Shawn’s Thoughts

Three years ago, I was given the opportunity to join the MSDN team at Microsoft and create a new experience for developers – creating something called Developer Centers.  During a recent management shuffle, one of the new folks in my management chain asked me to explain the value of content to developers – they didn’t understand the major investment being made in the editorial management of developer-related content.  There was no passion.  I started looking around Microsoft for a new opportunity the next morning.

In a moment of what could only be blamed on some level of divine intervention, I joined a group of Subversives.  I didn’t know it at the time – I thought I was joining a MUCH smaller team who seemed to be having a lot of fun.  …and wanting to make a Difference.

Who are my fellow subversives?  Lou Amadio – UI dev genius.  Steve Makofsky (“The FurryGoat”) - dev extraordinaire.  Sean Alexander – the PM who can get anything done.  …and a bunch of folks who don’t blog.  The amazing thing about this team – they’re all about showing the power of choice.  Choosing to funnel passion into a product.  Choosing to focus on making a change, rather than dwell on issues.We also have a leader who has told us repeatedly to treat the pixels with the same respect as the rest of Microsoft treats the kernel.  It’s not just about the code features anymore – it’s about the experience features.  It’s about injecting passion into our products.  It’s happening all over Microsoft.  Ask John Porcaro.  Ask Kevin Schoenfeld.  Ask Heather.

As Kathy so eloquently mentioned, we had an opportunity to chat this week.  I wanted to meet the folks behind some great ideas around creating passion in computing, and when I saw her post about visiting Seattle, I jumped at the chance.  What I got was a meeting of kindred spirits.  To be called a friend is the highest complement Kathy could have paid, and I am grateful.  It was energetic, and reaffirming.  Thanks for taking the stand, Kathy.  Thanks for creating the opportunity for others to play along.  I’m not so sure about the fear of Six Sigma, and I’ll leave that for another time.

To me, as entertaining as it is to read the holier-than-thou whiney posts from Mini-Microsoft, it gets old after a while.  Look, Microsoft has a buttload of issues.  Some are pretty damn hairy.  Pointing them out is the easy part, the safe part.  It’s easy to sit on the sidelines, and point out the inadequacies of our company, like every other armchair quarterback on Sunday afternoon.  You want to make a difference – get out here on the field.  Get dirty.  Get bloody.  Get over yourself.  Take a risk.  Take a stand.  Be subversive.