve Ballmer talking about winning in his interview with me. <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=85529" rel="nofollow">http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=8...</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673308">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673308" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673308" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673308">Ezekiel</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673308" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673308" class="dsq-comment-message">Mr Weller,<br><br>These are exactly the kinds of hooks that cults used to keep people locked into place:<br><br>1 - The mission is essential for advancing humanity<br>2 - Taking all this abuse will be worthwhile, because the institution is finally reforming and can do its best work<br>3 - The members are passionate and therefore righteous and I am among them<br><br>Read Churches That Abuse or really any accepted work on cult mind control. Get out of there. At some level, you know you want to escape.<br><br>Zeke<br><br><br>1) I continue to feel that my job does good things for good people. I’m passionate about what I do and the product I promote to people<br>2) I somehow believe the Microsoft culture will change in a significant way in the near future. Then again, I’ve thought that for too long now. Feel free to accuse me of rampant optimism.<br>3) We have an ENORMOUS supply of passionate developers that are engaged in different technologies, doing really cool things</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673307">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673307" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673307" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673307">Richard Steven Hack</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673307" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673307" class="dsq-comment-message">Microsoft priorities?<br><br>Making Bill Gates rich.<br><br>That\'s it. Period. Full stop.<br><br>Anything that doesn\'t do that - like security, reliability, common sense - goes by the wayside.<br><br>Look at the latest spin by Microsoft - Vista security holes are supposed to be rated down because Vista has more security features than XP!<br><br>Oh, please.<br><br>Then they roll out another Microsoft blogger with a comparison of security vulnerabilities between OS\'s (using the same crap criteria that has been discredited a thousand times in the past). Guess who comes out on top?<br><br>Why? Because Vista is going nowhere and OneCare is eating people\'s Outlook emails, that\'s why. So the spin machine rolls into action immediately.<br><br>Let me clue you people in.<br><br>ANYBODY at Microsoft who is allowed to talk to the public is a LIAR. ANYBODY. EVERYBODY.<br><br>(Except that guy last week who described OneCare as "missing bits and pieces" and "should not have been released" - and he\'s undoubtedly on the unemployment line this week.)<br><br>Microsoft does not sell software. It sells LIES.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673352">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673352" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673352" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673352" href="http://web.mac.com/deank812/iWeb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Dean812</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673352" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673352" class="dsq-comment-message">Really the bottom line for Microsoft is this; They are the once great giant who didnt change with the times. They havent completely ignored the security issue BUT what can they do, insecurity is built in to the OS because of its base. Nothing to fix there. You either put up with it or you switch to a Mac.<br><br>Which leads me to my second point, people are leaving MS in droves for Apple\'s Mac. Why? Because it just makes sense. I mean its a no-brainer. These Macs don\'t and HAVENT ever gotten viruses, they dont get spyware, malware, they dont stop woring for no reason like PCs dod, they are just a stable, very beautiful way to do your computing.<br><br>This is a common story in the world of business. Companies that fail to see where things are going fall away and become footnotes of the progression of their market. Its happened before, and trust me, it WILL happen again. Why ANYONE would use a Microsoft based computer is trylu beyond me. I mean WHY would you want to do something the hard way? Since Macs swicthed to Intel, they are as compatiable for Windows and Windows based programs as a true pc would be. There zero reason NOT to swicth to a mac and HUNDREDS of reasons to get the hell away from an insecure, unstable, and very expensive OS like Windows.<br><br>Do yourself a favour, buy a Mac and you will wonder why the hell you didnt do it sooner. Much sooner. I know I did.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673274">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673274" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673274" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673274">El Nos</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673274" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673274" class="dsq-comment-message">All this talk of Google being the next Microsoft is rubbish. They are nowhere near becoming this. It\'s obvious. Just look at their market capitalizations. Google is valued at a much higher P/E and once it misses forecasted earnings, it\'s going to fall like a ton of bricks. It doesn\'t even have the potential to grow to Microsoft\'s size. It\'s a one dimensional business in a very competitive environment.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673253">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673253" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673253" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673253">Ari</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673253" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673253" class="dsq-comment-message">@103: You simply do not get it. Online gaming? Where is the fun in that. How does blowing up or shooting your opponents online provide healthy enjoyment and social interaction?<br><br>I think Nintendo "gets it". They understand that gaming is not about how fancy your games are or having the most FPS on an online network. Gaming is about having fun and that you can have the most fun by playing against your friends in the same living room.<br><br>I have to say that the most fun I had playing any game was this past New Year\'s Eve at Christine\'s (girl next door). There was a decent sized group that stayed past midnight playing Cranium (a Canadian board game which combines trivial pursuit, charades and win-lose-or-draw). What made it fun was the social interaction. You cannot get that sort of game with online gaming.<br><br>If there was console that I would buy for just a console, it would be the Wii as my first choice. The PS3 looks attractive as a Bluray player that happens to be a console as well.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673262">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673262" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673262" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673262" href="http://www.sponsoredbythewind.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Paul</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673262" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673262" class="dsq-comment-message">Microsoft is what Ma-Bell was. (We are talking worldwide now and then just the USA).<br><br>The problem?<br><br>How to cut up Microsoft, before it is devoured.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673256">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673256" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673256" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673256">Ezekiel</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673256" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673256" class="dsq-comment-message">The only reason people enjoy video games on PCs is that using PCs makes them so crazed with hatred, rage and genocidal fervor that they can only express it by chasing mutants through mazes and hatcheting them to death.<br><br>People who use Macs putter away doing their stuff.<br><br>People who use PCs curse at the computers all day, screaming themselves hoarse at the blue screens, aborts, random freezes, spontaneous reboots and non-stop screw ups. By lunchtime, they just want to pull out someone\'s arm and beat them to death with the wet end.<br><br>That\'s where the video game industry game from. Next week, I\'ll explain house paint industry.<br><br><br>Zeke</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673258">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673258" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673258" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673258">Jeff Cochran</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673258" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673258" class="dsq-comment-message">First, a qualification.  I am an MVP and I was at the Summit, though not at any of the Live presentations, so I can\'t vouch for any of the remarks made there.<br><br>But I do question why anybody considers that Microsoft\'s statement that they are "in it to win" is any kind of new information, or anything that anyone would get upset over.  Microsoft is always in everything it does "to win."  So is Apple, Google, Yahoo, Nike, Coca Cola and the lady that runs the souvenier shop down by the beach.  Every business is.  And the primary goal of every publicly owned company is to maximize return to the shareholders.  Microsoft has been good at that over the years, as have most of the other companies at various periods of time.<br><br>Microsoft has rarely gotten the definitive product out the door on the first try.  Or often even the second, third or later tries.  But they also rarely abandon products.  They keep pushing and improving and gaining ground until they have won.  And then they keep pushing some more.  There\'s nothing new here, nor anything new in their assertion that they will win, no matter what the category the remark is made about.<br><br>And Scoble is correct.  Microsoft does not have a winning product in Internet Search.  Nor have they ever.  But they haven\'t given up working on it.  And they have the money and the power to keep working on it, even if it stays in third place for several more years.<br><br>For what it\'s worth, the MVP\'s aren\'t an easy bunch to "talk into doing some cheerleading" and Scoble knows that.  They\'ve been bitching about Microsoft\'s Search for a decade...</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673268">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673268" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673268" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673268">Lily</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673268" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673268" class="dsq-comment-message">So refreshing to hear you say this.  A Microsoft contractor, working at an ivy league institution, was pimping the "Live" search krap to the rest of us in the room, and even though MS products usually make me barf I thought I\'d at least give it a try.  I typed in five addresses.  It basically was 1 for 5.  Two of the others it couldn\'t even find, which were basically normal addresses.  I was appalled, then realized how typical that was, compared to Google earth, which of course rocks.  When I mentioned how kraptastic it was, he said MS\'s plan was to outspend Google on it so everyone would use it.  Which brought me right back to my usual posture re: MS, of wanting to hurl.  Just like Word Perfect.  Don\'t bother to BUILD the better product, just try to crush the competition through a business strategy instead.  And then to boast about how great krap is?  Seriously appalling.  Why is it so hard to just spend the money on building something EXCELLENT?  Then maybe it could sell ITSELF.  Sigh.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673260">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673260" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673260" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673260">Jayakumar Hariharan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673260" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673260" class="dsq-comment-message">Arguments do not make people use products, or buy them.<br>But personal conviction does.<br><br>Personally, I don\'t see anything replacing Microsoft Office, warts and all- on my desktop/ laptop for at least a couple of years, including free for download software and free hosted services.<br><br>Jay, from Bangalore<br><a href="http://ideaburger.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">http://ideaburger.blogspot.com</a></div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673261">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673261" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673261" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673261" href="http://adrian.pletosu.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Adrian Pletosu</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673261" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673261" class="dsq-comment-message">I certainly hope Google is going to move ahead of Microsoft in the long run. If it\'s not the technology advance everybody is touting - I am betting on people skills.<br><br>Just recently Google has been named the best place to work in America - out of thousands others. Where is Microsoft there? What is the ratio between disgruntled Microsoft employees and Google employees? In the end - either you like it or not - is the people who make or break it.<br><br>Google has a better staff retention coeficient than Microsoft and I hope they will continue having it.<br><br>It will take some time but Google will become what Microsoft was a while back - the "go to" company - the one any bright person wants to work for.<br><br>Then Microsoft will face the dinosaur\'s fate - crushed by its own weight.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673259">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673259" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673259" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673259">Jordan</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673259" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673259" class="dsq-comment-message">"Why is it so hard to just spend the money on building something EXCELLENT?"<br><br>Well, that\'s the real trick, isn\'t it? (As H. Solo once said.) It\'s hard because, well, it\'s hard, but it\'s made even harder if the corporate culture can\'t tell the difference between actual systemic thinking and sales thinking.<br><br>Marketing/Sales people are defined by their ability to answer a single question: "On a level playing field, with no difference between brands of soap, how can I make consumers prefer mine?"<br><br>Even the actual characteristics of the product -- its features, strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, drawbacks, are considered a sub-set of its saleability quotient. Marcus Aurelius said to ask of each thing, what is its nature; what is its purpose. Sales people do not think this way. They ask of each thing, how can I persuade somebody (or force somebody, or bribe somebody) into buying this?<br><br>You can sell soap this way, or perfume, or music, or even cars. But you can\'t do it with software because software is the most abstract product there is, and the true "nature and purpose" of the tool reveals itself too easily.<br><br>Balmer probably thinks that Google and Live Search are the same. He thinks he\'s getting screwed by somebody else\'s better marketing; this is how a soap manufacturer thinks. You can hear it in their whining about Apple: it\'s all "marketing," as if people choose iPod over Zune as frivolously as they choose Tide over Bold.<br><br>Back in the 1970s and 1980s, this kind of thinking was (obviously) effective for Microsoft because nobody knew any better. DOS? PS/2? Who cares? I just want my spreadsheet! But times have changed, and today\'s customers won\'t fall for this "Wow starts now" crap.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673255">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673255" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673255" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673255" href="http://dotnet.org.za/ernst" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ernst Kuschke (C# MVP)</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673255" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673255" class="dsq-comment-message">Robert,<br><br>Do you seriously link *popularity* directly to *credibility*? They are two very distinct things, and as you point out in almost each of your blog posts, you might be the former.<br><br>I used to read your blog when you started blogging, many years ago, and there were some interesting points. However, I unsubscribed about two / three years ago, I don\'t even recall exactly when, (long before you left Microsoft) because I just didn\'t find your popular opinion valuable (to me, personally) anymore.<br><br>MVP\'s are mostly technical guys &amp; gals, and MVP status is *completely* linked to community activity, and renewable annually. (You should know that!) Because of the nature of MVP\'s, I think you might find that far less MVP\'s are interested in your ramblings than you like to believe.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673252">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673252" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673252" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673252">LayZ</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673252" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673252" class="dsq-comment-message">@268 "Why is it so hard to just spend the money on building something EXCELLENT? Then maybe it could sell ITSELF. Sigh."<br><br>While it\'s certainly easy to apply that to Microsoft and you would be right, it doesn\'t work that way in anything.  If things worked that way there would be no need for ANY company to have a marketing department.  Excellent products don\'t always end up being the best sellers.  Is a Toyota Camry the best car?  Is McDonald\'s the best hamburger? Is WalMart the best department store?<br><br>Not only do you have to build a good product, you have to figure out how to sell it (even if you selling model means strong arming OEM\'s). Rail against Microsoft all you want..they certainly have it coming...but you can\'t deny the fact they know how to market.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673281">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673281" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673281" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673281">george</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673281" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673281" class="dsq-comment-message">"Real artists ship"<br>[Steve Jobs]</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673257">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673257" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673257" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673257" href="http://www.mywaves.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">vidgrl</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673257" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673257" class="dsq-comment-message">As an ex-microsoftie all I can say is sing it brother and sing it loud.<br><br>What\'d I do after Microsoft?  A web 2.0 video RSS system.  Could I have done something this cool at MS?  Never, and that\'s the shame.  MS has good people and ideas but no ability to execute other than in the staid biz app world it first found success in.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673251">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673251" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673251" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673251">Sammy Sosa</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673251" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673251" class="dsq-comment-message">This guy just wants publicity. All bloggers at some point "Jump the Shark" this is joke. Google never ships a product everything is always "BETA". Gmail has been in "BETA" for 2 years. At least the Microsoft guys take a shot at sending out real software. I am tired of this BS all software is the same, some sucks some don\'t. If you don\'t like it don\'t buy it or use it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673359">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673359" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673359" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673359">Christine</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673359" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673359" class="dsq-comment-message"><i>Google never ships a product everything is always “BETA”. Gmail has been in “BETA” for 2 years. At least the Microsoft guys take a shot at sending out real software.</i><br><br>Microsoft has NEVER shipped software that wasn\'t beta. Vista still isn\'t in a state where it should have been RTM, and they\'ve had three quarters of a year to patch it.<br><br>Atleast Google is being honest about it.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673360">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673360" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673360" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673360">Crystal9154</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673360" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673360" class="dsq-comment-message">SOme more reason why Microsoft blows. MS has introduce a new technology to compete with Adobe Flash/Air called Silverlight 2.0/MFP. The only problem is, if you are a VB programmer, MS cares little about you jumping in at the onset of this technology for the sake of your livlihood. MS is only providing tutorials/webcasts/videos for C# programmers. This irratates me because it gives C# programmers an edge of VB in the marketplace. I have decided to quit MS and move over to Adobe and larn Action Script. I have long been fed up wit MS showing favortism to C# programmers and treating us VB programmers as bastard step-children.</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673361">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673361" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673361" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <span id="dsq-author-user-9673361">JK</span>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673361" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673361" class="dsq-comment-message">The <a href="http://live.com" rel="nofollow">live.com</a> Search Engine SUCKS!</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 <li id="dsq-comment-9673362">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-header-9673362" class="dsq-comment-header">\
	 <cite id="dsq-cite-9673362" class="dsq-comment-cite">\
	 <a id="dsq-author-user-9673362" href="http://www.siyonizm.net/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Kabala</a>\
	 </cite>\
	 </div>\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-body-9673362" class="dsq-comment-body">\
	 <div id="dsq-comment-message-9673362" class="dsq-comment-message">You may heed your  own advice Scoble. I can recall many times you hyping Microsoft stuff before it was shipped. Including search. This post makes me wonder how much  of your previous posts were marketing bulls**t and how much was real. and how much I can trust your opinion going forward…</div>\
	 </div>\
	 </li>\
	 </ul>\
';

(function() {
	
	





Dsq.Debug.profile(function() {
	if(Dsq.jsonData.request.page == 1 && Dsq.jsonData.request.is_initial_load) {
		Dsq.container.innerHTML = Dsq.Templates.header() + Dsq.container.innerHTML + Dsq.Templates.footer();
	}
	Dsq.$(Dsq.curPageId).innerHTML = Dsq.$(Dsq.curPageId).innerHTML.replace(Dsq.COMMENTS_RE, Dsq.CommentsHandler);
}); // Dsq.Debug.Profile

// HACK: Resetting cache because we're done with.
Dsq.Utils.gebiFromElementCollectionCache = null;


	
	
	var dsq_styleEl = document.getElementById(disqus_container_id);
	var dsq_anchorEl = document.getElementsByTagName('a')[0];
	
	Dsq.Thread.fc = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_styleEl, 'color');
	if(dsq_anchorEl) { Dsq.Thread.ac = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_anchorEl, 'color'); }
	Dsq.Thread.ff = Dsq.Utils.getStyle(dsq_styleEl, (Dsq.Utils.ie || window.opera ? 'fontFamily' : 'font-family'));
	// For Safari / Opera: strip quotes.
	Dsq.Thread.ff = Dsq.Thread.ff.replace(/['"]/g, '');
	Dsq.Thread.fc = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.fc);
	Dsq.Thread.ac = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.ac);
	Dsq.Thread.ff = encodeURIComponent(Dsq.Thread.ff);

	
	
	
	if(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer)) {
		// TODO: Check to see if theme uses postmessage.
		if (window.disqus_use_postmessage) {
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'] = new Dsq.ReplyFrame(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.textareaContainer));
			Dsq.frames['reply_0'].init(function() {
				// Use fallback iframe
				Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer).innerHTML = '';
				var theme = (typeof disqus_frame_theme == 'undefined') ? 'default' : disqus_frame_theme;
				Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$(Dsq.Templates.addPostContainer), null, {theme: theme});
				// if(Dsq.Utils.ie) { Dsq.Utils.fixIframesIE(); }
			});
		} else {
			// DEPRECATED
			Dsq.Iframes.showReplyIframeInContainer(Dsq.$('dsq-post-add'));
		}
	}

	
	

	
	if(document.location.hash != '') {
		document.location.hash = document.location.hash.substring(1);
	}

	Dsq.Popup.showCookieMsgs();

	
	if(document.location.search != '' && location.hash != '#disqus_thread') {
		var reply_id = Dsq.Utils.getRequestParams().dsq;
		if(reply_id) { document.location.hash = 'comment-' + reply_id; }
	}

	
	if((typeof OB_Script != 'undefined') && (typeof OB_versionNum != 'undefined')) {
		if(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("Firefox") != -1) {
			if(window.frames['dsq-reply-frame']) {
				window.frames['dsq-reply-frame'].location = Dsq.Urls.REPLY + (new Date()).getTime() + '&f=scobleizer&t=microsoft_tells_mvps_8220we8217re_in_it_to_win8221_8212_really&to_redirect=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location) + '&ifrs=' + encodeURIComponent(disqus_iframe_css);
			}
		}
	}

	if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
		if (Dsq.jsonData.realtime_enabled) {
			Dsq.Realtime.initialize();
		}
	}

	



	window.ExecuteWhen = (function () {
	var obj = {}
	
	// Private
	var running = false;
	var timer = null;
	var pending = [];
	var startTimer = function() {
		running = true;
		timer = setInterval(obj.heartBeat, 100);
	};
	var stopTimer = function() {
		running = false;
		clearInterval(timer);
	};
	
	// Public
	obj.add = function (condition, code) {
		pending.push([condition,code]);
		this.heartBeat(); //!
		if (!running) {
			startTimer();
		}
	};
	obj.heartBeat = function() {
		if (!pending.length) {
			stopTimer();
		}
		var newPending = [];
		for (var i=0; i<pending.length; i++) {
			var cond = pending[i][0];
			var code = pending[i][1];
			// FIXME: if cond or code throw an error, they never get removed from pending
			if (cond()){
				code();
			}
			else {
				newPending.push([cond, code]);
			}
		}
		pending = newPending;
	};
	return obj;
})();

// also used in embed_thread.js:
window.fbIsReady = function () {return window.FB && FB.init;};
// NOTE: This script gets executed again without threadEl
//       set when we are loaded again as the fbc_receiver.
//       In this case, we don't need the hidden container.

if(!window.FB || !FB.init) {
	if(window.Dsq && Dsq.container) {
		// container is not present when init.js is loaded from an xd-receiver iframe; in this case,
		// we don't need the FB_HiddenContainer anyway.
		var fbDiv = document.createElement('div');
		fbDiv.id = "FB_HiddenContainer";	// Required or else FeatureLoader will execute a document.write.
		fbDiv.style.position = 'absolute';	// This is intentionally not setting display to none as this breaks
		fbDiv.style.top = '-10000px';		// Flash in Safari.
		fbDiv.style.left = '-10000px';
		fbDiv.style.width = '0px';
		fbDiv.style.height = '0px';
		Dsq.container.appendChild(fbDiv);
	}
	var fbJS = document.createElement('script');
	fbJS.type = "text/javascript";
	fbJS.src = "http://static.ak.connect.facebook.com/js/api_lib/v0.4/FeatureLoader.js.php";
	document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(fbJS);

	ExecuteWhen.add(window.fbIsReady,
		function () {
			// HACK: This is a workaround FBC's single domain limitation by
			//		 allowing sites to create multiple forums with different
			//		 Facebook API keys.  This must be used in conjunction with
			//		 disqus_facebook_forum (see authenticateFacebook).
			var facebook_api_key = 'faaf467d0f47abde553c3b8e0e1b3570';
			if (typeof disqus_facebook_api_key != 'undefined') {
				facebook_api_key = disqus_facebook_api_key;
			}

			FB.init(facebook_api_key, window.facebookXdReceiverPath || null,
				{fetchSignedPublicSessionData: true});
		});
}


	


if(typeof(disqus_callback) == 'function') {
	var callback_params = Dsq.Utils.getRequestParams()['dsq_cbp'] || null;

	// We don't care about any errors in third-party code
	try {
		disqus_callback(callback_params);
	} catch (x) {
		if (typeof(console) != 'undefined' && typeof(console.log) == 'function') {
			// But it would be nice to let developers know about them
			console.log(x);
		}
		// pass
	}

	// HACK: We don't know if the callback wraps our container, which may
	// possibly result in a new DOM element.
	Dsq.container = document.getElementById('dsq-content');
}

// Global event handler for narcissus.
if (Dsq.jsonData.integration.theme == 4) {
	var g = Dsq.Utils.ie ? document : window;
	Dsq.Utils.addEventListener(g, 'keydown', function(event) {
		// Handle "enter" key on input for post box.
		if ((event.keyCode || event.which) == 13) {
			var target = Dsq.Utils.ie ? event.srcElement : event.target;
			// For Safari bug, detect text node.
			if (target.nodeType == 3) {
				target = target.parentNode;
			}

			if (target.nodeName == 'INPUT' &&
				target.parentNode.className == 'dsq-input-wrapper') {
				var postId = Dsq.Utils.extractId(target);
				Dsq.Templates.postComment(postId, this, false);
			}
		}
	});
}

})();




